Helpful tips new mothers should know

There are a few Helpful tips new mothers should know

Photo by CC user Vera Kratochvil on publicdomainpictures.net

You are home from the hospital and your beautiful newborn is sleeping peacefully. Now that you’re a parent, you are discovering how amazing and fun babies can be. Every day you learn something new about how babies grow and learn.

You may also learn that all the preparation in the world can’t keep you from experiencing some surprises. You may have some anxiety when faced with demands of breastfeeding, baby’s first sneeze, or a sleep schedule that’s upside down.

Being a new mom has lots of challenges, but you can be ready for those challenges if you know what to expect, and if you plan ahead. To help get you there, here are some helpful tips new mothers should know.

Before baby arrives

The great thing about being a new parent is that while it’s new for you, there are literally millions of others who have done it. Before the baby is born, you can cultivate friendships with veteran parents in birthing classes, at work, or at church. Ask your friends to be parenting mentors. Their anecdotal experiences are worth all the information you might read in a book, and they have the benefit of being future babysitters.

Practice makes perfect, and unless you were a teen babysitter, things like changing diapers, bathing your baby, dressing her, and getting her in the car seat, can be incredibly frustrating. It may sound silly, but either borrow a friend’s baby for some practice or try your skills on a doll. Remember, it will be a lot harder with a moving, fragile baby.

Some early surprises

While it’s great for your baby, breastfeeding is not always easy. You will get some basic instruction before leaving the hospital, but once you’re in the thick of it, you can run into issues with the baby latching on or getting enough milk, producing enough breast milk, and sore nipples. From herbal remedies to surgical procedures, if you have any doubts about whether your baby is getting enough milk, the most important thing is to stay calm. Contact your midwife or physician, and seek advice from your parent mentors.

You want to be ready for some common, yet harmless, conditions that affect babies, so that you don’t panic if they occur, and so you can save a trip to the pediatrician. Cradle cap is a scaly skin condition on the scalp that usually disappears within a few months. Use a soft brush during snuggles to get rid of the scales. Babies can also get mild acne on their faces, which a mild soap can help.

Blocked tear ducts can cause crusting or discharge on your baby’s eyes. It will clear up, and you can use a warm cotton swab to cleanse the area. Use a baby nasal syringe to clear mucus from your newborn’s nose. And don’t worry about bowed legs. This is from their position in the womb, and the legs will straighten over time.

Meeting everyone’s needs

As poet Ruth Hulburt Hamilton wrote, “I’m rocking my baby, and babies don’t keep”. It acknowledges that once your baby comes, housework will take a back seat to being with your newborn. This is time you can’t replace, so if you are used to a spotless home, prepare yourself for spiders’ webs, or plan to get help so you can focus on the baby.

Taking care of your new baby means you can’t leave the house without being well-stocked with baby supplies. Having everything you need when you’re mobile means you need a great diaper bag. And you don’t want just any diaper bag. You want a bag that is versatile and easy to transport. You can’t go wrong with a fashionable Highline luxury diaper bag, which offers all the convenience you need to pack your baby essentials.

Your new baby can cause you a lot of stress. You might fret about his breathing, whether she’s crying too much, eating too little, warm enough, cool enough – the worries never end. But you need to find ways to calm your mind because stress transmits to your baby. Stock up on your favorite soothing herbal teas and music, and try to fit in short meditation sessions when your baby is sleeping.

Your baby is an unending source of love and joy. With some education and planning, you can easily manage the things that distract you from those joys. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and take care of yourself as well as you take care of the baby.