Parenting Tips For The First-time Mom. Part II

Image by egg on stilts via Flickr

Wow, you have reached this far. I would assume you have read the first part of our parenting tips. We have discussed how to properly hold, feed, and put diaper on your baby. Hoping you’ve learned something useful from the previous post, here are more tips that you might want to consider:

Now, it’s time to bathe your baby. For starters, you may think that there are a lot of steps to take before you can even start bathing your baby. That is correct, with his fragile body, you have to take extra precautions when bathing him. Remember, even if the umbilical cord or the circumcision isn’t healed yet, regular bathing is a must. You have to keep him away from sickness by keeping him clean.

Preparation before bathing:

You need to gather all the necessary things you need in this procedure. Keep it within your reach. At the same time, your work space should be free from clutter. It should be clean and the floor should be dry. You wouldn’t want to fall while carrying your precious gem, right? Close the door or windows.

Fill the tub or basin with water around two-inch deep. The water temperature must be around 90-100 degrees. Test the water first by touching it through your wrist or elbow.

When bathing, it’s advisable to sponge bathe him. Let the child sit in the tub with the prescribed depth and temperature. Gently squeeze the water from the sponge to clean his body parts, focusing on the folds and creases of his body, such as neck, elbow, fingers, knees, and toes. Use a hypo-allergenic soap or a very mild shampoo to clean his hair, too. Although there are a lot of soap and “no tear” shampoos, you should still be careful when you wash his face and hair because this can distract him and you might lose your balance once he becomes hysteric. Then, wash his behind last.

As soon as you’re done, cover his body with a clean cloth or towel. Pat him dry. Rubbing his sensitive skin is not very friendly. Some doctors say that you should clean his navel with cotton swab. Others say that you can just pour a small amount of alcohol and just let it dry.

Bonding

This is one parenting obligation that every mom and dad should master. Remember, as early as infant stage your baby can already recognize the people around him, most especially when parents always spend time with him. Through this, you are making your baby feel that he is secured and loved. Don’t ever miss a day without cradling and stroking your baby. Babies are sensitive to sound; they react to it right away. So, go ahead and sing a lullaby to him. Always call his name. He will surely recognize your voice if you often speak to him.

Another technique that you should consider is swaddling. This limits baby’s tendency to awaken himself because of reflex motion. Swaddling is when you wrap your baby’s body with a wide cloth, limiting his body movements. By doing this, your baby will feel a sense of security and comfort.

While it is true that you should give utmost attention and care to your baby, it is also important that you take care of yourself, most especially your health, too. Get enough rest and quality sleep, so that you can give quality parenting to your infant. So, it is important that you should also have someone that can assist you in doing this life long obligation. Fathers or partners should really take the lead here as well. Always remember, if your child sees both of his parents during his formative years, these years will be filled with good memories worth remembering.