The thought of bringing life to the world can be exciting and daunting, especially if you’re going through the process for the first time. You’ll be running different scenarios in your head about the things you’re supposed to do and the amount of preparation that is needed. It can be overwhelming and there are some new mothers that will panic which won’t make things any easier. There are some tips that will come in handy for first-time mothers and we’re going to highlight some of them.
Get Enough Rest
The best time to rest is when your newborn is sleeping because you’ll have no better time to do so. It might not be possible for some people because they’ll be restless not knowing what happens when the baby starts crying when they’re deep asleep. When you rest, you will definitely have energy when your baby is awake. This will be crucial for the first few months as you’ll be expected to be alert all the time. Most babies will start teething when they turn six months. That means you will need as much sleep as you can get during those months because the baby will constantly be awake.
Develop Bond
Every mother has a special bond to the baby and it is important that you start developing yours as soon as the baby is born. According to experts, there are three main ways that you can develop a bond and they include:
- Skin-to-skin contact
- Lots of eye contact
- Prompt feedback to the feeding needs of the baby
You can have a routine in the morning when it is just cuddling with the baby so as to encourage skin-to-skin contact. Another way to go about is during birth time. You can make it a habit to shower with the baby regularly.
Soothing the Baby
This is a skill that you’ll need to master early to avoid problems down the road. You can spend hours trying to soothe the baby to sleep when there are techniques that have been proven to work. The best technique is to have the baby on the shoulder and rhythmically pat them gently on the center of the back. Don’t blow through the baby’s ears as you could damage them.
Be on the Lookout for Over Simulation
This is something that is often overlooked during the early days. It is easy for the baby to be overstimulated. You will find it challenging to settle down the baby once overstimulated. This will result in the baby getting tired and you don’t want to be dealing with the restlessness in the middle of the night. It will be hard to put them to sleep under such circumstances. A young baby can only stay happy for 30 minutes. Make sure to be cautious when trying to play with the baby.
Plan
As they say, failure to plan is planning to fail. This is true when expecting a baby. You don’t want to leave everything to the last minute, especially when there is no one to help you out. You will have to plan the mealtime, bath time, trips, and every little detail. Every plan will have to rotate around the baby. It will also be recommended that you start researching the best baby glass bottles if you intend to buy in bulk. When taking the baby outside, you need to make extra provision for almost everything. Don’t forget to stock extra diapers in the car as you can never know when they’ll come in handy.
Helping Newborn Learn About Night-Time
Your baby will need to be taught that night time is for sleeping. This can be challenging when the kid is just a few months old. One of the ways you can do so is by creating a bedtime routine. It can start with a bath then followed by the feeding. Make sure that the environment is quiet. Once the routine has been established, it will be easy for the baby to adapt without a lot of challenges. It should be noted than a newborn will need to be fed regularly and at intervals.
To sum it up, don’t forget to look after yourself even if you’re nurturing life. You can treat yourself every once a while. Don’t forget to reach out for help in case you need it. Socialize more so that it doesn’t feel like the whole world has abandoned you just because you’ve had a baby. We hope these tips will be helpful for new moms.