Being a parent is one of the greatest blessings in life. Yet, as rewarding as it is, parents must understand it’s equally an enormous responsibility. To grow a healthy, beautiful human being is to put in all your work, thought and effort, and sometimes even these are not enough.
By this, we mean what you most likely already know: accidents can happen anytime, and only the thought of something hurting your baby freaks you out. However, to acknowledge this and other fears you have, and to know how you’ll fix eventual problems, shows you’re prepared to be a proud, confident parent.
If you dream of having a baby sometime in the future or are struggling with parental fears and anxiety, this article has some valuable information for you.
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Parents’ most common worries
Feeling anxious is normal when you’re directly responsible for a life. Nevertheless, you should be prepared when accidents happen. Here’s a list of the most common fears and worries parents have and how to manage them:
– Baby choking and dying in their sleep. Many lose nights watching their babies sleep when they’re showing signs of illnesses or when something doesn’t seem to sit right with them. Mothers fear their baby will choke during sleep, roll over or die suddenly. To minimise this risk, it’s best not to smoke when you’re in the same room with the baby, don’t leave their head uncovered, and sleep with them on your back for extra safety. You and the baby should share the same room in their first six to twelve months of life.
– Not loving the baby enough. It’s common for both men and women to feel they don’t love their babies enough. People fear novelty as much as they seek it, and most hate it when their freedom is grounded. But often, these feelings adjust with time, and if you’re questioning your love toward your baby, know you’re most likely overwhelmed by all the sudden changes in your body, mind and daily tasks.
– Strange baby behaviour. Parents tend to compare their babies’ development to other babies, which isn’t always the best practice. Infants are different from the moment they’re born and grow accordingly. If you suspect strange behaviour, you should have your baby checked by a specialist instead of taking pieces of advice from the internet.
– Dropping the baby. If you’re afraid of dropping the infant, baby-proof the house to prevent tripping. Keep objects away from steps, check for snags on rugs and carpets and move slowly when you walk with the baby.
– Harming the fontanelle. This might be called the soft-spot on babies’ heads but is tougher than you think. Stroking and touching this spot won’t harm them, though it’s best to always take care of your infant’s head.
Parents are afraid to administer baby first aid in emergencies
Parents who don’t acknowledge the importance of learning basic first aid do it because they don’t want to imagine their baby being ill or injured, so they pretend or hope nothing terrible will ever happen to them. This is delusionary and as daunting as giving your baby first aid is, you should acknowledge why it’s crucial to be prepared to do it.
Children will get injured. At some point in their life, they’ll get injured or ill, and you’ll have to help them. If you’re unprepared, there are chances you’ll wish you had taken a baby first aid course, and probably start looking to do it sometime in the future. The best moment to take such a course is, well, any moment, as long as you do all that’s in your power to protect and save your baby.
You have a duty. As a parent, you must look after your infant constantly and realise it’s crucial to keep your mind clear and rested to the best of your ability, in order to function properly. Participating in a baby course means you learn life-saving skills in a short period, which isn’t less important than learning how to feed your baby correctly.
Basic baby first aid is easy. Some parents don’t participate in first aid courses for fear they might not understand the things they’re taught. This shouldn’t be your case because the idea behind these activities is to benefit and help anyone administer baby first aid.
Some parents refuse to admit that a baby first aid course can help save lives
There are many reasons behind parents’ refusal to enrol in such activities – they don’t have time, energy, resources etc. That’s why it’s good to prepare in advance. Nevertheless, if this is off the table for you, here are some tips persons who’ve taken such courses are willing to share with you:
1. Symptoms to know the baby’s not alright
– Vomiting, coughing, diarrhoea and the like symptoms of illnesses
– Arms and legs turning bluish, pale or grey
– Fever when they’re up to 12 months
– Sleeping more than usual.
2. Common troubles that babies encounter
– Eye injury
– Allergic reactions
– Choking
– Burns
– Seizures.
3. What the baby first aid kit should include
– Disinfectant for baby wounds
– Rectal thermometer
– Acetaminophen
– Nasal aspirator
– Cold packs
– Petroleum jelly etc.
Last but not least, you shouldn’t fear strong emotions
As a parent, you protect and care for your children all lifelong. Many parents learn how to be parents progressively. People who learn how to grow their baby on their own or live far from their family experience even stronger fears and emotions.
You usually don’t get the correct picture of parenting until you get to that point. Worrying about giving birth or looking after the baby’s mother, breastfeeding, and long white nights hit harder when you experience them than when you hear about them.
You might even feel lost at times. The crucial key to keeping your baby safe and sound is to keep yourself healthy – avoid maternal deprivation and postpartum depression because they’re very common. Unfortunately, everyone can be a victim of these illnesses.
