Being a New Parent
Being a new parent can be the scariest, hardest, most overwhelming, rewarding and exciting experience of your life. You are not expected to know everything about being a parent from the start; there are so many things you will learn throughout parenthood. It is important that you always remember to keep your baby safe, happy and healthy.
Talking, singing, reading, playing and even giving your baby a bath, like in the video, will build a strong bond between you and your baby.
Important tips:
- Don’t expect to be perfect. All new parents make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice from family members or friends who have children.
- Get out of the house with your baby. A short walk to the store or a visit to a friend can work miracles if you’re feeling down or lonely.
- Always follow the four day wait rule when introducing a new food to your older baby – offer her the same new food for four days to test for allergies. This applies even when you are making homemade baby food. Don’t introduce more than one new food at a time.
- Reading aloud to your baby as a wonderful shared activity you can continue for years to come – and it’s an important form of stimulation.
- Creating a baby-safe house means ensuring that whatever he might try to open, pull on or play with won’t hurt him. Put aside one weekend before your baby is born to secure your house, room by room, to make it safe.
Resources:
- Healthy baby food recipes: http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/
- Since few babies come with instructions, this four-hour class covers everything you need to know when you bring the baby home: http://www.pumpstation.com/pumpstation/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=3375
