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Helpful Hints for New Parents
First of all, follow your instincts.
Get to know your baby, and follow your baby's cues. The more you listen and respond to your child, the better the two of you will get to know each other.
Hold your baby often. Do not worry about spoiling her! She was inside your womb for 9 months or so, and it will take time for her to get used to this harsh world.
Put your baby's needs above getting housework done, etc.
In the beginning, it is hard to even have the luxury of
going to the bathroom alone.
Children do not cry to exercise their lungs. Promptly respond to your baby's cries with gentleness and love. If you are always there for your baby, she will come to depend upon and trust you--the best base for building a loving, nurturing relationship. Through her relationship with you, she will learn how to relate to others.
If you have to hold your child in order for him/her to be able to take a nap, do it! Since it's important for new moms to get lots of sleep, try to sleep when your baby sleeps--sadly, though, this is often an impossibility when you have more than one little child! Sleeping with your baby can be a wonderful option.
When you leave, a baby does not understand that you are coming back, so don't be mad at your baby for crying when you leave.
Never, ever shake your baby. Your baby can die from it (see my article Never Shake a Baby).
Consider buying a sling or some kind of front pack carrier.
Babies like being close to their mommy and daddy. Using one
can make it possible to get some work done around the house
while still keeping baby close. Using a sling can make nursing in public easier.
Be open to sleeping with your baby. It has many
benefits for both baby and parents (one of which is sleep!) and can be especially helpful for moms who breastfeed.
Do not worry about when your baby is able to "sleep through the night." She will do it when she is ready. Nighttime does not mean you no longer need to parent your child.
Try to be patient and remember that they are only babies for a very short time.
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