Becoming a new parent is nothing short of embarking on the most adventurous roller coaster ride of your life. You can be sure that there will be moments of ups and downs, but every single one of them will be so worth it. Parenting does not have to be as difficult as most people make it sound. However, there are a few basic things that every new parent has to learn as soon as possible to ensure that this is as smooth a ride as it can be. You don’t have to stress about it- these are super basic and very easy.
Handling your newborn safely
Your baby is a delicate creature who needs to be handled as gently and carefully as possible. Therefore, it is imperative to know how exactly you should hold your baby in different situations such as when you carry them around or feed them. Make sure that you wash your hands as often as possible when you touch them as their immune system is not strong at all. (And we are in a pandemic.) Learning to support your baby’s head and neck is probably the most important thing.
Putting your baby to sleep
Irrespective of how old your little one is, they always seem to refuse to go to sleep. It is very important to know exactly how to put babies of different age groups to bed so that both you and your angel are well-rested. When it comes to younger babies, who are a few months old, swaddling them is the best way to get them to sleep.
Your baby has just come out of the womb and is looking for warmth and comfort. Handling toddlers is an entirely different story. You have to tap into their energy and use the same to win this game. Engage your hyperactive two-year-old in different activities that are sure to tire them out and leave them hungry and sleepy. A glass of warm milk with supper will seal the deal.
Soothing your crying infant
Your baby is very new to this world and everything around them can be quite big and scary. They are not used to any inconvenience whatsoever and this is mostly why they seem to cry about everything. The only person who can effectively calm them down seems to be you and therefore you must know exactly how to soothe them and get them to stop crying.
The best way to go about this is to try and understand what your baby wants from you and address the need. Try holding them in a swaddling position. This can calm down your younger infants. But if they are hungry or sick, you need to attend to their needs to get them to stop crying.
Changing their diapers
If you are feeling lazy and indulging the thought that you can just change the diaper later, you are in for a tough time. Your baby is not going to stop crying and howling till they feel comfortable enough.
Changing a diaper is not very difficult and can be done in very few steps. After you peel the tabs from either end, use the front part of the diaper to clean your baby and follow this using baby wipes. Raise and hold their legs up together at the ankles, and place a clean diaper under them. Now just place their legs down gently and fasten them around.
Discipline and Patience
Sadly, these two go hand-in-hand. Babies and children are quite a handful and you require a lot of patience to deal with them. Their toddler years are when they discover the maximum potential of their misc.hief and if they are not disciplined at this age, it is only going to go downhill from here.
However, discipline does not equal hi.tting your child. This is where most parents tend to go wrong, and where patience factors in. You need to explain to your child exactly why what they are doing is wrong and what they could do instead.
Parenting is not exactly difficult, but it can be quite tricky. It is best to stay informed and one step ahead at all times to ensure the best possible experience. Don’t worry, you will figure it out.