However much you research before having the baby or during your pregnancy, no person is fully prepared for taking care of a child after birth. Considering how fast a baby grows, infants’ needs change accordingly. As a parent, coping with this continuous change in needs is very hard.
You need to keep pace with their ever-changing needs for clothing, food, lifestyle and habits. Here is a list of problems and solutions that you might find helpful during the process.
Keep in mind that this list is nowhere near complete or absolute. No child is the same as another. What works for someone else’s child may not work for you. Good parenting is understanding the specific needs of your children and adapting the solutions to their and your utmost comfort.
Feeding your infants
By the time a baby classifies as an infant, mothers are usually breastfeeding experts. Remember that WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for children below six months. After that, you can breastfeed while incorporating other food items into your children’s diets.
After six months, a few spoonfuls of soft food per day are ideal for your infant. You may feed them porridge, mashed fruits or vegetables, Cerelac, etc. Be cautious of including chunks in the food and overfeeding.
Burping is important so that the air consumed while feeding can be let out since it makes the baby fussy. Patting or rubbing a baby’s back usually helps them to burp or pass gas.
Clothing
Infants are delicate. Their fragility makes choosing clothes for them very hard. Finding materials that suit your children is hard. Be mindful that your infant’s clothing does not irritate their skin and is breathable.
Comfort should be the priority while selecting clothes for your babies.
You should also keep the weather in mind while selecting an outfit for your littles. It would be a disaster if your infant is wearing warm clothes in the winters or not enough layers in the summers. You should also keep spare clean clothes handy in case your baby ends up soiling their current outfit.
Most parents want their children to wear fashionable clothing. Comfort is an issue with most pieces of children’s fashion. Here are a few links you can visit for comfortable and fashionable clothing for your girls and boys.
Sleep
Infants are sometimes very difficult to put to sleep. It can result in an improper sleep schedule for both the parent and the baby. Recognizing the time, position, lighting and other conditions that the baby prefers is very important. Once you recognize it, you can change your schedule to accommodate it or condition your baby over a few weeks to make their preferences comfortable.
Diapering
Deciding between cloth and disposable diapers for your baby is the first step. Babies go through at least ten diapers a day (irrespective of whether they are cloth or disposable). While diapering, you must keep in mind to not leave your baby unattended on the changing tables. So get all the supplies such as a clean diaper, diaper ointment (in case of rash), fasteners, diaper wipes and warm water before changing their diaper.
Bathing
Experts recommend bathing your infant about thrice a week since excessive bathing can damage the skin. You should bathe your infants in warm water using a sponge. Pat the towel instead of rubbing it to dry the baby’s skin to prevent damage.
Older Children
If it isn’t your first child, you might already be an expert at the tasks mentioned above. Another challenge introduced by a second child is managing your attention between your children. It is wise to ask for help in such a situation as handling more than one child can be very stressful. Asking your spouse for help is the best option, but both parents are usually not available for taking care of the children.
Asking another family member or a friend for help is great too. Having someone who is experienced with kids take care of them is the best choice. Alternatively, you can hire domestic help or a nanny to take care of your child(ren).