As the due date gets closer, parents become a little anxious. The baby’s room is ready. You have the clothes, bottles, basinet, crib etc.
All that is left is the baby’s arrival. This whole time, you have talked about the baby, chose the name and probably have a list of family and friends who are ready to come your home during the first few weeks.
Once everyone is gone what happens when you are alone with the baby? The infant will need lots of attention and care.
Let’s be honest, it is not an easy task. The moment you learn that you will be parents, everything changes. It’s no longer about the two of you; it's now about the baby. You see, it’s not the infant that has to adjust it's way of life; you will have to mae the adjustments. The infant has only one way to tell you that they are hungry, wet, tired or don’t feel good and that is by crying.
Now don’t be afraid, they don’t cry all day and night, but they do cry and that means they need need you. Hopefully by this time you have taken the time to read a few books. There are so many out there that let you know what to expect more or less. It won’t be exactly as the book states but it will be very close, very similar.
These are ideas and tips for the expectant parent. Here are a few tips to help you on your way to that happy day, the arrival of your new baby.
STAY AT HOME/WORK
One decision that has to be made is can you be a stay at home mom or should you go back to work. It's a hard decision to make because not everyone can truly afford to have just one income. Now, what may make you decide to be a stay at home mom is daycare. Daycare is very expensive; you are looking at $4,000 to $10,000 or more for the cost of daycare. There is also the commuting that you have to do, the stress of having to leave work on time in order to pick up your baby without having problems. This is a subject that you really have to discuss. Put everything on paper, including cost to help you decide what will be best for the family.
RECRUITING HELP
Another thing that both of you should consider is getting help from friends and family. Not only should you have the baby’s room ready but a guest bedroom too. Hopefully the grandparents will take turn in staying home with the new mom and baby. Since this is your first baby, no matter what you read or are told, it will seem like nothing to you. Many new moms feel lost, scared and worried. Having someone with experience, there with you the first few weeks, will be so helpful. The knowledge they have and share with you on how they took care of their babie will be truly welcomed. Of course, there may be times that those that help you will do things you may not agree with but this is something you can discuss with them. Remember they are there to help you. Now, if you can afford it, then you can hire a baby nurse. They will be there most of the time and you really only need them for a few weeks. The more time you spend with your baby, the more you will get to know them and understand their needs. In no time, you will be an expert and offering your own advice to soon to be new moms.
CARING FOR THE NEWBORN
Many people will not pick up babies and there is a reason for that because they seem so fragile. If you haven’t spent a lot of time around a baby, you will be truly intimidated by them. They have to be held with care. When holding them in your arms, you have to make sure to cradle the infants head. When laying them down or picking them up, you have to support their neck. Basically, you have to take care of them with lots of love and be truly gentle when handling the newborn. If you are concerned or worried, what you can do to get you ready for the baby's arrival, is check your local area for childbirth and parenting classes. There are courses for first time parents. They teach you how to how to care for them, hold them, carry them, how to place them in their car seat, breastfeeding, etc. It is truly a great course to take and not only that, it is highly recommended. This will help you get rid of those fears or concerns you may have.
BREASTFEEDING
There are so many benefits in breastfeeding your baby. It is actually a healthy choice to make. Breast milk has disease fighting cells called antibodies that protect the infant form germs, illnesses and even SIDS. Formula can’t provide the babies with this antibody. Not only is it a healthy choice but babies digest the milk even better. The Surgeon General recommends that for at least six months they should only be fed breast milk. They should not have any other types of food or drink, including water. Once the baby is six months at this point they can be fed iron fortified cereals, purees, meats, etc. The reason for this is that the baby’s stomach can’t digest the foods. You can breast feed your baby for more than six months; you can do a year, however long you feel comfortable.
DIAPERING
This may be something you don’t think about but you should. Are you going to use disposable diapers or cloth diapers? They each have their advantages, cloth diapers can be less expensive but messy. Disposable diapers eliminate the extra work of cleaning them. No matter which one you use, just remember a newborn will have its diaper changed at least 70 times in a week. When changing their diaper, make sure you have everything ready. You don’t want to stop in the midst of changing to look for any items. Make sure to clean them very well. You might want to consider having a wet cloth handy. When wiping a boy, be very careful, when exposed to the air, he may feel the urge to urinate. It can funny but messy. When wiping a baby girl, be sure to wipe from front to back, especially after a bowl movement. You don’t want her to get a urinary tract infection. Don’t forget to apply the ointment once you’re finished cleaning the baby, this way they will not get a diaper rash.
FEEDING AND BURPING
When do you feed a baby? A newborn should be fed every 2 to 3 hours. If you are breastfeeding, you should give the baby the chance to nurse 10 to 15 minutes at each breast. If you are not breastfeeding, then give the baby 3 oz of formula every 2 to 3 hours. The baby won’t always be awake; many times you will have to wake them to breast feed. It is easy to tell if a baby is satisfied and getting enough to eat. Breastfeeding is a little trickier to figure out but it can be done. If the baby wets 7 times or more, has several bowel movements, sleeps well, and is gaining weight then the baby is eating enough and is satisfied. While eating the baby will suck in air and you may have to stop to burp them. To burp them you can hold them upright over your shoulder (patting them gently), sit them on your lap, hold their chest and head by cradling them with your hand (be sure you are gripping the chin and not the throat), or lay the baby face down on your lap and gently rub his back. Whichever way you use, make sure you burp them, don’t lay them back to sleep until you have done this.
SLEEPING
Babies sleep more than 14 hours a day but it’s not straight through, it is in 3 to 4 hour periods. Reason for this is simple; you have to wake them up at times to feed them. The first three months will be like this, after three months they may sleep a little longer, 6 to 8 hours. Now don’t get too excited, not all babies do this. It might be a few more months before they do sleep 6 to 8 hours. Don’t be concerned if you don’t see them sleep longer by three months. Just as we do, they need to develop their sleep patterns. A good thing to know is always place them to sleep on their backs. Every night make sure to alternate the position of the head. One time on the right, the next time on the left, this will prevent them from having a flat spot on the head. Of course the most important reason is to reduce the risk of SIDS. Also, when laying them in their bed, make sure there is nothing that can get tangled up with them, remove all pillows, toys, stuffed animals, etc.
BONDING
This occurs in the first few hours and days after the baby is born. It is actually one of the most pleasurable aspects of infant care. This is an attachment that will contribute greatly to the infant’s emotional growth. The bonding is done by cradling them in your arms, stroking them and then of course, skin to skin while nursing. Many babies usually love vocal sounds, such as talking, cooing, babbling or singing. When the baby gets fussy, trying singing to them, some moms have a rocking chair. They hold the baby in their arms and rock gently while talking, singing or telling them a little story. This actually can help the baby relax and calm down but not only that, it will build an even stronger bond between the two of you.
The most important thing of all to remember is that a baby is a gift. This is a little angel that has been given to you to love and care for. It will not be easy, nothing in life ever is but in this case, it is rewarding. It’s true you hear parents complain at times at how difficult it was to care for them but I promise you they don’t regret it one bit. To hold that baby in your arms, give and receive unconditional love, create a beautiful bond, there is nothing more satisfying than that. As you seem them grow, you love them more and more. As soon as that baby is placed in your arms, you will notice nothing else and thinking of nothing else, except to love, cherish, and protect them from all.