When becoming a new parent, there are just some things that baby books and family advice cannot prepare you for. Whether it is paying attention to the signs that a newborn's health is failing or learning how to properly clean her ears, there is always something new that draws a question mark and sends parents into a frenzy. While you may receive numerous tips on how to care for your baby, dealing with the emotional and mental stress of being a new mother or father is often overlooked. Below, you will find a few tips regarding both the concern and care for baby and parent:
Take Time For Yourself
When a baby enters your life, chaos may develop because your normal behavior, sleep, and lifestyle patterns are disrupted to adjust for a newborn. If you don't find time for yourself to release built-up tension and stress, then you won't be in any good shape to take care of your little one. Plus, children have a way of sensing when their parents are stressed, which in turn may cause them to react accordingly.
Reduce Stress By Saving Money
For some parents, a new financial strain is created with the addition of a new member to the family. Sometimes any penny saved can go a long way in the future. When you get into the habit of clipping coupons and requesting free samples, you can save money that can go towards other aspects of the household. If you call baby food and other baby product companies, you can ask for coupons and other discounts. Sometimes you can accomplish the same goals by visiting their website.
It's OK To Accept Help
When parents take the attitude that they can do it all (baby, house, and work) on their own without any help from family and friends, burnout is inevitable. The daily tasks that come with changing diapers, warming bottles, and burping baby reach overwhelming proportions in a short amount of time. With new mothers, the risk of postpartum depression will increase. When family, friends, and even neighbors extend a helping hand, it is highly suggested to accept it.
Be On the Lookout For Jaundice
More and more newborns are seen developing jaundice, meaning a yellow pigment appears in the skin of the baby. When certain chemicals build up in the body, the baby's liver has to work overtime to break it down and release it. The condition often goes away on its own, but if not diagnosed in time, brain damage may occur. It is important to know that around 60% of newborns will develop jaundice.
Get Enough Sleep
If you do not get enough sleep, how will you ever be able to keep up with the erratic patterns of a baby, especially if he or she suffers from a medical condition, such as colic? Parents who are deprived of their sleep become exhausted and suffer from lapses in memory, mood, concentration, as well as the ability to deal with the new parent responsibilities.
Less sleep also means the body can break down and illness may settle in. The worst thing to deal with is a cold that threatens the health of your child. Taking turns with another with the baby or dividing your time between shifts is a good way to make sure you get the sleep that you need. Single parents might have to call upon the help of their siblings or parents during the first six weeks, which can be rather difficult without assistance.
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