Parenting is a beautiful and truly rewarding experience. Of course, it is not always easy and you will have to deal with a lot, especially as a new parent. Luckily, there are plenty of resources and loads of information to help you and your family on this journey. Here are some useful parenting tips to keep in mind.
Holding Your Child Securely
For many new parents, everything will seem new. You want to take care and ensure that you care for your child, down to the details. One of the first things you want to know is how to properly hold your child. There are several ways you can hold your child but you want to keep a few things in mind. You want to hold your child with 3 points of contact, holding them tight and snug, giving them a sense of security. If you are cradling them, think about how a football is held securely. If you need extra security, if you are rocking them to calm or soothe them for example, you can easily position your second arm beneath for added support, and this will also help keep your back strong and reduce muscle pain. Additionally, you may also hold them up against your body in a position often used to burp them. Always remember to support the head and neck in addition to keeping a stronghold. Holding your child is straightforward, and a basic fundamental, but you don’t want to start parenthood without that key piece of knowledge.
Changing Diapers
There are a couple of easy tips to keep in mind when you are changing your child’s diapers. A priority you need to consider is that you want to ensure that you have everything within an arm’s reach when changing your baby, from garbage cans to diaper dispensers. Experienced parenting advice from UpsideDad understands there are many tools and equipment available to make the changing experience go much smoother. Be sure to consider what it is you need and what can make your parenting job much easier. Not only do you need your diapers and trash nearby, but you want to also keep wipes in drawers that are close to your changing table as well. This ensures that you are able to keep your child safe and never have to lose sight or even physically leave them.
Wiping
Another important tip to remember during the diaper changing process is the direction of the wipe. When wiping your child, the best practice is to wipe front to back, especially with a baby girl. This keeps fecal matter away from your children’s private parts, ensuring they are sanitary and clean. Ensure that the entire butt is clean, as wet poops can be messy. Use wipes and lotions after, to ensure that you prevent rashes from forming. Again, these are details you might not think of until you begin parenting, but it is an important one you need to remember.
Different Baby Cries
It is important that as a parent, you learn to recognize the different cries a baby has. This is going to be new and not always easy for new parents, but babies have different cries depending on what it is they want. They cry when they are lonely, wanting some attention, and are easily dealt with by picking them up and rocking them to soothe them. If you are playing with them and they cry, this may indicate that they are simply bored of the activity and you need to find something new to stimulate them. The second cry is when they are hungry, which is recognizable visually if they are trying to put things in their mouth or wanting to suckle. If the cry is loud and intense, this indicates a pain-related cry. Be sure to check your baby if they cry in this manner as it can be related to a number of issues making them uncomfortable, such as gas or having just pooped. The last cry is associated with your baby or child being tired, needing to get a nap, and can easily be fixed by getting some sleep. The more time you spend with your baby, the more recognizable each cry will be and you will be able to react much quicker to address their discomfort.
Remember to have patience and understanding, with your child, your partner, and yourself. There is a lot to experience and learn as a parent, and you will find this out constantly as your baby and children age. And always remember to enjoy the time you have as a parent because before you know it, your baby will grow right before your eyes.
