Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Preparing For A Baby



Having a baby is one of the biggest life changing decisions you can make. Before having a little one,
there’s a good chance that you will lead a life with relatively little responsibility for others’ wellbeing.
However, when you have a baby, you suddenly find yourself fully responsible for everything another person
needs. They’ll be entirely dependent on you. This will change your entire routine. You’ll have to put
someone else’s needs before your own every second of every day. You’ll have to do a lot of conscious and
purposeful planning to ensure you can tick all of your little ones’ boxes, providing them with a good quality
upbringing. So, what can you do to best prepare yourself? Here are a few tips and tricks that should help
you along the way.


Creating a Space for Your Baby


When you have a baby on the way, you’re going to have to quickly consider where they are going to be in
your home. Of course, you’ll carry your little one around from room to room with you and you may want to
have the baby’s moses basket or cot in your room when they first arrive. But eventually, they’ll need a
room of their own. If you’re not in a big enough house, you may want to consider moving and increasing the
amount of space you have. This can be a long process, so it’s a good idea to get started sooner rather than
later. If you have a spare room already, it may be time to start looking at nursery baby essentials.


Picking Up Skills


When you have a baby, you’re going to find yourself completing a whole number of tasks on a day to day
basis that you’ve probably never performed in your entire life. This means you’re going to have to pick up a
huge number of new skills that might not necessarily come naturally to you. Now, there are more than we
can go through in just one article. But here are a few essentials you should look into and practice - perhaps
on a doll - before your little one arrives. Of course, practicing on a doll will be easier than a real baby. They
don’t move or squirm. But it’s better practice than none and, as we all know, practice makes perfect.


Changing a Nappy


You’re going to find yourself changes a lot of nappies when your baby arrives. In fact, most parents will
change their baby ten to twelve times a day. That’s often more than once an hour. So, it’s an essential skill.
You’re also going to want to get it right early on. Improperly put on nappies can leak, or can cause irritation
and discomfort to your baby. To save mess and tears, do your research beforehand. Generally, it’s best to
watch a video guide or look at an illustrated guide. This will give you more of a visual idea of how to change
your little one. You’re going to need a changing mat or towel, cotton wool and a warm bowl of water or
specially designed baby wipes, a bag or bucket to put the dirty nappy in, barrier cream to protect your
baby’s skin, and a clean nappy. It may seem difficult at first, but it’s a skill you’ll quickly pick up and it will
become habit.


Swaddling


Swaddling is extremely popular for keeping your little one comfortable and content. It’s an ancient practice
that a huge number of people still use today. Swaddling entails wrapping your baby in a thin blanket. The fit
is snug. Generally, babies will feel safe and secure when they are swaddled. They also can’t move around
excessively or roll over easily, which can help to give you peace of mind too. Swaddling is often found to
soothe babies and many parents report that the practice even reduces crying (this can help you to get a
decent night’s sleep). Again, this technique is generally best learnt through watching video tutorials, as
these will show you how to correctly fold and tuck a swaddling blanket around your little one. Remember,
there will come a stage will come when your baby will need to start transitioning from swaddling. If you
notice that your baby seems desperate to escape their swaddle and often fidgets when swaddled, it may
be time to move on and remove swaddling. Do this in a phased process.


Weaning


Weaning isn’t something you will have to consider as a brand new parent. But it will arrive at some point or
another. Warning is a process in which a baby is encouraged to stop depending on milk and to move onto
solid foods. This can be a complex process and many babies aren’t all too happy about it. But once your
baby reaches six months old, it’s a good idea to start slowly introducing them to slightly solid foods with
subtle new tastes and textures. Soft baby porridges are widely available and tend to be a great option to
start out with. You can then start introducing foods that are specially formulated for babies, such as
jarred baby food or pouches of baby food. They’re soft and easy to swallow, but can show your baby
stronger flavours. Every baby is different and will respond to this process differently. Some are ready and
eager to try stronger flavours, others shy away. But all will generally come round to the idea. If you’re ever
concerned about weaning, contact your doctor or your health visitor.

These are just a few different things you might want to focus on in preparation for a baby. There are, of
course, many more things you’ll need to invest in and many more skills you’ll have to pick up. But
hopefully, the areas mentioned above will get you set off in the right direction! Incorporate them into your
routine and plan sooner rather than later to give you the most time possible to prepare and adjusty!

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