Life will never be the same again and by now you will understand the unconditional love of a parent for their child.
Your baby today
Now that you are getting the hang of being a new mom, seek out
other new parents for some exercise or socializing. There should be many
options available to you in your local area.
Babies like to suck,
even when they’re not hungry anymore. Some suck their fingers or
thumbs, but others do nicely with pacifiers. Some parents have strong
feelings about whether or not to give a baby a pacifier, but they won’t
hurt your baby at all and have been linked to a reduction in Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) when used during sleep. If you decide to
use pacifiers, look for models with soft nipples and a one-piece design
that are dishwasher-safe. Have several on hand, since pacifiers tend to
fall on the floor. Keep in mind that if a baby depends on a pacifier to
sleep, he may wake up and cry if it falls out of his mouth. If you are
breast-feeding, many experts recommend waiting one month before
introducing a pacifier, to avoid nipple confusion.
You may now be getting
out more by yourself since your partner may be back at work. Ask your
pediatrician about times and venues for support groups in you local area
and any carriage-walking groups or baby massage classes since these are
excellent ways to meet other moms.
At two weeks, you’ll be
getting the hang of being parents. Life will never be the same again,
and although this means that you will always have to put your baby first
and will not have as much time for yourself, in return you have the
most beautiful, fascinating child with her own personality who you will
always love unconditionally. There is nothing that compares with the
love of parent and child, and by now, you will understand exactly what
that means.
… Doctor
| Q: |
Should I try to get my baby into a routine?
|
| A: |
In the first few weeks, it’s too early to establish routines. To
establish breast-feeding, newborn babies need to be fed on demand and
most, in time, will figure out their own routine. If you want to try to
establish set feeding times, you will have to consider how you will cope
with a screaming baby. However, it’s worth starting a nighttime routine
early on. Bathing your baby, singing to him, feeding him, and putting
him down in his crib to sleep will help him develop good sleep patterns
later on.
|
Recording your baby
It’s tempting to take photos and videos almost constantly when your first baby is born.
Subsequent children often remark on how relatively few photos there are
of them! Digital photography means that you can email family and
friends immediately with new baby photos, however, try not to go
overboard since, although you will never tire of looking at your own
baby, other people’s baby photos are of more limited interest.
The first pictures together provide precious memories.
You’ll be fascinated by your new baby’s every moment.
Don’t forget to include pictures of the proud dad.
