As a parent, there is so much that you need to be aware of, and much of it you are going to learn along the way. Regardless, if you have some warning about much of it, that is obviously going to be a huge help, and it’s something that most parents are going to be really happy to have. As it happens, there are a number of things that are especially important to be able to learn in your first year as a parent, and which you might want to focus on in particular, or which will naturally emerge as you are going through this all important first year.
So with that in mind, let’s take a look now at some of the main things that you should try to learn about in your first year. You’ll find that knowing as much as possible about the following is hugely useful and effective, and enables you to improve things considerably. It’s amazing what a difference it can really make.
Changing Time
The process of changing a diaper is one of those things that you will need to learn quickly, and it’s actually a lot easier than people often assume it will be. That does not necessarily mean it’s fun or enjoyable, but neither is it as bad as people often make out. The actual manual process of it is quite simple, but there are some challenges that you might want to be aware of and which can certainly make it a little more difficult from time to time.
One of these is when your baby is wriggling around, and indeed keeping them still can be something of a difficulty. However, you will soon learn that through various acts of noise-making and calming and soothing, you should be able to keep them still.
Another thing to think about if you are trying to change a diaper is to be on alert - it can be messy, and you need to make sure you are ready for that. Get together everything you need before you start the process, and you’ll probably find that this makes it quite a bit easier on the whole.
Sleeping Patterns
Perhaps the main complaint that new parents have is that they are concerned their baby isn’t sleeping enough. This is obviously an important thing to get right, and you will find that it’s a perfectly natural worry to have. However, the truth is that your baby is going to sleep plenty, and there is probably not much that you are doing wrong here. Nonetheless, if you are keen to ensure that your baby can sleep through the night, for them as well as for yourself, then there are a few things that you might want to consider.
One is to try and make the crib more comfortable. If you can do that, you’ll find that they are obviously going to sleep a lot better already, and that they will be happier as well. That’s something that is going to be hugely important and which you are going to need to make sure you are thinking about. The more comfortable they are in the crib, the better they will sleep each night.
Beyond that, think about whether the temperature in the room is as it should be. If it is too hot or too cold, your baby may struggle to get to sleep. You should also consider what bedtime routine you are using and whether this might need changing. It’s a little bit about trial and error, and this is something that you are going to want to think about too.
If you can do those things, it’s going to mean that your baby sleeps a lot better, and that can make everything about being a parent so much less stressful.
Feeding
Of course, feeding is another very important thing, and you’ll find that it can take a while to get to the bottom of this as well. However, there are also a number of simple steps you can take to ensure that you are getting this right or at least improving it, and that is something that you will find helps you to feel so much more capable and in control.
If you are breastfeeding, bear in mind that this can be quite a time consuming process and difficult to achieve. You might find that it takes a while to get it down, and also that it’s largely beyond your control whether your child takes to it or not. So certainly don’t beat yourself up about it, and make sure that you are trying to exercise as much patience with yourself, the baby and the whole process as you can.
In terms of feeding them solid food later on, you’ll find that it’s a lot easier, but it’s mostly a case of making sure that they are keeping it down. All in all, anyway, this is one of those things that you will need to learn about in due course.
Milestones
One of the first things to say about milestones is that you should not get overly concerned with them. They should only really be a rough guide for you to figure out where your baby is developmentally. It’s not a competition, and it is not necessarily a problem just because your baby might be slightly behind in one thing or another. While it is tempting to compare your baby to other babies you know, you should try to avoid doing this as much as possible, as it is not the healthiest approach to take.
All in all, if you can approach milestones in a sensible manner, you will find that this makes a world of difference to how calm you feel, and it’s amazing how much it can really help. So make sure that you are doing this as best as you can.
Those are the main things to bear in mind when it comes to your first year as a new parent.