Tips for new parents

If you find yourself losing your patience or feeling frustrated, place your baby in a safe area (crib or playpen) and take a few minutes. Leave the room, take as much time as you need to clear your mind, take some deep breathes, and try to relax. If you get extremely angry, it is important that you don’t shake your baby. It is very important to not shake a baby as it can cause permanent brain damage and, in certain cases, cause death. This is very important to remember because just a couple of seconds of shaking can be enough to damage your baby for life. If you’re about to reach a breaking point due to endless crying, just safely place your baby in his/her crib and walk away until you are calm and ready to try again.
Important note: Your baby will sense your emotions. If you are irritated, your baby will probably cry more. It’s difficult to be calm when you are sleep deprived, but remember if you are calm, your baby will be too!

It’s a known fact that babies look at people’s faces when they are interacting. Recently, studies have shown that infants look straight into the eyes. It’s important to note that they can only see clearly up to a foot in front of them- so, stay close, smile, and look back at them in their eyes.

Repeat words that are easy to say: Ma-ma, Pa-pa, ba-ba, and so forth. These words are usually the first words that babies say all around the world. The simplicity of speaking these words helps babies receive quick language control and feedback from their surroundings. To help their learning and bonding, repeat the sounds they make back to them. Before you know it, you’ll both have your own tune.

Babies love motion. Whether it is being held, lightly bounced, jiggled, or jostled, infants just can’t get enough of it. If you’re wondering why, movement helps the baby’s brain development, getting a sense of balance, and being soothed. Be sure to try different things with your little one: hold, sway, bounce, and cuddle. Take the time to learn what your little one likes and continue to use that motion.

All you may recall from the pop quiz at the introduction, research has shown that non-birth parents who change their baby’s diapers have a better, stronger, and long-lasting relationship with their partner and more bonding time with your baby. So, if you want to earn major points with your partner, get all hands on deck in changing your little one’s diaper.

Bonding for partners takes time. Baby’s bond with the birth parent is easy; after all, they carried the baby for 9 months and are able to feed the baby whenever they are hungry. So, any time you have to be alone with the baby is an opportunity for bonding. Make time where you can spend time with your child without the birth parent or others. Take this time to bond with your child by engaging with your baby by talking, reading, and singing to them. Don’t forget movement!

Being a non-birth parent doesn’t mean you have to do everything by yourself. On the flip side, being a partner doesn’t mean you let the birth parent do everything by themselves either. It doesn’t matter if you are with a partner or are co-parenting in separate houses, do your best to split up duties, and communicate what you expect to help raise your child together. Working as a team is the best way to manage the ever-changing demands of raising a child. Be sure to keep a clear line of communication between your partner and yourself. There are a lot of things as a parent that pop up that you don’t plan for, as long as you can talk to and understand each other, you can solve any problem that comes your way.

It’s a tale as old as time. Keeping your promises is the center of trust and security. Your partner and child will look to you to keep your promises. Faltering on your promises is the fastest way to create insecurities and distrust in your relationships. It’s important to remember to only make promises you can keep.

Whether your baby cries, looks at you, reaches for you, any little gesture your infant makes should be recognized by you. Note: Your baby is learning the world around them. Show your baby appreciation by responding back accordingly. Time and time again, research has shown that being responsive to an infant helps their brain development, in helping them learn faster. The more you respond to your child, the more likely your child will continue to communicate and enhance their language and motor skills.

Your child will look to both you and your partner for love. Feel free to show your child love every chance you get—start at birth and continue to throughout their lifetime. As time goes by and your bond grows stronger, you’ll find your love for your child will continue to grow. Enjoy the feeling and embrace the moment. There’s nothing more beautiful in life than the love that family has for one another.