Having a baby is one of life’s most precious gifts, and the joy that comes with childbirth is the most indescribable feeling in the world. However, the joy notwithstanding, your body has just been through a lot, and you cannot wait to have all the rest your body so badly needs.

But despite feeling sore all over, you cannot wait to get home to begin life with your baby. But then, there’s also the anxiety from not knowing what to expect, and worse, how to care for your newborn. But not to worry, this article perfectly captures all that you need to know to boost your confidence about caring for your newborn in little or no time. Ready to roll?

Get Help

Know this and know peace—you cannot do it all. Childbirth is one of the most draining events of a woman’s life, and yes, it does take its toll on your body. Besides the stress of childbirth, taking care of a newborn is another draining, yet fulfilling exercise. To begin with, newborns eat almost every hour, or in some cases, every two to three hours. This means you have to feed as regularly as possible, regardless of what you might be doing. Also, newborns do not sleep through the night, causing you to be awake at night and unable to get as much sleep as you would have loved to. For these reasons, it is highly recommended that you consider getting some help. Avoid getting overwhelmed with caring for your newborn. If you can have a trusted family come around to assist, then, by all means, do so. If a good friend of yours can spare some time to help you, then you are in luck. And if you do not have friends or family who might be able to give up some of their time, then get a nanny if you can afford a nanny or babysitter’s service. What matters the most is that you get all the help and rest you need. Also bear in mind that these relatives, friends, or babysitters will come with advice and opinions of their own, depending on what their experiences have been. While you may not necessarily agree with all of them, do not dismiss their experience. Who knows, one or two little things may end up becoming useful, both to you and your little one.

Wash Your Hands

When dealing with a newborn, you have to be as careful as possible. Newborns are fragile, delicate humans who require as much care as possible. Before carrying a newborn, it’s important that you wash or sanitize your hands to ensure that they’re completely free from germs and diseases. This is because newborns have no immunity yet, and risk being infected if left in the wrong hands.

Never Shake Your Baby

Some people find shaking a baby a fun thing to do, but it is in fact one of the most dangerous things to do to a newborn. Rather than get your baby awake by shaking him or her, gently tickle your baby’s feet or blow gently on your baby’s cheek. Shaking a baby can result in a brain bleed, or worse still, death of the infant. So, ensure you do not shake your infant and make sure to tell everyone who carries your baby.

Support Baby’s Head and Neck

When carrying your newborn, ensure that your hand is behind his or her neck and head as a form of support. For proper development, it is important that you support the baby’s head when carrying the baby in an upright position. The same applies to when you lay the baby down.

Bond

This is perhaps the best part of caring for an infant. Bonding usually occurs during the sensitive time in the first hours and days after birth when parents make a deep connection with their infant. By getting physically close to your infant, you’re promoting an emotional connection. Babies are wired in such a way that the attachment they have to their parents goes on to contribute to their emotional growth, which also goes on to affect their development in many other areas. In a nutshell, children thrive from having a parent or an adult who loves them unconditionally.