Most adults have been in enough sticky and difficult situations to know how to deal with them but the one thing that no education or job prepares you for is parenthood. Especially the early years when taking care of the baby. While we can't prepare you for what is yet to come we can help make things a little easier for you.
1. Hand hygiene first: Hand hygiene is the most basic and simplest of things that parents should keep in mind. Always wash your hands properly with adequate soap and water before handling your baby. Infants do not have a sufficiently developed immune system, so keep their exposure to germs at the bare minimal. In case there are going to be many guests coming to visit the baby, always insist on them using a hand sanitizer before handling the baby. Simple hand hygiene can prevent your child from being exposed to harmful bacteria and falling sick.
2. Feeding time: Depending on your baby's age make sure it is fed on time and with appropriate food. As much as possible avoid any kind of packed food and stick to natural food. Mash up the food adequately for the baby to eat and digest.
3. Clean clothes: The baby is going to go through a lot of clothes through the day. The baby's clothes should be washed separately is the proper detergent and then put in the sun to dry. Always make sure that the baby's clothes have had enough time in the sun to kill the germs on them. Additionally, ensure that you dip the baby's clothes in antiseptic water for keeping them free of germs.
4. Prepare the baby's room: Always ensure that the paint in the baby's room has had enough time dry out and the fumes to vaporize out of the room. The fumes from the paint can be harmful to the baby. Even the baby's cradle should have had enough time in the sun to dry the paint. Similarly the sheets and pillow used for baby should be routinely cleaned and disinfected routinely with products deemed safe for use around babies.
5. Set and sync a routine: This piece of advice is a life saver, form a daily routine for the baby. A fixed time for eating, sleeping and playing. This will ensure that your baby gets enough of everything that they need to grow. Sync your routine with the baby's so that taking care of infant doesn't take more than required toll on you. Sleep when the baby is sleeping to recuperate yourself.
6. Get help: Don't be afraid of asking and getting help taking care of the baby. Ask your partner and parents to help out so both you and the baby can be properly taken care of. Your parents and in laws have more experience taking care of babies, so learn and use their experience to take better care of your baby.
While taking care of a baby is no easy task, with the right knowledge and some help it isn't rocket science either. Stay tuned for our simple tips to make your life as a parent a little easier.
