ABC'S OF PARENTING

THE NEWBORN!

The first smell, smile and feed.

The big day has come and now you barely feel ready. As first time parents we did the leave the house without the diaper bag trick. Rookie mistake. Fortunately there is a grocery or drug store on every corner in LA so we were able to run in and get supplies. Because lets face it it’s not like it’s a waste. You will blow through that pack of diapers in a couple if days. So don’t fret or beat yourself up about it. Really there are only three things to remember. It is simple but no one said it is easy.

The Key Three:-

Is the baby hungry?

Does the baby have gas?

Is their diaper dirty?

If none of those apply then you are one of those parents our hearts go out to. There will probably be a lot of sleepless nights and times you want to breakdown and cry.

I know we had a couple of those touch and go moments where we were Googling and madly calling around thinking does our daughter have colic, acid reflux or the mysterious unknown syndrome. It is a helpless feeling when your little one cries. I am not just talking about the fussing cry, I am talking about the kind where the neighbours are peering in thinking you are neglecting your child cry. You don’t want to be the parent that takes their kid to the ER for bad gas or you don’t want to overthink it and your child truly has a major issue. I think we need to trust our instinct though.This is especially true when they are so new, some people will tell you you're overreacting but because they cannot talk we have to decipher their cries in order to know how to help them and in some cases it can be life threatening.

One thing I suggest if you have a wailing child and the key three have not worked is to take them outside.

There is something about nature and fresh air. If they are still crying bloody murder then you may need to call the nurse line. If for any reason their skin is discolored or they haven't had a wet/dirty diaper in a while then you probably are best to seek immediate medical attention.

Using diaper cream especially at night or at the sign of a rash is recommended. I prefer one like Sudocream that is zinc oxide based and doesn't have a bunch of fillers in it. Find the diapers that work best for your baby. We liked Pampers! Oh and God Bless our diaper genie.

Start to learn your babies feeding cues. We fed on demand and my little one was a hungry little girl so I felt as though I was feeding her 24/7. Be sure to apply nipple cream. I liked Medela because it was safe to leave on.

We took an infant safety and CPR class which I highly recommend. We went to Los Angeles Birth Partners in Santa Monica and just having that peace of mind beforehand was so great.

Invest in a good bottle brush and drying rack if you are bottle feeding. I was breastfeeding as well but when I bottle fed I was a stickler about sterilizing too. I did it the old fashioned way on the stove top. I also used imported organic formula by Holle and when in Australia Bellamy's.

The best advice I can give is to sleep when they sleep. Your house will survive if it is a little disheveled.

Enjoy the little things and stay tuned for all my other articles on the ABC's of parenting. There is so much to learn and know and parenting doesn't come with a handbook. I hope my suggestions and experience help.