As a new parent, you desire the best for your newborn baby. As such, it is common to have numerous queries regarding every aspect of your newborn’s well-being… from breastfeeding, bathing, changing their nappy, and sleeping positions among others. Honestly, adjusting to this life can seem to be an uphill task.
Furthermore, being a new parent, you may be bombarded with numerous conflicting advice from almost everyone, your family, friends, peers and even random strangers in the grocery store who to your surprise may have an opinion about how you should raise your newborn!
With numerous contrary pieces of advice out there, which information should a new parent adjusting to life with a newborn take into consideration? How can you navigate your own way in parenting? Well, worry not! In this article, I’ll share some of the best 10 tips for new parents on how to adjust to life with a newborn in the early days and months.
Take it Easy
However stressful it may seem, the adjustment period for a new parent is usually a learning phase.
You may find yourself surfing the internet during the wee hours of the night trying to find answers to different questions about your newborn. Dear parent, be calm, don’t overthink, take it easy! Parenting is tough, but that does not mean that you have to forget that your well-being during this period is also critical, not only to you but also to your little one.
Know Your Baby
It’s understandable that as a new parent, you will have numerous questions that touch on the baby’s wellbeing.
During this period, it is important to take note of the nitty gritty. Check the baby’s eyes, ears, nose, skin, umbilical cord, genitals, and his or her responses to the environment. In case you note any unusual thing that worries you, don’t hesitate…contact your healthcare provider.
Never Doubt Yourself
Like with all other aspects of life and things, managing your newborn is a process of trial and error as you try to learn and adjust your lifestyle accordingly to suit the baby’s needs.
For this reason, it is critical that you have confidence in yourself and never doubt your instincts especially when it comes to matters of health and well-being of your little angel(s). If you have any suspicions about certain aspects of your baby’s health, it is good to consult and insist that it be handled by the health practitioner to your satisfaction. You know your baby best!
Tips for New Parents: Embrace the Changes that Parenting Brings Forth
Bringing home a newborn can alter if not all, major aspects of your life as a new parent. Frankly, there are instances you will miss the old you, the moments, the freedom, the fun and partying with friends… don’t worry.
Parenting also brings forth a new kind of “fun” and it is important that you accept your new version. While adjusting to this new phase of life, don’t forget to cut yourself some slack, and let go of some of your former ideas and perspectives regarding fun and your former self.
Enjoy Every Stage of Parenting
The little angels grow fast! It is important to enjoy your baby, sit and cuddle him or her, watch them sleep, let them gaze at your face, kiss and smell them. These moments do not last long and sooner or later you will miss them. It is also advisable to keep a diary, numerous photos or films of them playing, sleeping, eating, giggling…and don’t forget to take others with your better half. All these will bring nostalgic feelings later in life when you review and remember how all those firsts happened.
Tips for New Parents: Sleep when your Baby Sleeps
Just when you thought that you had arrived at the finish line after giving birth, you discover that there is a tough stage that awaits: finding sleep as a new parent.
Newborn babies are known to have unpredictable sleep cycles as they adapt to the world outside the womb. A number of experts have suggested establishing a routine, but this can be an uphill task for new parents, especially moms. Well, with newborn babies, there is clearly no definite routine! You need to adjust with the flow and forget about a routine…just sleep when your little one sleeps, it works.
Communicate Frequently
The first few weeks and months are usually hard for new parents. Loneliness may creep in. If you have a partner, always turn to them for help and moral support. Vent out your concerns, and be rest assured that you will feel better. Such communication will help you understand and assist each other more profoundly. In case you are a single parent, you can talk to your close friends and relatives who are willing to share the highs and lows of parenthood with you. Find the good friends that you trust and lean on them for help and support.
Connect with other New Parents
As a new parent, you may feel that you are going through a lot alone, despite having your supportive partner, family members, and close friends around you. Connecting with other parents, especially for moms, is very crucial since it enables one to share their new experiences with those who can understand them best. You may be on a stroll in your neighbourhood and spot another parent, don’t shy away. Strike a conversation and you may be surprised at how many parents out there are eager to talk and just share their experiences.
Accept that it is Usual not to Feel “Normal“
The transition to parenthood, despite it being a joyous stage in life, can turn out to be frightening and overly unpredictable.
Psychologists have found that most relationships usually experience declines in quality during this phase. For moms, you may experience post-traumatic stress disorder, triggered by a stage during childbirth, and the pains and discomforts. Intense mood swings may also get hold of you, and when paired with sleep deprivation, you definitely have a potential for a serious storm of psychological disorder. As such, don’t blame yourself for feeling this way, or worry that you aren’t doing enough. The most important to-dos for you in this stage are to get some rest, eat something, and take care of your newborn.
Tips for New Parents: Set Boundaries and Minimise Visitors
Newborns bring joy not only to you, but also to those close to you, friends, relatives, and neighbours. Everyone may want a sight of the new angel in town.
However, during the initial few weeks, it’s essential for you to set certain well-defined boundaries and limit visitations. This is critical to allow you to bond with your newborn, and enjoy the family moments. There is no hurry, anything else can wait! When the visitors come knocking, just politely inform them in your own better way about the baby’s schedule and when they can come to visit next.
