10 Do’s And Don’ts For First-Time Parents
Are you about to become a parent for the first time but worried about your relationship with the newborn? You shouldn’t consider yourself alone! Statistics indicate that 10,000+ children are born in the United States daily, indicating a birth in our country every eight seconds. If you’re anxious about not being a successful parent, we’ve described some do’s and don’ts for first-time moms and dads here. Our strategies can help you take care of your children properly. Remember that almost 90% of parents have “scary thoughts” about the newborn’s well-being. But you shouldn’t allow these thoughts to demotivate you now. Therefore, here’s what you should remember about being a successful parent:
Tips for taking care of your newborn
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Do contact birth injury lawyers
It’s estimated that some 28,000 birth injuries take place each year. Therefore, you should contact an expert if a healthcare practitioner’s negligence injured your child during delivery. These birth injuries cause immense psychological and economic suffering to parents and children as time goes by. You can contact the Birth Injury Justice Center that educates and empowers families affected by this problem. They help folks take legal action against the guilty party to receive some compensation for their baby’s anguish.
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Do interact with your baby
Your newborn responds to how parents interact with them. So, engage with the child lovingly and in an age-appropriate manner. Let your baby watch and touch you for bonding with the firstborn. Also, you should leverage your facial expressions to communicate your love for the child. Comfort babies and they will begin to trust you. Maintaining skin-to-skin contact with the newborn can help make this relationship more enduring. So, interact with the newborn effectively with hugs and kisses.
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Do cater to your spouse
Suffering from marital issues isn’t abnormal, and becoming first-time parents can make anyone more stressed than before. Switching from being a carefree twosome to responsible parents isn’t easy, and you shouldn’t neglect your duties towards the spouse along with the newborn. You can appoint a babysitter and take time to celebrate a date night each week. Focus on each other when you become parents to a child.
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Do install the baby seat properly
Statistics indicate that only 20% of parents today have their car seats checked for safety. Your child’s life may depend upon installing the seat right. A survey shows that 91,000+ children are injured in car accidents each year. So, installing the car sear properly can save your newborn from being wounded in a calamity. Go to a nearby fire station to ensure you’ve installed the seat right. Keep your child safe when you’re driving a vehicle.
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Do keep yourself optimistic
Parents often assume the worst when they’re dealing with their firstborn. Now, some babies indeed develop serious diseases that require legitimate trepidation. However, even healthy children exhibit symptoms that make parents anxious about the newborn’s well-being – colic, cough, or diarrhea. So, we suggest staying optimistic and avoiding assuming the worst. Make this experience a positive episode in your parenting chronicles. Your kids are more resilient than you imagine.
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Don’t forget the baby’s fragility
Remember that your newborn’s fragile and requires your constant attention. A brand-new person’s immune system isn’t strong, so you should always wash your hands before touching the child. Ask all visitors to do the same to keep the newborn disease-free. Ensure you’re supporting the kid’s head and neck. When you hand the child to someone else, cradle the head. Don’t shake babies either in playfulness or frustration. Play with them gently until they grow to become stronger.
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Don’t put them on their stomach
Avoid putting your babies on their stomachs when they’re sleeping. You may have heard of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS- this occurrence claims 2,300 lives annually. Experts state that external stressors such as children on their stomachs may cause SIDS among newborns. Don’t put pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals in the crib. Encourage the newborn to sleep on the back without anything soft being placed beside them. That’s how they can stay safe while sleeping and avoid hurting themselves.
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Don’t fret when they cry
People sometimes assume their parental duties revolve around preventing their newborns from crying. However, experts believe that children spend 2-3 hours daily crying over nothing particular. Possibly, your firstborn is crying because of hunger. But don’t worry if your child keeps crying after being pampered, breastfed, and comforted. Remember that babies are made to cry since that’s how they communicate. You should be concerned if the crying’s abnormal or if there are signs of illness.
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Don’t confuse vomit with spit-up
First-time parents often seem confused about the difference between vomit and spit-up. Vomiting’s the forceful emissions of the contents of a person’s stomach. If you’re child’s vomiting, it’s probably because of some virus in their guts. Spit-up is an easy flow of these contents and may happen after feeding with an occasional burp. So, don’t worry yourself if your baby’s spitting up the food. If they’re vomiting, contact a physician and get the newborn checked for gut viruses.
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Don’t neglect their oral health
We’ve seen many first-time parents neglect the newborn’s oral well-being. It’s crucial for the child’s overall health. So, don’t start brushing your firstborn’s teeth until they turn a year old. Give the baby enough fluoride and, if that’s not enough, ask your dentist to recommend some supplements. Don’t put the child to bed with milk since it may lead to tooth decay. Keep sugary drinks away from them as they grow up. That’s how you ensure your child remains healthy after birth.
Conclusion
First-time parents must remain cautious about certain problems that may afflict their children. We learn that every 33rd birth in the United States is defective. So, you can contact birth injury lawyers to acquire compensation for your newborn’s suffering. Don’t forget that the newborn’s fragile and needs constant attention. Parents should interact with their children to bond with them. Hold, kiss, touch, and smile at your baby, so they learn to mirror these expressions. Don’t put the baby on their stomach or let them sleep through the night. Learn to burp the baby and don’t confuse vomit with spit-up. Also, stop yourself from overreacting to your child being diseased. So, love your baby, and you’ll be an amazing parent.
