What You Need To Know About Having A Baby
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Having a baby is a life changing event, and you need to be prepared for it. There are a lot of things that you need to know, and even if you feel like you have all the information you need, you probably don’t. It’s likely that you’re super excited for this new little addition to your life, and it’s easy to see why. Being prepared is going to be the best thing that you have ever done because it’s really going to come in handy. In this article, we’re going to be covering a number of things ranging from the things that people talk about all the time, to some of the ones that are hardly mentioned. If you would like to know more about this topic, then keep reading down below.
It’s Not Always Easy
The first thing that you need to know is that it is not always easy. Parenthood is hard at the best of times. You feel your heart bursting with love and joy for your new addition, but that doesn’t make it any easier. People seem to be under the impression that simply because you have a baby, you should always be smiles. This is not the case more often than not because raising a child is hard. Even when there are two of you, it’s a huge life change and it really takes its toll on parents. The endless crying, the constant washing of bottles, the feeding, the long nights and so on eventually wear you down and this is what people seem to forget.
It’s for this reason that you cannot go into this with the mindset that it’s going to be simple, because it isn’t. There are going to be days where you would give anything for five minutes of peace, and that is okay. It’s important that you don’t set unrealistic expectations for parenthood, thinking that it will be smooth sailing, because the likelihood is that it won’t’.
It’s Okay Not To Be Okay
The next thing that you need to know is that it is okay not to be okay. You do not have to be happy all the time. You do not have to pretend that you are doing fine when you aren’t. You do not have to feel guilty or ashamed for feeling sad. Like we mentioned, it’s not easy, but further than that, it takes a huge toll on your mental health. 1 in 7 new moms suffer from postpartum depression, and this is not something that you should be embarrassed about. We all struggle from time to time, and it’s okay to admit that. There is a culture surrounding new parents that makes them feel like they have to be grateful every moment of the day, but it’s not the reality.
The reality is that there may well be days where looking at your child makes you want to cry. Hearing their cry makes you want to run away. The important thing is that you aren’t running and you won’t because you love that little bundle with all your heart. It’s okay not to be okay, but it’s not okay to give up.
There Is Help Available
If you ask a lot of parents what they know about the help that is available to them, they usually don’t know much. It’s important that you do some research into the options that are near you so that when you need them, you know where to go. There is no need for you to do things on your own. If you need a rest, say that. If you need to simply have an hour to yourself, make it known. Of course, for those of us who are lucky enough, we have friends and family around to help when these times occur, but if you don’t have this, then look into the services that will offer you rest.
The most important thing to your child is that they have a parent who is happy, not who is perfect. It’s common to feel guilty for needing a break from your child, but there really is no need for this. It is normal. It doesn’t make you a bad parent when you feel like this, and people need to stop shaming parents who need a break every now and then. It’s important that you know that this feeling will probably come, and where you can turn when it does.
What Do You Need?
You also need to understand what you need for your new little precious bundle. There are so many things that babies need, and a lot of parents are going to forget at least one of them in the beginning. For example, they are going to need somewhere to sleep whether that be a moses basket or a crib, they are going to need blankets, towels, hats, clothes, diapers, wipes, and so much more. We highly recommend that you make a list of all the things that you are going to need to buy and tick them off as you go along.
Of course, there are a lot of gendered items, but you don’t have to get them if you either don’t know what your baby is going to be, or if you simply don’t want to. You can always stick with neutral colors such as whites, greys, yellows and greens in order to complete the checklist without a gender in mind. Just ensure that you’ve got everything that you can think of, and then check the internet and see if there’s anything you’ve missed off.
What Are The Milestones?
As with anything, there are milestones to a baby’s development. Some people will tell you they are different to the ones that we’re about to outline, and it’s largely down to what you think is a big achievement. For example, when it comes to baby development and rolling over, this is a huge step. Obviously, you’ve got holding up their head first, but then they will learn to roll over, then crawl and it just keeps going from there. Marking these milestones is essential for a number of reasons. First, it shows how well your baby is progressing, and second, it will be fantastic for your memories.
You’re going to want to remember all the important parts of their life, and the milestones are some of the best ones. When you look back, you will remember the moment that they started doing each of these things, and at the time, you’re going to be proud and relieved that they are progressing normally.
When Do They Need A Doctor?
One of the things that new parents don’t know a lot about is when a baby needs a doctor. It’s normal to panic when you’re not used to taking care of a tiny human and having them depend on you for everything and then they start doing weird things. Babies make weird noises and they do things that we would not consider normal, but you’ve got to remember that they are learning how to do the things that we can already do. However, as a general rule of them when it comes to babies and infants, it is always better safe than sorry. If you think there might be something wrong with your child, then get in touch with your doctor to be on the safe side.
Some of the indicators that your child does need a doctor though are high temperature, change in behavior, unresponsiveness, excessive sleeping, excessive crying and a couple more. Take a look online to find more information about symptoms that need to be checked immediately.
They Cry, A Lot
Finally, they cry, a lot. You might think that this is obvious, but you don’t realize how much they cry until you have one of your own. Sure, if you have nieces and nephews, or friends who have children, kid siblings or whatever, you know that babies cry. However, when you are the one who is dealing with the constant crying day in, day out, it takes its toll on you. The important thing to remember is that it isn’t personal and your baby does not hate you, they are trying to communicate with you. It might not make it easier every time, but sometimes this will help when you feel as though everything is getting on top of you.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now understand what you need to know about having a baby. There’s a lot to know, so don’t be surprised if you are feeling overwhelmed at all of the information that you have just taken in, that’s completely normal. The best thing that you can do for yourself right now is to stay as calm as possible, even though it might feel as though everything is about to be turned upside down. It is, but there’s no reason to panic, we promise everything is going to be okay, especially now that you know what you need to.
We wish you the very best of luck, and hope for a happy and healthy life for your entire family.
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