New parents often make many mistakes during the initial phase of their parenthood. In this blog we discuss some of the most commonly made mistakes along with a navigation around parenting books and whether they are really worth the hype.
The first time there was a baby in our house we were all very excited, but our happiness soon turned into sorrow when our 2-month-old baby had to be admitted to the hospital because she contracted pneumonia. We were all really upset and didn’t know what the root cause was.
We eventually learned that it was because a month before we had taken our baby to the park, and it was really crowded there. The doctors said the baby might have got the disease from there. We were shocked. Have you ever in your life experienced such a situation? If yes, then how did you face it? Let’s discuss in detail in this blog some of the common mishaps from new parents and how it can be avoided.
INTRODUCTION
The journey of parenthood is quite an anxiety inducing one and can be quite overwhelming for many reasons. The main reason could be fear. Fear of not meeting the societal expectation when it comes to parenting, fear of something happening to the child and so on. New parents go through a lot of stress.
This stress can be quite damaging to you as well as your newborn’s well-being, and it may alter the course of your child’s development. As per the article ‘Parenting stress: What causes it, and how does it change us?’ by Gwen Dewar, new parent’s perceptions about parenthood may have been influenced to some degree by marketing, magazine articles, books and talking with friends and/or family about their experiences.
It is quite a common tendency to get influenced by the influencer parents on Instagram. Some of the content on social media shows women smiling and happily going back to their daily routine after giving birth but this may not be the case for you. Giving birth and becoming a mother is equally a stressful job because of the grueling stress that follows it often called postpartum depression.
Postpartum often is a deeply stressful process and there is also a chance for the imbalance of hormones, so it is possible for you to not have a post pregnancy like that of one showed by influencers.
POSTPARTUM EXPERIENCES VARY AMONG WOMEN
According to Postpartum Depression Statistics | Research and Data On PPD (2024),statistics show that approximately 1 in 10 women will experience postpartum depression after giving birth, Postpartum depression generally lasts 3 to 6 months. However, this varies based on several factors. It is estimated that nearly 50% of mothers with postpartum depression are not diagnosed by a health professional. 80% of women with postpartum depression will achieve a full recovery if diagnosed early. Thus, it is normal for new parents to seek support. Support can come from friends, family, colleagues etc.
Some of the most common mistakes done by new parents are:
- Not letting the baby sleep in its own crib
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies sleep in a crib till they are at least 12 months old. Sleeping in a crib reduces 50% possibility of acquiring SIDS. It is very essential for new parents to know what SIDS is. The death of a baby that is sudden and unexpected and that doesn’t have an obvious cause before a medical investigation is called a Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).
2. Leaving your baby alone with a pet
Having a pet near your baby is fine but it is important to ensure that your pet is not aggressive as it can cause great harm to your newborn as they have a delicate frame. Also, avoid taking your newborn to crowded areas as they will be more prone to diseases and germs.
3. Neglecting oneself care and spouse once the baby is born
Prioritizing self-care may seem like basic common sense, especially if you want to live a longer and fruitful life. Self-care is frequently the first thing we do when confronted with a difficult situation, whether it is due to illness, a financial crisis, a job loss, or any other important life event.
This is why self-care should be a priority rather than a last resort. It has been through experience demonstrated that practicing self-care can reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, as well as reduce stress, improve focus, lessen irritation and anger, boost happiness, and increase energy.
Finding time for oneself is an important facet of self-care. Especially after having a baby and individuals are pushed into the realm of parenthood, they might lose a good amount of time looking after the child thus may neglect the care, they need to give their own body and mind.
Thus, it is crucial to allocate some amount of time every day or once a week for yourself. People may often find it difficult to stick to it but one must overcome all those procrastinations. Don’t over commit to anything and sometimes it is essential to prioritize your needs.
Also give adequate attention to your respective spouses too often after the birth of the baby parents are mostly invested in their child’s well-being so they often neglect their spouses. This must be avoided. New Parents should spend quality time with each other.
PARENTING BOOKS
So, this is where books on parenting comes into play. Parenting books offer a solid foundation for understanding child development, behavior, and emotional intelligence. There are many parenting books on the market. Some of them are:
2. Brain rules for baby by John Medina
3. The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies
There is a famous quote by the renowned pediatrician and author, Benjamin Spock
“Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do”
This powerful quote emphasizes the importance of having faith in one’s own abilities and potential. At the end of the day parenting is a subjective experience and what works for others may not always work for you and an important thing that new parents should keep in mind is that no one knows your child better than you.
Parenting books can also help new parents overcome challenges and obstacles that are often faced during the early months of parenthood. Additionally, one must also keep in mind of the demerits of parenting books. Referring to more than one parenting books can lead to contradictory advice as each book may come from different experience. So new parents should always take informed decisions when it comes to their newborns. Anna Lane in her article ‘Why you should never read a parenting books’ also emphasizes how parenting books don’t encapsulate everyone’s experiences and the parenting advice from these books should not be considered the ultimate rule.
Parenting is tough but one must always take a well-informed decision.
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