You carried that little one inside you for nine months, reading all the books you could find to help prepare you in taking care of them. It may seem scary for new moms because you now have a little baby, that seems very fragile, rely on you for everything and you are the one in charge of taking care of them.
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Expect the first weeks of being a mother to be filled with highs and lows as you navigate your way to learn to take care of your baby properly. No matter what you read, nothing can truly prepare you for the reality you will face once you bring your little one home from the hospital.
Parenting is difficult, especially, when you become parents for the first time. It requires a lot of efforts, from sleepless nights and countless feedings to endless diaper changing. There is a lot to learn in these first few weeks. So, to help you in this endeavor, here is a list of 10 tips to survive the first few weeks with a newborn.
1. Learn to Swaddle a Baby
Invest in a good quality swaddling blanket and master the technique of swaddling. It is a critical skill to learn because it is a tremendous help in soothing a baby. It makes babies feel comfortable like they are still in the protective environment of their mother’s womb. It also makes babies sleep faster and stay asleep longer. You can ask your nurse to demonstrate how to swaddle a baby while you stay at the hospital. Learn the proper technique as improper swaddling may lead to hip dysplasia. Done correctly, it will keep your baby happy, warm and calm.
2. Download a Baby App
There are many Baby apps online that have many tips and hacks that will go with you a long way. You can also keep a track of your baby’s every move like their sleep patterns, wet and dirty diapers and feeding sessions. This will help you in discussing with your pediatrician whether everything is fine.
3. Sleep Whenever You Can
Most people will advise you to sleep when the baby is sleeping but once the baby is asleep, finish the tasks you had set aside when you were busy taking care of your little one. Sometimes, this will definitely mean sleeping when the baby does but other times it may mean going to bed early at night before your baby is up for their night feed. It may mean letting your husband bond with the baby for the time being while you take a nap. It may mean sleeping till 1 pm because your little one was up till 5 am. Find time to catch some sleep because you will get much less sleep than you were used to.
4. Keep Baby Supplies Within Reach
Most newborns poop every time after feeding and therefore need to be changed often. So, you will need a lot of diapers and wipes. Have a stash of diapers, burp cloths, and wipes in multiple rooms. So you can change them wherever you are and don’t have to run all the way to the nursery.
5. Put Them in Their Crib When They are Sleepy
Put the baby in their crib when he/she shows you signs of being tired. This way they will learn to fall asleep by themselves without having someone to rock them to sleep. In this way, they will associate their crib with sleep time. Just look for their cues when they are tired like rubbing their eyes or yawning. Once you notice these signs put them in their bed.
6. Introduce a Baby Bottle
Even if you plan to exclusively breastfeed, try giving your baby expressed milk in a bottle early on so they can get used to the feeling of feeding from a bottle. There are baby feeding bottles that have the feel and shape of a breast such as the Comotomo baby feeding bottle. In this way, your baby will be able to feed from both bottle and breast with no fuss. It will also make your life easier as you will be able to take a break every now and then and let dad do the night time feed.
7. When in Doubt Ask Fellow Mommies
They will tell you what worked best for their babies and you can try to see if it works for you or not. Even though every baby is different, it doesn’t hurt anyone to try. When you are not sure about something, ask away because no question is too stupid. You may never know you might end up learning something you would have never thought about.
8. Wear Your Baby
Wearing your baby keeps them calm and make them feel safe while also giving you the liberty to use your hands as you please. Skin to skin contact releases oxytocin which can resolve some of your breastfeeding issues. It also regulates baby’s body temperature and metabolism and helps in parent-child bonding. Get a good baby carrier to help you wear them properly.
9. Learn How to Bathe a Baby
Ask someone to show you how to go about bathing a baby if you are not sure. Ge the right bathing kits that suits their skin. They don’t need to be bathed every day. Just give them a sponge bath before the umbilical cord stump has dried and fallen. Start with their head and end with toes. Avoid getting the stump wet. Wash the creases of the body thoroughly as this is where all the dirt and oil accumulates.
10. Lower Your Expectations
Drop your expectations. The baby will do what he/she wants to do and no parenting book or advice will change that. You can try to bring changes but don’t expect it to work every time.
Super tips to survive first few weeks with a newborn
There you have it – tips to survive first few weeks with a newborn. Remember that this too will pass. It won’t be long before your little munchkin is all grown up and then you will fondly remember these newborn days. Just remember to go about it one day at a time and do not worry about a messy home. The laundry and moping can wait. Your baby is your number one priority right now. So, take good care of yourself and your baby and enjoy this bumpy ride called parenting.
