Parenting 101: 10 Tips For First Time Parents

The transition from being a couple to first-time parents is not an easy one. Starting with being pregnant for the first time giving birth to a new life, a mother faces a diverse range of emotions, including joy, confusion, irritation, and stress. Likewise, a father has to grapple with numerous difficulties and challenges of his own.  

Welcoming a newborn into their life is undoubtedly one of its parents’ most delicate and most beautiful experiences. However, parenting brings with itself a new set of responsibilities and challenges. 

Couples come across many unanticipated circumstances, and hence they need to be careful while parenting their first child. It is essential to know the crucial areas that ought to be taken care of while parenting for the first time. So here are the 10 significant parenting tips for first-time parents that will serve you as an ultimate guide to help you steer through your course as parents- 

  1. TAKING REST

It is imperative to sleep when your baby is sleeping. Since you have to invest a lot of energy while attending to your baby, you must take enough rest to maintain sound health. The whole process of labour and delivery can be very tiring. Also, babies usually start teething by around six months, and during those months, the mother may get very little time to sleep. So it is essential to utilize that time and save it. Taking rest and sleeping in the early days will help your body to recover very quickly. 

  1. TEACHING YOUR BABY TO SLEEP AT NIGHT

There are numerous ways to make sure that your baby is aware when it is time to sleep. The simplest one is creating a bedtime for the baby. You can follow a routine when to give your baby a bath, feed it, or even comfort it. While you are settling your baby to sleep, make sure you are not in a noisy room, and the lights are dim in the bedroom. Babies wake up at night as they feel hungry and hence need to be fed frequently. So make sure you feed them properly and pat them back to sleep gently and peacefully. Eventually, the baby will learn that it is time to sleep.  

  1. LEARNING ABOUT YOUR BABY’S NEEDS

Observing your baby and finding out the signs will help you understand your baby’s needs. Hence, you need to spend more time with your baby to find out signs that trigger any physical, psychical, and emotional need. Babies may cry all the time, but it does not mean that they are always hungry and need to be fed every time they cry. You must learn the difference when your baby cries out of hunger and why it cries even after being adequately fed. 

  1. TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

Taking care of babies is a tiresome activity. So you must take some time for yourself and relax. Striking the right amount of balance between both physical and mental health is necessary for both the parents. Hence, you need to devote some amount of your time to do things that give you pleasure. If you face difficulties managing time taking care of your baby, do not hesitate to ask for help from someone close to you. 

  1. MAINTAINING A SOCIAL LIFE

Sometimes parents indulge so much time with their newborn that they tend to forget to pay attention to their social life. Many moms don’t step out of the house, which can result in becoming isolated and bored. And at this stage, isolation can bring depression, which neither is right for you nor for your baby.  

So you must go out and interact with your friends and family at regular intervals. You can also look after yourself by working out or going for a walk, reading a book, or cooking your favourite dish. Do not stop comforting yourself.  

  1. PROPER PLANNING

Proper planning of all kinds of stuff required for the baby will make things more comfortable and save both time and energy. Make sure to list down all the necessary items needed for the baby like baby food, baby care products and diapers, etc. and make sure you don’t miss anything important. Then you can plan the routine for the baby like feeding, bathing and napping time, etc. Even when you take your baby out, make sure you take all the necessary things like a feeding bottle, water, napkins, diapers, etc. 

  1. FINDING A GOOD PAEDIATRICIAN

Finding the right paediatrician can be a lengthy process, but it’s worth your time. However, if you are not satisfied or comfortable with your paediatrician, feel free to change it. Ask your family members or friends or even search online to find the right paediatrician in your area. This process will be more straightforward if you plan this before the delivery. 

  1. PLANNING ALL FINANCIAL EXPENDITURE BEFOREHAND

Planning all the financial expenditures beforehand will give you a fair idea of your short and future long-term expenses. You will have to buy a lot of baby goods from time to time. Therefore, make sure that you are financially secure to take care of your baby in the long run. Listing down and keeping an account of each penny spent will help you minimize unnecessary expenditures. 

  1. SPENDING TIME WITH YOUR PARTNER

After becoming a parent, do not forget that you are a couple too. Apart from looking after your baby and attending daily chores, you also need to spend some quality time with your partner so that you can connect and understand each other more. When your baby is asleep, try to spend time with each other, make conversations, cook, and eat meals together. The stronger the bond between the parents, the better the connection you will make with your child.  

  1. ASKING FOR PROFESSIONAL HELP

If the need arises, it is advisable to ask for professional help. Parenting can be a debilitating experience, and it is absolutely okay to seek help from a counsellor or a therapist. Psychotherapy or counselling will help you look at situations from an outsider’s perspective and help you get a clear picture of the events happening around you. This will help you steer through any hindrance that arises during parenting. 

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