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Having a baby leads you down the road of unknowns. This is especially true if it is your first child and you are running around scratching your head all the time.
This is normal and it is not something that you should let completely overwhelm you. As a new parent, you will learn as you go along. You will not find everything in baby books because each child is different and you will have to adapt this to your baby's personality and your own situation at home.
However, some universal things do work for most newborns. You must keep them in mind, so that as soon as you get home from the hospital you are off and running.
Keep Clean Hands
The best thing you can do is keep your hands as clean as possible when you are handling your bundle of joy. Make sure that all your visitors and guests know that they should wash up before they come in to "ooh" and "ahh" all over your precious one.
They need to make sure that they are completely sterile. Babies pick up germs very quickly and just about anything can't spark it.
So be vigilant, your baby is worth it! Make sure everybody scrubs up or sanitizes before they approach.
Don't Shake
Handling a newborn baby can come with a lot of frustrations. They may cry, scream, and kick, and you may not know which way to turn.
It can be so frustrating you may feel like you are a newborn yourself and it is not uncommon for streams of tears to flow down the faces of a newborn's parents.
It can drive you up the wall but you have to make sure that you stay as calm as possible. You should never shake your baby at any time. Shaking your baby can result in what is known as shaken baby syndrome.
This can be legally problematic for you in the same way that it would be problematic for a physician, if you were to seek justice with a cerebral palsy lawsuit against them, just to give an example. The bottom line is that it could be considered abuse or negligence.
What you should be doing instead is trying to make your baby laugh as much as possible. Tickle your baby's toes and tummy and try to make them giggle whenever possible.
Soothe Your Baby
Your baby's going to get agitated and frustrated, that's a given, just make sure that you are soothing them.
A great way to make them feel comfy and cozy is by giving them massages. Hold your baby and cuddle them tightly. This will make them feel as if they are on cloud nine and so will you.
Start Taking Care of Your Baby
Taking care of your baby should be a fun and exciting process. If you've been feeling as if waves of terror have been washing over you because you don't know exactly what to do in every situation, you should know that this is normal.
Even when your child is walking and talking back at you, there are times you will still not know what to do at any given moment of the day.
This is perfectly normal and all you have to do is roll with the punches. You will learn a lot as you go along and things will start to get smoother.
Before you know it, your child will be riding their tricycle, making waves in preschool, and sailing into kindergarten. Just be there to enjoy the ride!
