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The Savvy Guide to Caring for Your New Born Baby

Having a baby is one of the most thrilling and joyous experiences of life, but it can also be scary and stressful. From learning to change a nappy and feeding the little one, to implementing sleep training to get them into a routine, these are just some things that parents learn along the way.

Being in charge of a helpless little human being, who for you is the most important thing in the entire world, takes the meaning of responsibility to a whole new level. This all happens when you are exhausted from the labor and birth, and so the whole event can feel pretty overwhelming. These feelings are all perfectly natural, and you will soon get the hang of caring for your precious new addition.

Make sure Mom and Baby are well

Whether you give birth at home or in a medical facility, you will have expert healthcare professionals there to make sure you and the baby are ok before you are left alone. They are there to help and advise you and will monitor your progress, but if you feel something is wrong, trust your mother’s instinct and get it checked out. Although complications during birth aren’t common, they can happen, and if you suspect there is a problem with the baby following the birth you should seek medical assistance. Certain conditions are likely to have been caused by a mistake during the delivery, and as soon as you get confirmation of which one of the different types of birth injuries has happened during your delivery, you should seek legal advice. Use a specialist who has extensive knowledge and experience in this area, for example, Erbs Palsy solicitors if there has been damage to the nerves in baby’s arm.

The practical side of caring for a new baby

As long as the baby’s arrival wasn’t a complete surprise, you’ll have prepared everything in advance, like getting supplies from evolved mommy, picking out the perfect name, finding the perfect crib, comparing different baby monitors to see which one is best, arranging a changing area, comparing baby shoes and clothes and so on. However, it’s not until you get home that you’ll find out if it will all go to plan. For instance, you might have bought a beautiful hand carved crib and decorated it with mobiles, but it turns out the baby will only sleep in a Moses basket by your bed. You are going to also need more space in the home in order to look after this very important person. Some people would consider purchasing a new property to move to, but you can always create house extension designs west midlands to add this extra space. The way you plan to raise your child is a whole different issue, but from a purely practical point of view, sometimes you have to adapt the way you envisioned your life with the baby. It’s no good persisting with a baby that loves to move, on a raised changing surface. In that case you might as well re-site your station on the floor, where they can’t come to any harm!

You might have hoped to have some free time for keeping up to date with work, or a new project, but caring for a newborn can easily put that idea on hold. The best way to deal with whatever is different from your expectations is to go with the flow. Don’t fight against it but instead find new ways of managing. For instance, if you want to go for a walk every morning but your baby cries in the stroller, try using a baby carrier instead.

Having your first child is a steep learning curve, no matter how well you’ve prepared and how many books you’ve read. It can also be the best of times, if you embrace the experience with lots of love – and a dash of pragmatism!

3 Comments

  • Lauryn R

    Great advice, thank you for sharing. 🙂 I have three little ones and remember these days so well!

  • MD Kennedy

    I am so glad I never had children! I can manage multi-tasking and stress at work, but I would be useless at home with a baby! Better left to those who are good at this!

  • Jo-Ann Brightman

    These are great tips on how to care for a baby. There are always new things to learn.