Congratulations on your newborn baby! It’s a lot of mixed emotions, right? There’s joy, relief, excitement, and fear. Yes, a first time parent always fears that they might not know how to take care of a young baby, and they would appreciate any advice for a new mom.
Relax and breathe, because like any other learning curve in our lives, it will take one step at a time wrapped in the warmth of support from your family and the community. Here are a few tips for new moms you’ll find handy in the coming months.
Advice for new moms: Put the new diaper under the old one
When you open up that diaper, you don’t know for sure what you’ll find. And there’s nothing more frustrating than hunting for a diaper while your poopy baby squirms around.
Be prepared before you tackle their dirty diaper by putting a fresh one under your baby’s bottom.
A first time parent should embrace the one-size-up rule
Does your baby tend to wake up in the middle of the night because he’s soaked in pee? Avoid nighttime leaks and extra wake-ups by putting them in a diaper one size up from what they need.
Tips for new moms: Improve sleep with a Velcro swaddle
Velcro swaddles are amazing for keeping your baby tucked safely in their crib.
You can put their arms in or leave them out according to their preference. Just a warning, though — this shouldn’t be used after the baby starts to show signs of being able to roll.
Buy a nursery projector
Figuring out how to get a newborn baby to sleep can be difficult, especially as they get used to being in a crib or bassinet. A nursery projector is a great way to give them something to focus on until they drift off.
Use those ugly onesies as backups
Did your well-meaning neighbor give you a onesie you can’t stand? Keep it in your diaper bag as your backup so it won’t go to waste. You won’t have to put it on your baby unless they have a diaper blowout.
Use open sleepers
There are lots of options for sleepers that are open at the bottom like a nightgown. They’re a great way to change diapers in the middle of the night without having to completely undress the baby.
Keep the baby’s room cold
Babies sleep better in cool rooms.
The ideal temperature for a baby’s bedroom is between 68 and 72 degrees. Keep things nice and cool and dress your baby warmly rather than vice versa.
Buy gender neutral
If you’re planning on having more children — or passing your baby’s clothes down to a friend — opt for gender neutral clothes as much as possible.
This will give the clothes a lot more mileage and make them easier to reuse.
Avoid middle-of-the-night interaction
Your natural instinct on how to make baby happy might be to cuddle and coo at your baby while they eat, and that’s fine during the day.
At night, though, try to keep things all business. Interacting with your baby or making lots of eye contact may keep them awake and, in the mood, to play.
Takeaway
We understand that as a first time parent, it can be daunting to bring that baby home and feel clueless about what to do. We hope this advice for new moms would help you carry on each day with your little one.
Enjoy the journey because they do grow up fast. For now, buckle up, Momma, and know that you got this! And if you want a bit more advice, check out the video below.
Source: Mommy Enlightened, YouTube