Mia
Bringing up a child is a very difficult task. No matter how prepared any parent feels, when they welcome their newborn into the world, the entire process of teaching them and being with them becomes chaotic. Often, parents get confused regarding how to take care of their children.
If you’re a first-time parent and childcare seems overwhelming to you, don’t worry. Here are five very important tips for you to keep both you and your baby physically and mentally healthy.
1. Children should sleep with their mothers till 3 years of age
Many researchers have suggested that toddlers should ideally sleep with their mothers. Until they are 3 years old, it might not be the best idea to keep your baby in a separate room. A study was conducted where 16 infants were taken into consideration. Some slept with their mothers and some slept alone.
The results showed that babies who slept alone were 3 times more stressed than the ones whose mothers slept with them. Also, bed-sharing with a baby below the age of 4 months is also not very safe. In this case, place your baby on a cot right next to you and keep monitoring them.
2. Teach them independence
Teaching your little one to be independent at a very young age can do wonders. If you don’t know how to proceed, teach them how to do simple tasks like tying their own shoelaces, washing their plates and bowls, and folding their laundry. Help them whenever they get stuck but don’t rush in right away. Let them fail, get back up, and retry.
This will not only teach your kids independence but also perseverance. Children who are overly dependent on their parents often turn out to be immature and lost till they are adults, or even after. Don’t impose your will on your baby but ask them to make choices between two or more items.
3. Take care of yourself
Only taking care of your baby isn’t enough. A big part of childcare involves taking care of your own self. Breastfeeding mothers, especially, need to keep in mind the diet rules and regulations.
If you’re a breastfeeding mom and you love tea, you’ll know how annoying it can be to live without your daily dose of tea. The Breastfeeding Tea Co. is a company that provides 100% vegan and caffeine-free tea for mothers of newborns.
Their products are also 100% organic and sourced by mother nature. They also have a collection of delicious lactation cookies for mothers who need a milk supply. Therefore, in order to keep your little darling healthy, make sure to eat and drink proper foods to keep yourself healthy first.
4. Involve your child in doctor’s appointments
Often, one of the biggest mistakes a parent can make is to participate completely in the doctor’s appointment which is meant for their children. The pediatrician, instead of understanding what is actually wrong with your child, has to take your word for it.
Children should never be passive participants in these situations. Ask your kid to explain to the doctor their ailments or problems the best they can and then you can fill the gaps in between.
Health literacy is an extremely important topic and kids by the age of 6 should learn to answer at least a few questions in the doctor’s chambers. Teaching your child to take part in these routine visits will make them realize that they are responsible for their health and improve their communication skills.
5. Don’t give in to tantrums
There’s nothing a kid loves more than to throw tantrums. If your child, too, likes to scream and shout without any reason, you’ll know how frustrating it is.
Instead of giving in to them, ignore them the best you can. Once your child sees that they aren’t getting the attention they want, they will automatically stop.
It might be tough to ignore at first, especially in public places, but if you keep entertaining this habit, your child will grow up to be very needy and overly stubborn. So, curb this habit from a young age.
Over to you…
From changing diapers to breastfeeding- there are innumerable tasks a new parent needs to perform to ensure their child is healthy and happy. These five child care tips are also extremely essential to instill important values in your child and teach them how to be mature adults later.
