Common Issues New Parents Always Worry About

When you’re a parent, it’s common to constantly worry about issues with your children. However, the good news is that most of these problems should never be seen as a massive concern. Indeed, there’s a simple answer to every problem that you might be worried about as a parent. You just need to be aware of the right answers. In this article, we’re going to explore some of the common concerns that you might have as a new parent and the steps that you can take to ensure that they don’t cause you high levels of stress or additional anxiety in your first year.

Development Milestones 

As a new parent, it can be concerning when you think your child is falling behind other children. It is really important you don’t constantly compare your child to others as this can make you feel like a rubbish parent. There are milestones in place not so much for the parent and child but for professionals to base this on when you go for developmental checks with your child.

The milestones for your children will usually fall into five categories. These include physical, intellectual, language, emotional, and social development. If your practitioner thinks there is a problem with your child’s development then you will usually be referred to a child development centre that will help you.

Baby Not Sleeping

When you have a new baby in the house it can be worrisome whether they and you are getting enough sleep. You may have had all your friends and family telling you to sleep when the baby sleeps but this isn’t always possible. You may have chores, or work, or may just not be tired when they are having their nap. It is important you get as much sleep as possible though, especially in the early stages when your body is adjusting to parenthood.

You may be worried that you haven’t yet gotten your baby into a sleep routine. Everyone may be telling you that you should do this but it is always your choice what you do with your baby. However, if you do want to get them into some sort of feeding and sleeping routine then you can research the best ways to do this. Alternatively, you could seek the help and guidance of a baby sleep expert.

Sleep Position

Next, you should think about your baby’s sleep position. A common conundrum for parents is the baby sleeping on side vs. back: which sleep position is best? There is a right answer here and some parents may not be aware that certain sleep positions are more dangerous than others. You need to make sure that you are putting your child in a position where they can easily breathe and ensure that their chest is not constricted. For instance, when they are little, you need to make sure that you are not putting your little one on their tummy. This will make it difficult for them to breathe properly. As they get older, they can sleep in a wider variety of positions without issues.

Baby Not Feeding

If you are breastfeeding, then you could encounter an issue where your child is not feeding. This is a common issue and there are a variety of reasons why it can occur. Some babies take a while to understand that they need to latch on to receive milk. Others may struggle to get the milk out whereas newborns may struggle to feed because they have a tongue tie. This needs to be corrected by a doctor and it is something to query if you notice that your baby is not getting enough milk. In rare cases, you might need to switch to formula if you are not producing enough milk.

Inconsolable Crying

You may have heard from your friends and news articles that being a new mom are the best thing in the world. However, if you have a child that won’t stop crying no matter what you do then you may not agree with this statement. There are many reasons that your baby is crying, what you have to remember is that your baby is communicating with you when they are crying. They are not just crying to annoy you or keep you awake, they are letting you know that there could be a potential problem.

One of the main reasons for inconsolable crying is colic. This is a horrible thing to experience both as a baby and as a new parent. When you are feeding your baby you could use something like colic drops or Infacol, this helps the wind come up rather than being stuck.

When To Call A Doctor

It’s important to know when you should call a doctor as a parent. There are certain situations where it is best to get a doctor’s advice. However, it’s important to note that you don’t have to call them all of the time. For instance, you should call the doctor if your child has a temperature that is either rising or isn’t returning to normal after medicine. Alternatively, you don’t need to call the doctor if your child has a cough. This will usually go away by itself unless it is particularly severe or is accompanied by other, more worrying symptoms such as a fever.

Food Choices

Something else that you will have to think about at some point is what you are going to feed your child when weaning comes around. This is something a lot of parents look forward to but dread at the same time. The mess accompanied by weaning is something else entirely, and it can be a shock if you have never experienced it.

What you have to decide is what type of food and diet you are going to do with your baby. We aren’t talking weight loss diet, what we mean is finger food, baby-led weaning, or purees. It is all down to you to decide what is best for you and your baby. 

Buying The Right Items

When you find out you're pregnant it can be tempting to buy everything you see. Having a baby is an exciting time but there are some things that you can live without. For instance, you don’t need that super cool nappy bin that you saw in the store the other week. This can turn into an unnecessary expense as you then need to buy refills for them. All you need to get are nappy bags to put the used nappies into when you place them in a normal bin.

Make a list of all the things that you think you might need for your babies such as a crib, stroller, and clothes. You can always hold a baby shower so that others buy you and the baby the things you need. This reduces the financial burden on yourself.

Bowel Movements

Bowel movements are another issue that parents are often concerned about. You might be worried that your child isn’t having enough bowel movements throughout the day. Or, you could be concerned that your child’s stool doesn’t look the way it should. It’s worth noting that there are a variety of reasons why your baby’s stool might change. This can be due to the food that they eat or if they are feeling a little unwell. Unless there are regular issues, this is nothing to worry about.

Weight Gain

You might also be worried about your baby’s weight. It’s important to be aware that newborns will lose weight during the first couple of months. Then, as they get older, they’ll start to put on weight steadily. If they don’t put on weight, then this can be a sign of an issue. However, that’s not always the case. That said, if you are concerned, then this is another time when you can check in with a doctor to ensure that nothing is wrong. Nine times out of ten, it will be something to do with their diet and nothing major. However, a doctor may want to get them checked out so that they can confirm this.

Attention

Finally, you might be concerned about the level of attention that your child needs. Some parents think that they have to give their child attention every second of the day. While you do need to watch out for them, you don’t need to constantly talk to them. You can take breaks and focus on yourself every so often too. That said, more attention will always provide benefits for their continued development. You don’t need to speak to them in a baby voice either. While this can be soothing, you can also speak to them in a normal voice if you find this easier. Some parents do.

We hope this helps you understand some of the key issues that parents tend to worry about along with the right answers. In doing so, you can make sure that you are able to provide your children with everything that you need and avoid getting too stressed or overwhelmed. If in doubt, then there are lots of parenting blogs that you can check for advice from people who have already been through everything that you’re dealing with right now.