Nurturing a child is an adventure like no other. This is true whether you are the biological parent of your child or have adopted an infant. It is remarkable to hold a fragile life close to yours and care for them as they depend on you entirely.Caring
But, as excellent as this process sounds, it can actually be quite intimidating. A baby’s life is a human life, after all–a whole, complex life with many needs. It can be quite intimidating!
But don’t worry, dear reader. In this article, we’ll break down ten tips to help you care for your baby. They range from attending to their physical needs to helping their sociability develop. Read on to hear everything you need to know about caring for a baby.
Care for Yourself
Before we launch into tips for the baby, we need to start with you. Babies have plenty of needs, but so do adults. The only difference is that adults can’t be there to care for babies if they don’t take care of themselves. Caring
The first years of a baby’s life are exhausting and taxing. But it’s essential for you to attend to your physical and mental health as best you can. If either one becomes compromised, you may begin to resent your baby. Even worse, you might not be healthy enough to care for them.
Even if you don’t feel strained, coordinate with your support networks. They can help you get the support you need during your child’s infancy. Schedule time for loved ones to care for your child so you can get some shut-eye, alone time, or trips to the doctor. Build relationships to discuss the stressors in your life. Coordinate a meal train to get plenty of nutritious meals.
Meet With Doctors
One of the most important parts of caring for a baby is keeping up with pediatricians. These medical professionals will track every aspect of your baby’s health, from brain development to their diet.
Pediatricians are an excellent resource for answering any lingering questions you might have. When you aren’t sure if a toy, food, or habit is suitable for an infant, just give your pediatrician a ring!
Stick With a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Next up, try to get your baby (and yourself) on a consistent sleep schedule. It can be a tug-of-war to get a baby to sleep, especially in infancy. It’s better to establish healthy habits early so that your baby can grow into them. Without the structure of regular sleep, a baby won’t develop the skill for following the natural human sleep schedule.Caring
Don’t Slack on Tummy Time
Babies aren’t naturally strong in their stomachs, but they need those muscles to crawl and roll over at night. For that reason, doctors recommend tummy time, where you place a baby on its stomach for a few minutes at a time.Caring
Besides its adorable name, tummy time is an essential practice for children. Like any dedicated bodybuilder, babies need plenty of training to grow their muscles.Caring
Babies can begin tummy time on their first day back from the hospital. It’s best to give babies two or three tummy time sessions each day so they adapt to the procedure.
Talk to Your Baby Often…
Babies are incredibly social, and they love when you speak with them. Even if they don’t seem enthralled, every syllable you speak helps your baby learn to produce sounds. These sounds are the building block for speech. This means that by talking with your baby, you’re helping them learn to talk.Caring
…But Don’t Overstimulate Them
Even though you should speak and interact with your baby, it is best not to overstimulate them. Babies love to perceive new things. But they haven’t learned the skills to sort out important information from confusing noise, so loud areas can be quite overwhelming for them.Caring
Every baby is different. Your child might have a greater or lower tolerance for noisy areas than other children. But it is still a good rule of thumb to avoid taking your baby to crowded places. Also, avoid attending loud events like concerts with them or showing them videos with too much visual stimulation.
Keep Track of Milestones
Another key way of caring for your baby is to get a sense of the milestones they should be hitting during the first year of their life. While no two babies are the same, most babies make certain advancements, from smiling to crawling to walking, at specific points in their first year. Caring
It is crucial to keep track of these milestones for two reasons. First, it gives you a reason to celebrate all the new things your baby is learning. Second, it helps you monitor their health. It is not necessarily a bad thing when a baby is slow in hitting a milestone, but it can signal that they have a health condition that requires specific care, such as autism.
Choose a Food Plan that Works for Your Family
Just like any adult, babies need food that nourishes them. To care for them, work with a pediatrician to develop a food plan that gets them the special nutrients they need, from vitamins and minerals to protein.Caring
That said, be sure to adapt a food plan according to your own needs. Some families find it preferable to breastfeed children, while others use formula. No one answer is correct. Some families prefer the low costs of breastfeeding, while others prefer the convenience of formula or cannot breastfeed at all. Pick your approach based on your family’s unique needs.
Be Cautious With Guests
For many, it is customary that when a newborn comes home, relatives and loved ones visit to admire the child. However, be cautious. Newborns have less developed immune systems than adults, and it is easier for them to become seriously ill.
Therefore, try to limit the number of visitors your baby receives. While it may be difficult depending on the cultural values of your family and friends, you can be diplomatic and communicate that it is for your baby’s health.
Develop Strategies for Healthy Attachment
Let’s face it: caring for a baby is hard. Babies have many needs, and nurturing them can be incredibly draining. However, it is essential to remember that your baby is not hostile and is not attempting to manipulate you. Babies need assurance and love like any other person.
For that reason, you should practice compassion towards your baby. Do not view their crying or fussiness as malevolence or anger because they are simply trying to express that they need you. Instead, by deepening your intimacy with your baby, you can come to care for them better as a human being, not just a sentient crying machine.
Final Thoughts
Babies are a gift to the world. They represent all the vulnerabilities of human beings, and they remind us of how deeply we need other people. While it might seem challenging to rise to the occasion of this responsibility, you can do it–and these tips are the perfect place for you to start.
