The first month of parenting is a delicate time. You are constantly making decisions that will affect your child for the rest of their lives, but it’s hard to know what those decisions should be. This blog post will discuss eight common mistakes to avoid giving you and your baby the best chance at a happy life.
Panicking About Every Little Thing
Caring for your 3 Month Old Baby or younger can be simultaneously exciting and worrying. You want to do everything perfectly and feel like every minor thing matters. And it does matter, but not as much as you may think in those first few weeks after birth.
It’s natural for new parents to be worried about every tiny detail because they haven’t yet figured out what needs their attention at this point in their child’s life. But when these worries start taking over, that can cause significant stress, which leads to physical reactions such as nausea or an elevated heart rate.
So take some deep breaths: the first month is just the beginning of a lifetime with this child, and it’s going to be full of ups and downs.
Not Letting Your Infant Cry
One mistake new parents make is not letting their infants cry. It can be a scary thought, but it’s essential to let them do so if they need some time to themselves. If you’re breastfeeding and are too busy for more than two hours at a stretch, start pumping instead of nursing or try using one breast while the other rests. This will allow your baby to have access to his food without having him rely on you constantly. You may also want to take turns waking up with your partner in case he needs help soothing the little one back into sleep. And remember that newborns sometimes only know how to communicate when they’re crying. So this isn’t an easy adjustment for any parent!
Waking Your Baby Up To Breastfeed Only if They’re Hungry
Babies need about 16 hours of sleep per day, but there are periods when they don’t get it all in one stretch and may wake for a feed. If you’re breastfeeding exclusively (meaning no pacifiers or formula), waking them every three hours is okay.
But always let them, nurse on demand during the first six months, even if that means staying with them while they doze off again shortly after feeding time. This will help establish enough milk supply so you can continue breastfeeding afterward.
If not sure whether your child needs food or just wants cuddles, try offering a little bit at each checkup until their hunger cues become easier to identify.
Confusing Spit-Up With Vomit
If you’re confused about the difference between spit-up and vomit, this will clear that up for you. Spit-up is a normal part of breastfeeding or bottle feeding; it’s when milk comes out of the baby’s mouth while they are eating. It usually looks like white bubbles with small amounts of food mixed in and unpleasant smells.
Vomiting is what happens when your little one throws up after eating too quickly or if they have a stomach virus. The problem with vomiting is that there could be acid present which means more severe damage to the esophagus because babies’ digestive systems haven’t developed yet.
If you see anything yellow coming from your baby’s mouth, it could be vomit and not spit-up.
Not Sweating a Fever in a Newborn
Newborns can’t tell you when they have a fever, and it’s important to know that babies do get fevers. The best thing you can do for your newborn is maintaining their temperature via the three-layer system: clothing (swaddling), blankets, or putting them in an insulated cover if necessary.
Wipe down any sweaty areas with wet wipes, but be careful not to allow the infant to become chilled afterward. If your baby has a fever of 102°F or higher for longer than one day without improving, then contact your pediatrician right away.
Not Properly Installing the Car Seat
Car seats are a necessary evil for any new parent. You must install them correctly, and they need to stay in place when the vehicle takes sharp turns or stops suddenly. The problem is that it’s difficult for an experienced adult to tell if a car seat is secured correctly because of all the straps involved with the installation, not to mention babies who can’t communicate their discomfort.
Compliance checks may help you identify poorly installed car seats, but these inspections don’t typically happen until after accidents occur as part of routine maintenance. Here’s a sign that you might not have installed your infant’s car seat safely;
– You hear noises from the backseat associated
Incorrect installation of car seats can lead to severe injury or even death in a crash. The most common mistake made by parents is not tightening the straps enough, which will loosen during driving and allow an infant’s head to move forward too much, risking neck injuries, including whiplash. To avoid this potential danger, always make sure your child’s harness strap is at least as tight at the shoulders as it would be on you!
Neglected Oral Care
A toothbrush won’t do the trick. From birth to about age two, your child’s teeth will grow up to six times faster than an adult’s! They’re not only growing in length but also width and depth, so you’ll need to brush their gums and tongue too.
Your baby can start getting used to a toothbrush at around one year old; before then, try rubbing their teeth with wet fingers or giving them a piece of cold, hard cheese or cucumber as they chew on it for some time.
With mouthwash, you want enough alcohol (more than 20%) without any sugar because this kills bacteria that live in plaque, leading to cavities. Plus, kids are less likely to mind the taste of alcohol than sweeteners.
Fighting Too Much in Front of Your Baby
There are a lot of things to worry about when you’re pregnant. You worry if the baby will be healthy or fit in your uterus with room for food and coffee. You worry that it’s going to come out looking like a pineapple (those worries don’t last too long). But one thing that should never cross your mind is fighting with your partner!
Research has shown that fighting in front of children can lead them to act aggressively towards their peers by the age of six. Unfortunately, the child interprets this as normal behavior and is less likely to intervene for themselves or others later down the road.
Children learn what behavior is appropriate and how to behave by watching their parents. For example, if parents constantly fight in front of the kid, the kid will likely lash out at others inappropriately when stressed or frustrated.
Plus, the last thing any new parent needs is more stress than necessary! So, focus on raising healthy kids instead of just focusing on yourself; this way, everyone wins.
Conclusion
The eight mistakes listed in this blog post intend to help parents get off on the right foot with their new baby. They will be able to avoid many of these common parenting errors and, as a result, have an easier time adapting to life as a parent. The most important thing is not making these first-months mistakes so that you can start your journey into parenthood confidently!