So you’re now the proud parent of a newborn child. You’re excited to finally be able to take him or her home from the hospital, but when you get home, you realize that you need some help and advice about what to do now that you’re life has completely changed. Being a new parent can be extremely overwhelming and, especially in the beginning, you may feel as if you don’t know where to turn for help. Luckily, here is a guide with some tips and tricks that you can follow to help How to take care of your newborn baby and reduce some of the stress as a parent.
Holding Your Baby
Throughout the beginning of your baby’s life, you will most likely hold him or her more than anything else you do. When you hold your baby, it’s important to remember that you must cradle the head and neck of the baby at all time as newborns are not capable of holding up their heads. One of the most common ways to hold a newborn is by laying him in one arm so the baby’s bottom sits in your hand while the head rests in the cradle of your elbow. This position not only allows you to hold your baby and cradle the head, but it also allows you to use your other hand for support if necessary.
Feeding Your Baby
On average, newborn babies will usually eat every three or four hours, but some babies may want to eat every two hours. As the baby continues to grow, he or she will eat less frequently but will eat for longer periods of time. If a baby is breastfed, they may eat more frequently than newborns who are bottle fed since breastmilk is easier to digest. The biggest problem for new mothers and fathers is they often say that they never know if their baby has had too much food or is still hungry. As a rule of thumb, a baby will continue to eat until they are no longer hungry. Once your baby turns away from the nipple or bottle, he or she has had enough to eat.
Putting Your Baby To Sleep
Let’s just put this out here right now. According to BabyCenter, most newborn babies will not sleep through the night until they are about five or six months old. This means that you can expect nearly half a month of your newborn not sleeping through the night. Most newborns will sleep the majority of the day, but every baby can be different. When you put your baby to sleep, be sure to put them on a firm mattress and take away any other items from the bed such as pillows or stuffed animals as they can pose a suffocation hazard to your newborn.
Asking For Help
Becoming a parent can be extremely stressful. Odds are good that at the beginning, you will be completely overwhelmed and feel as if you’re stretched to your max. While this isn’t a good feeling, it’s completely normal! Most new parents struggle with this exact same thing. Nobody expects you to be a superhero and do everything yourself. Don’t ever feel bad about asking for help. Whether it’s friends or family, there will likely be plenty of people willing to help you if you just ask.
Taking Time For Yourself
Going along with the previous point, make sure you take time for yourself. Having a baby is a huge lifestyle change. Suddenly you’re responsible for another life and it can completely change everything you’ve grown used to in your life. While the baby is, and should be, the most important part of your life now, don’t forget to take time for yourself! As discussed earlier, there will be plenty of people that are willing to help how to take care of your newborn baby. Don’t feel bad about taking their help and giving yourself the chance to do something nice for yourself. If you don’t take some time for yourself, the stress will only continue to build.
FINAL VERDICT
Bringing home a newborn into your life is one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have. When you have a newborn for the first time, it typically signifies the start of your family between you and your spouse. While it is a rewarding and humbling experience, the stress associated with it can be overwhelming and you can begin to feel as if you’re doing nothing right as a parent. Just remember to take a deep breath and remind yourself of this guide with tips and tricks of how to raise your newborn. While it may seem impossible in the beginning, parenthood will become one of the best things to happen to you.
