You’ve probably heard experts saying that the baby should never be fed to sleep. As a new mom, getting all the rules right can be overwhelming. There are so many things that you should and shouldn’t be doing and it can be hard to keep track of all of them. New parents are prone to be given unsolicited advice wherever they go. Some of the advice will be coming from people who have never gone through the process before. As a mother, the first thing you should be following is your instinct. The rules will never be applicable to every situation that you could be facing and you’ll have to make the decision nevertheless. Here are some of the things that you should never do with your baby.
Co-sleep
There will be a need to have the baby next to you at all times but you should never co-sleep. A new parent will always be tired and it is easy to get the bundle of joy sleeping to you. You could end up suffocating the baby without knowing. Buying a cot is always recommended for new mothers so that the baby learns to sleep on her own uninterrupted.
Having the Baby Sleep on the Tummy
As a new parent, you’ll have to be very careful with the baby’s sleeping habits. You don’t want the baby sleeping on the tummy. Babies that are allowed to sleep on the tummy could be susceptible to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The science behind it is simple. The baby will end up inhaling her own carbon dioxide when sleeping on the tummy. The safest position is when the baby is sleeping on the back. There is nothing wrong if you keep checking on them to ensure that they’re sleeping in the right posture.
Put on Too Much Clothing
You will be tempted to dress the baby in excess clothing during the cold winter months. You will feel that it is your responsibility as a parent to keep the baby warm and safe. The baby’s body could overheat because of bundling too many clothes together. The sudden increase in temperature could also lead to SIDS. Babies need to be dressed in just the right amount of clothing.
Leaving on a Soggy Diaper
It can be challenging being a new mom. You’d want to that soggy diaper to stay on just for a little longer before you can summon the strength to change it. This is not always recommended if left for too long, the soggy diaper could result in diaper rash. This will make the baby feel restless at all times if it becomes a habit. What is worse is that it could also lead to a staph infection. This is a bacteria that lives in the faecal matter and you don’t want your baby going through such trouble when it can easily be avoided in the first place by simply changing the diapers when they’re soggy.
Forgetting Doctor’s Appointment
The first 18 months are crucial for the development of your baby. Missing a single appointment might seem like a big deal but you shouldn’t be taking chances as the baby’s health is involved. Every appointment has significance and that is why it is recommended that you’re attending all of them. You can set calendar reminders as you could be busy with mom duties.
Offering a Pacifier When it is Too Early
Giving the baby a pacifier could appear to be a no brainer in order to keep calm them down. There is nothing wrong with searching for the best pacifier clip. You just have to make sure that you’re not giving the baby the pacifier early when it is too early. There are studies that have shown that babies that are given pacifiers too early might not be the difference between a nipple and a pacifier. This could lead to problems with latching when trying to breastfeed the baby.
Letting the Baby Sleep With a Stuffed Animal
It is not advisable to let small baby sleep with a stuffed animal beside them. A stuffed animal could lead to suffocation and you’ll not be active throughout the night to monitor the baby. Strangulation is another possibility. This is possible with toys that have strange clothing and detachable parts. The toys should be kept away until the baby is at least a year old. Only then can you consider having the toys in the baby’s room or crib.