Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
Becoming a mom is both a privilege and a responsibility. The joy of holding your own child is something that cannot be equaled by any material possession. Being a mom is the most wonderful experience every woman will ever have in her lifetime. But this privilege also comes with a great responsibility. You need to be there to guide and to care for your child. The first years of your infant’s life requires much attention. Every single detail from eating and sleeping to pooping should be monitored. Baby care may not be easy but it is always worth it.
If you are a first time mom or you are still looking for ways to improve your role as a mom, here are some tips that you can consider:
Hold Your Baby Gently
Every mom should understand that her baby’s body is very sensitive, especially during the first year. This is the time when you need to put all your attention to the infant. In holding the baby gently, one should know the sensitive points such as the spine.
It is essential to support your baby’s back right up to the head when holding your baby. Do not hold your baby unsupported. Make sure never to leave your baby unattended on a high surface as even a newborn baby can manage to move and fall off. For this reason it is essential to be vigilant while you have your baby on a changing table.
Sterilize All Baby Items
The baby’s body is sensitive and this is why all baby items that you let him or her use should be sterilized. Washing with water and soap is not enough because the baby’s immune system is not yet as tough as our immune system. The process of sterilizing can be done manually with the use of water reaching its boiling point or for those who are not familiar with this process, there are sterilizing machines that are now available for baby stuff. The cleanliness of the whole home and all the things that are around the baby should be every mom’s priority. This is the only way on how you can ensure that the baby is safe from any harm caused by germs and other unseen agents that can affect his or her health.
Ensure The Baby’s And Your Health and Hygiene
Make sure that the baby gets bathed regularly, especially the diaper area. The nails should be cut and the hands should be covered to make sure that the baby does not hurt himself. Regular check-ups should also be done at the baby clinic to ensure that your baby is healthy. As the mom, you also need to maintain good health and hygiene because whatever sickness you get can easily be transferred to the baby.
Talk To Your Baby
It is wrong to assume that your baby does not understand what is happening around him. These cute little babies already know how to relate with their environment though they cannot communicate verbally yet. As the mom, you need to communicate with your baby. Talk to him and you will be amazed at the responses you will get. Talking to your baby can help develop the brain. This will also create a bridge between you and him. This way, you can establish a solid mother and child connection. The baby also needs to know that there is someone there who cares to play with him. As sociologists say, socialization starts immediately after birth. The family serves as the first group that introduces the infant to the world.
Establish A Routine
Many moms who are stressed about their parent responsibilities are those who fail to establish a routine. Remember that as a mother, you have a lot of responsibilities and you are taking care of a baby that requires full attention. With this, you need to accomplish many tasks at once, having a routine can help prevent you from feeling burned out. On the baby’s side, having a routine will help him adjust and to get to know what happens when.
You need to get into a routine of regular times for for bathing, feeding and sleeping. This way, the baby will also be accustomed to this. Feeding is very important and there will always be small tasks piling up. If you have a routine, you will be able to accomplish more without being so prone to forgetting things.
It may seem like the world is full of responsibilities when you are a mom. To avoid this kind of thought, you have to be the person who knows how to use her time wisely. Time management is the key to surviving the initial years of being a mom. There will be a lot of sleepless nights but there will also be a lot of play time that can make you smile. If you continue to do your responsibilities as a mother, you will not miss the most precious moments of your baby’s life. It may not be easy but it will be worth it.
The priceless joy of hearing your baby say his first words, capturing his first walk and seeing that innocent smiles everyday are just few of the many rewards of being a mother. As your baby grows up, you will see that becoming a mother is a reward and that it is the most beautiful experience that every woman can have. Be the first best friend that your child will ever have. Be the most beautiful creature that his or her eyes will see every waking moment. Be the superhero that will save him or her from the monsters under the bed. At this stage of the baby’s life, you are his everything.
About The Author
Alyssa is blogger and writer at topreveal.com and she has a passion for writing articles on health care, cooking, home improvement, etc. Being a mom & consumer advocate she has years of experience testing equipment and recipes.
Thanks for this @lynne indeed taking care of a newborn its a hard work and a big challenge
I agree. Especially with the routine part. So so important!
When our baby was born we lived in a small town where we knew the tap water was not save to drink at all. I was so scared that she will get some of the bacteria in the water so I always boiled water before I bathed her. I know that there are a lot of towns in South Africa were the water is a huge problem so be cautious when bathing your newborn.
I think time management is a very important thing. If you plan your time wisely you can get so much things done. I was totally paranoid when it came to sterilizing baby bottle and everything else baby used or came in contact with. I bought the sterilizing liquid you find in hospitals and I would sterilize all toys even the pram or the playpen. Its tiring but it made me feel good that I could do it for baby. There are so many germs out there so its best to keep your surroundings clean.
My gran nearly fainted when my son was born and the hospital policy was to only bath the baby the next day. Then when we came home from hospital I only bathed him every second day as it was in the heart of winter. My gran was horrified. I tried explaining to her that there is research that supports that we should bathe a new born less as the water and soaps are so harsh on their skins which in turn can lead to allergy and dry skin etc.
I topped and tailed baby daily with a warm wash in all the creases and folds. Eyes, mouth and belly button care I was religious about but actually bathing my little eel was reserved for every other day.
Thank you @Lynne for this lovely article.
It is an amazing feeling to have a new born baby at home, but with that said comes a huge responsibility as their immune systems is very weak and extra care is required. Everything needs to be kept as clean as possible, I used to sterilize all toys and bottles daily. After each use the bottles used to be sterilized, his bedding used to be changed daily, I was so afraid of dust mites it was unbelievable. I remember my husband used to call me his “OCD wife”, and at the time that was a compliment itself for me.