Welcoming a new baby into your family is without a doubt one of the most special times in a parents life, but it can also be one of the most worrying!
We've been working with Graco who have recently run a fantastic Baby Bootcamp event for their blogger ambassadors - sadly we weren't able to attend, which was a shame as it looked a super fun event and a great chance to find out more about Graco's incredible range of baby products from top of the line pushchairs to must-have car seats.
Luckily Graco have very kindly shared some tips from Babycentre's Sarah Redshaw to help new parents know what to expect and how to make the most out of the first few months with a baby:
Tip #1) Manage your expectations
* You will be feeding a lot – whether breast or bottle, it is time consuming
*You won’t eat a hot meal for a while – feeding, winding, playing and sleeping will pretty
much take up all of your time!
*You will feel vulnerable – but this will pass. Whatever your expectations are, lower
them. Remember to look after yourself
Tip #2. Bonding with your baby
*Skin to skin contact is really important, make sure you and your partner both get plenty
of skin to skin contact. Your smell will be really comforting to baby
*Your baby will have got used to your voice in the womb, be sure to talk and sing to your
baby regularly to keep up this bond
*Pick up on their cues. Parenting doesn’t come with a manual and each baby is different.
You will learn what each sound and movement means as your baby develops
*Newborns love looking at your face and mimicking your expressions. Try sticking your
tongue out to see if baby copies!
*All babies reach milestones are different times, whether it’s responding to sounds, lifting
their head, staring at faces, following objects, smiling and more! You will always meet
mums who’s baby did everything better and faster than you. Don’t be faxed by this!
Also, if your baby was premature, remember to use adjusted age guidelines. If you are
really worried, speak to your health visitor
Tip #3. Sleeping, feeding, routine
*Baby will sleep for 16-17 hours a day in the first week, and will feed between 8 and 15
times a day. After the first week or two, this will decrease to 6-8 times a day. Breastfed
babies may feed more often. On day one, your baby’s stomach is the size of a hazelnut.
By 14 days it’s the size of an egg!
*Between 6-8 weeks baby may get into more of a settled routine, however this rule isn’t
hard and fast and it may take you a few weeks to notice
Tip # 4. Tips for the first few months
*It’s normal to worry – the most common questions we see on the BabyCentre website
are about skin conditions and baby poo! It’s normal to worry, but you’ll find you relax as
your baby develops and you get to know each other. If you are really worried, see your
GP/midwife/health visitor
*Get prepared. Before baby arrives, set up an online shopping account. Netflix and
Amazon Prime are also good subscriptions for new parents! Most of these subscriptions
have free trial periods. Be sure to write down your login and password somewhere!
* Practice getting the car seat in / out of car, collapsing the pushchair / travel system,
fitting car seat to pushchair and removing it
* Get a nightlight or bedside light with a dimmer switch for night time feeds
* Keep a small screwdriver in house – musical mobiles, white noise toys etc all require a
screwdriver to get into them! And stock up on the batteries you might need for toys
*Breastfeeding is hard. It doesn’t always come ‘naturally’. Take your time and be patient
*Contact baby groups near you to check if there is a wait list. Arrange to see friend and
visit your local baby center. Maternity leave can get lonely!
*If you think you are going to go back to work – research nurseries /childminders early –
some have a six month + waiting list.
* Depending on your birth, leaving the house and going for a walk with your newborn may
feel like a huge obstacle but you will come back with an enormous sense of achievement
and pride
*Have your changing bag ready and stocked to leave the house, apart from the obvious
things like nappies / wipes, some other items that may be useful are things like breast
pads / change of top for Mum, a few freezer / zip lock bags for any messy baby gros, and
spare soother
To find out more about Graco and their extenstive range of products designed with comfort, safety and ease of use for parents in mind - just visit www.graco.co.uk
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