New Parents: Congratulations and Good Luck

You have just spent 9 months enjoying or enduring being pregnant, it’s different for every person and couple. You have survived the delivery and the labor and now you are heading home with your newborn and suddenly you say, “Yikes what do we do now? This baby does not come with an instruction manual?”

What you do is take 10 deep breaths and tell yourself I can do this.

First, beware…everyone else is an expert, the pediatrician, your parents, your siblings, your friends, even the neighbors, but know this: after not so long YOU will become the expert on your baby.

By all means take advantage of all those experts around you to help build confidence in your own capabilities. Praise yourself at regular intervals for managing the feedings and the diaper changes and keeping your baby happy.

Don’t beat yourself up that the dishes haven’t been done or the carpet isn’t vacuumed. Take the time to get to know your baby. By doing this it won’t take long for YOU to figure out why your baby is crying or uncomfortable. You will know the difference between hungry and tired.

Even though there isn’t actually one particular baby manual out there, a lot of sources of information: websites, books and DVDs and television. Pick what works for you and stick with it.

Most of all, take as much time as possible to enjoy your new baby and the new you. Keep in mind while you are embracing this exciting new phase of life you still need to ensure a couple of things: get a lot of rest, when the baby sleeps you sleep; eat well and sensibly (try to maintain a regular eating schedule with nutritious food); take a break from the house, have a little walk, spend a few minutes in the garden, get some fresh air.

All this aside, please embrace those magic moments of your baby's first smile, the first bath in fact…the first everything.

Submitted by Nanny Stella of The Nanny School