Gentle Birth
Bearing the baby for so many months leaves you with a feeling that the day will never arrive. But no sooner you realize it the day will come. You will get enough time to decide and choose the right option from all those available ways to give birth. Every parent and those related will be enthusiastic about the coming of the baby and the experience what the mom goes through, but they fail to notice what the baby goes through during this process. From the pressure of suctioning of the baby’s nose and mouth to the sharp pain of the first injection (vitamin K), the welcome is certainly a miserable experience for the baby.
Reduce the physical pain of the baby
Make no mistake in minimizing the physical pain which the baby goes through. Newborns can identify pain and discomfort easily and it’s an entirely new sensation to them. One among the other things which you can do to pacify the baby is to hold the baby or make an immediate physical contact with him after the birth. If in case you are undergoing a cesarean section, then you can request your partner to cuddle the newborn shortly after the birth.
As new parents most of the times they allow the hospital staff to take away the baby right after the birth. This is not good and goes against the basic nature of bonding with the baby soon after the birth. If the baby requires quick medical attention, or any other medical care and you are physically fit then ask the doctor whether you can involve yourself in taking care. If the baby is healthy try to spend some time with the baby by embracing and touching the baby frequently.
It is very important for the baby to be embraced and touched frequently. Try to do it most of the times as soon as the baby is born. Newborns thrive for frequent physical contact this helps them in faster recovery, improved immune system, and enhanced growth, reduced stress hormones and many other developments. Numerous studies have proven the healing effects of touch on babies and children.
Opt for Rooming-in
Ask the hospital management to provide an arrangement whereby your newborn infant is kept in your room instead of in a nursery. If you and your baby are healthy then you can definitely opt for this. Most of the hospitals provide the full or modified rooming-in facilities. Modified rooming-in is something in which the baby stays with you for the major part of the day and brought back to the nursery during the other part of the day and night. If you want, the baby will be brought to you 3 to 4 times in the night for feeding.
If you are experiencing any medical problem or unable to manage with the baby and the immediate postpartum periods then you may opt for this. But try to make every effort to change the modified rooming-in into a full rooming-in as soon as you feel you are able to take complete care of your baby. Full rooming in means that you are with the baby for the whole day and night and the baby will be taken to the nursery only for the medical examinations or other procedures and when you want to take a shower or get some rest.
Spend as much time as you can with your baby during the first few days. It is not only beneficial for the baby but for you as well. It will not only soothe your baby during his time of adapting to this new world, but the close contact with him will also increase your natural intuition and responsiveness of being a parent. It enhances your ability to sense what your baby is feeling and knowing what he needs and hence enabling natural easiness in parenting.
Provide spontaneous care
Getting a whole new responsibility often frightens the new parents. It might be exciting as well as a bit scary to be a mother or father. Don’t be afraid and trust yourself in understanding and sensing what your baby needs. It is natural to perceive what your baby is experience as he adapts to the new world.
Start as soon as you can after your baby’s birth. When you are all alone with the baby forget all the child rearing advices you have received from your parents, other family members, and physicians, parenting experts or any other person from that matter. Look, listen and feel your baby to sense his unique behavior. How does he feel like when he is calm? Try to differentiate in his mood, check his body reactions when he is calm and alert or calm and sleepy. What happens when he begins to cry? React upon the intensity, do you sense the sharpness of pain, or discomfort or dullness. The majority of the times a baby cries to express discomfort of unfamiliar sensations. Go by your instinct and embrace your child and act accordingly, you will notice a change in him when you hold him.
The only mode of communication between the child and the parent is the cry. A child cries to evoke a physical response from you. As the time passes you will get familiar with the child’s habits and his uniqueness. You will be able to pick up what your baby wants or needs well before the baby starts to cry. Many parents can even sense when their baby is getting ill well before the symptoms arises because of the intuitive connection with the baby.
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