Babies can be difficult. What with the crying and the lack of consistent sleep and the total dependency on others, they can wreak a bit of havoc on the lives of their parents. As such, if you and your significant other are on the cusp of becoming first time parents, you could use a few tips.
Interested? Then read on because we’re going to provide you with 7 baby-friendly tips for first time parents. Let’s go!
1. Establish a Schedule
There is no set way to parent. Some thrive in a state of barely-contained chaos while others thrive in a rigid schedule. But in the early days, you do need to establish some sort of order.
Babies are highly sensitive to changes. If they’re not getting consistency in their daily routines, they’re bound to develop anxieties and behavioral problems. This results in more crying, which results in added stress for the family at large.
Not only should you keep feeding times at around the same time every day, but you should also do the same for nap times and bedtime. Set bedtimes are particularly important because if a baby gets overtired, he or she won’t be able to fall asleep, and will be up all night crying.
This is not a loop that you want to foster. Maintain a sense of consistency and your baby will respond favorably. Lose that consistency and you’ll be in for a hellacious experience.
2. Consider Supplementing With Formula
If you get on online parenting forums, you’re bound to come across endless arguments over breastfeeding. Some think it’s an absolute necessity, some think it’s totally unnecessary, and most are somewhere in the middle.
The truth is that breastfeeding is considered to be the most beneficial way to feed a baby. However, that doesn’t mean that you should sacrifice yourself and your mental health in order to facilitate it. Baby formula will suffice, either as a supplement to breastmilk or as a standalone entity.
You’ll find fairly quickly that breastfeeding is an all-encompassing effort. It not only requires you to feed and pump throughout the day, but it also forces you to wake up in the middle of the night. As such, those who are gung-ho about breastfeeding often experience sharp declines in their mental states.
It’s not easy to take care of a baby if your mental health has hit rock bottom. Baby formula will help to ensure that it doesn’t.
3. Nap Whenever Possible
Infants rarely sleep for more than 3 hours at a time. Most wake up within 1 1/2 to 2 hours. What that means, of course, is that you’re not going to be sleeping any longer than this either.
For this reason, whenever possible, you need to take naps. No, taking short naps isn’t going to offer the highest quality of sleep, but, to be honest, you’re not going to be getting any high-quality sleep. The early days of raising a baby are all about survival, for you, for your spouse, and, of course, for the baby.
4. Take Advantage of White Noise
Getting a baby to sleep isn’t always the easiest of tasks. But there are some things you can do to make it easier. One of these things is to take advantage of white noise.
White noise mimics what the baby was hearing inside of the mother’s womb. As such, it provides a great deal of comfort to the baby. Playing it in the baby’s room at bedtime creates a calming environment whilst also blocking out any other noises that might jar the baby awake.
There are all sorts of white noise machines available out there. If you don’t feel like buying one, you could also just download a white noise app on your phone.
5. Burp!
Because they’re still developing physically, babies have a difficult time keeping milk down. It’s not at all uncommon for babies to spit up. In fact, it should be expected.
But to keep the spitting up to a minimum, there’s something you have to do. You have to burp your baby. Burping your baby prevents gas from building up in his or her stomach, reducing the risk of milk coming back up.
To burp your baby, you simply pat him or her on the back firmly. Doing this repetitively will eventually result in a belch, upon which your mission will be completed.
6. Swaddle!
When it comes to comforting babies, there’s no way to overstate the importance of swaddling. What’s swaddling, you ask? It’s the act of wrapping a baby up tightly in a light blanket so as to help that baby feel warm and cozy; it’s highly effective in getting a baby to fall asleep.
You should be swaddling your baby not only before bedtime but before naps as well. Curious as to how to swaddle a baby? Click on the aforementioned link!
7. Say No to Buttoned Clothing
Baby clothing comes with two general types of closures: 1. buttons, and 2. zippers. Though you’re certainly permitted to choose whichever you want, we highly recommend going with zippered clothing, in particular.
Why? Because buttoning clothes up in the dark is a bit of a challenging task, especially when you’re tired and agitated to boot.
Zippers, on the other hand, are easy to open and close. Just find the notch and pull and — voila! — you’ll be good to go. Clothes off, clothes on, and back to bed!
Make Good Use of These Tips for First Time Parents
Parenting isn’t easy, especially in the early days. There’s no need to make it any harder than it has to be. Make good use of these tips for first time parents and you’re sure to stay afloat.
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