If you’re a new parent, we know that everything related to your new baby can seem scary and unknown. Are you doing this right? Is that normal? Should you call someone and ask? There are so many questions and with everyone offering ‘helpful’ advice, it’s not hard to quickly feel overwhelmed. With that in mind, we’ve listed 7 things to know about new borns so that you have an easy reference guide to use before you go off and do more research (we know how much new parents love research!)
- Crying
Yes, your new baby will cry, and this is totally normal. They’ll cry when they’re hungry, when they need changed, when they want attention – and some babies will cry because of colic or reflux. If you suspect it is one of the latter reasons, make sure to speak to your GP about this condition, and they can advise you on what to expect and how to manage it.
- Sleeping
New born babies sleep a lot – in fact, they can sleep up to 16 hours a day, however they tend to do it in little doses of 2-4 hour blocks for their first few weeks. This means your normal schedule will need to adjust to work around them, and while they get lots of sleep you probably won’t feel rested in the slightest during this time!
- Feeding
The first dilemma new parents face when it comes to feeding their new born is choosing between bottle and breast feeding. Each has its own set of benefits, so do you research beforehand and find out which option you think will be best for you, your baby and your personal circumstances. Some women are keen to try breast feeding but it just doesn’t work out, some women find bottle feeding to be the best option for them and their partner – it really is up to you. Don’t let anyone pressure you into making a decision that you’re not happy with.
- Burping
Bringing up wind is an important part of your new baby’s feeding ritual. It’s quite common for babies to swallow a lot of air when they are nursing, so they need to bring the wind up, otherwise they can end up vomiting up everything they just ate. The Babocush is excellent at bringing up wind, as it holds your baby safely on their tummy and allows the airways to stay open in a natural position. You can pop them on the Babocush after feeding and let them bring up wind while you get a few minutes to eat something yourself.
- Bathing
For a new born, bathing two to three times a week is plenty to keep them clean, and after this you might find that it becomes an essential part of your night time routine to relax and settle your baby before bed time. Bath time can be playtime too!
- Playtime
Even for new born babies, playtime is essential. We don’t mean toys and books, but silly time together, talking to them and interacting with them. This is how they learn to communicate and socialise, so don’t think that you’re being silly by talking gibberish or singing to them when changing nappies.
- It will be over before you know it
It might not feel like it at the time (lack of sleep, total disruption to your schedule, life as you know it changed forever) but when you look back you’ll realise just how quickly time flew in. Your baby is only considered a new born for their first three months, so cherish this time and make some memories, because they really do grow up so quickly.
