Common Mistakes First Time Parents Make

Unlike new gadgets & technologies, babies do not come with a manual. First time parenting can be tedious and stressful without any guidance. Here are a few mistakes you should avoid in order to make your first time parenting experience stress-free and enjoyable.

Mistake #1: Panicking over small events: A lot of new parents panic at normal things babies do, such as vomiting, crying, or even bowel movements. They wonder if their baby is eating enough or too little, spitting up too often, crying too much, having too many or too few bowel movement, sleeping too much or too little! While it is normal to worry about your child’s well-being, but panicking over anything and everything your baby does is just going to stress you up. Instead of getting all worked up, it is advised to take regular appointments with your paediatrician and get expert opinion.

Mistake #2: Forming a strict nap schedule: Some parents believe that keeping their babies up all day would ensure a sound sleep for both parent and child at night. While following a strict schedule helps an adult sleep well at night, it is not necessary that the same would apply for babies. According to experts, if infants are tired, they are unable to sleep at night. Until a baby is a year-old, avoid following a strict routine. Ensure that your kid gets proper sleep, whenever he/she wants it.

Mistake#3: Comparing your kid with others: “Oh look! My neighbour’s daughter is the same age as my son, and she has started crawling, while my son hasn’t!”

Sharing your first time parenting experience with your neighbour or a friend? You might end up comparing your child’s development with their kids. Don’t make other parents make you feel as if your little sweetheart is somehow slow. Babies develop at their own pace. A baby who crawls early isn’t any more advanced than another. As long as you kid is developing within normal range of the development chart, RELAX!

Mistake#4: Not Sharing The Load: There’s always a lot to learn for first time parents – for both, the Mum & the Dad. Bringing up a child is a huge responsibility and it cannot be done by one parent alone. So, Dear Mums, please give Daddies a chance to bathe that cutie, change their diapers and dress ‘em up! Daddies might be a little slower and messier but sometimes it can be fun to watch. Plus sharing the load will bring the family closer. 

Mistake#5: Wrapping Your Child Too Tight: Some parents do tend to wrap up their children too much with loads of layers, especially during winter nights. Loading you child with blankets or tying them too tightly increases the risk of crib deaths.

Mistake#6: Prams – Strollers & Infant Car Seat: Make sure you buy safety certified Baby Gear Products. Remember to secure your baby with harness straps in the pram or stroller for extra safety. Don’t overload pram/stroller baskets with shopping bags as it might tip over with your baby in it.

Make sure your baby car seat is correctly fitted. Don't place a rear-facing infant seat in the front passenger seat if your car has an air bag. Sometimes it's a bit complicated, so ask your local retailer to correctly install it for you.