The day your baby joins the world, everything changes. Your entire focus becomes making your precious child happy and guaranteeing they’re healthy. As a new parent, knowing what to do can be challenging for understandable reasons. You’re trying to juggle your new role, get to know your child, and tend to other life responsibilities. But you can rest easy with these top ways to keep your baby happy and healthy.
Listen to Your Baby
We all know newborns can’t talk, but that doesn’t mean they can’t communicate with us. Most seasoned parents will tell you that babies have different types of cries. When they’re lonely versus hungry—their cry differs slightly depending on need.
Strive to respond to your baby as soon as they start crying. In the beginning, knowing what they need will likely require some trial and error, and that’s normal. What’s most important is you comfort your little one, so they can establish trust with you.
Have Soothers
Every baby is different, gravitating towards various items to soothe themselves. Some babies love soft stuffed animals or have a precious blanky they won’t leave the house without. Most babies love teethers and pacifiers because they engage their instinct to suck and bite things.
Pacis are a baby essential and help keep your little one healthy, so you should know the signs it’s time to replace the binky. After lots of sucking, the pacifier could begin to tear or crack, so inspect it before each use. Once pacis or teethers start to show their age, it’s time to throw them away so it doesn’t become a choking hazard.
Bond with Them
We make some of our most cherished memories during childhood, so think up fun ways to bond with your little one. Spend time getting down to your baby’s level and doing activities they love, such as stacking blocks or transforming the family room into a fort. Cuddle time and walks around the neighborhood are great for the baby, too. And as they grow, trips to the zoo and playtime at the park are even more thrilling.
Practice Self-Compassion
You’re probably wondering what self-compassion has to do with these tips for keeping your baby happy and healthy. In short: a lot. You’re more likely to feel stressed if you spread yourself too thin by caring for your little cutie, working, and doing household chores. And a stressed mama often has less patience for those around her. Babies and children don’t understand this, so they may fear they did something wrong if you appear more short-tempered.
Never be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Talk with your partner, relatives, and friends. Raising a child takes a village; sometimes you need someone to babysit, so you can run an errand or relax by yourself. Model the behavior you want to see in your little bundle as they grow.
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