Are You Expecting A Baby? These Helpful Tips Are Just What You Need

From the book: Safe Baby Handling Tips by David and Kelly Sopp we bring you some of the most helpful tips for taking care of your new baby. The best part about the book is the illustrations. It means that there is no guessing what they mean. It is kind of like a Raising Babies For Dummies type book.

Shopping

It is not always easy to find someone to watch your kid while you go grocery shopping. Most of the time, you will get stuck bringing the baby with you. For those of you who do not know, the part of the cart directly behind the handle is where your baby is supposed to sit. You do not put them in the large compartment. That is for your groceries only.

Diaper Check

The last thing you want to do is grab a handful of baby fudge by sticking your hand down the back of your baby's diaper. All you need to do is pull the elastic back and take a peek. Do not dig around, ever.

Feeding

Remember that your baby does not have a fully developed digestive system. They can only eat breastmilk or formula for the first part of their life. Do not hand them a turkey leg or any other food, unless it is baby food, before they have plenty of teeth and a stronger tummy for digesting things like that.

Smile

Trust us when we tell you that your baby will smile when he or she is ready to smile. Do not force them to smile with your fingers because you can easily tear the corners of their mouth. Remember that they are fragile in every way.

Testing the Bottle

When you need to test to see if your baby's bottle is warm enough, drip a few drops on the inside of your wrist. This is the most sensitive area for you to be sure the temperature is just right. You do not want to do it by sticking your nasty, bacteria-filled tongue inside your baby's bottle.

Massage

Just like adults, babies love a good massage too. Again, babies are fragile, so you have to be gentle. A shiatsu massage is not what your baby wants or needs. Use gentle motions with your fingers instead of chopping motions that could harm the baby.

Buckle Up

Safety is of the utmost importance when it comes to your baby, especially when they are in the car with you. You must buckle them properly into a safety car seat and not just by using a seat belt. If we have to tell you why, you should not be making babies.

Teething

Teething causes your baby to want to put everything they can get their hands on into their mouths. It soothes their gums, but it also means you have to provide safe items for your baby to teeth on. You can buy things that are made for this. Do not allow them to just chew on anything.

Wake Up

When it is time to wake your baby up from a nap, the last thing you want to do is scare them. Using an air horn or making any loud noises around your baby can scare the bejesus out of them, and that is not nice. Plus, it will make them not trust you. Be sure that you wake your baby gently.

Games

You can never go wrong with a good game of Peek-A-Boo with your baby. Remember that their brains are not developed enough to sit down to a board game or a game of chess. You will have to wait a few years for that. Be patient.

Drying

After your baby's bath, you are going to want to dry them thoroughly. You want to do this with an absorbent towel. Tossing your baby in the dryer, even for a few seconds, is a huge no-no.

Categories

More