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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A NEW PARENT
It will be busy looking after your new baby. Think of things you will have to fit into your day.
- On average, newborns feed 3-4hrly, thus approximately 8 times in 24 hours. Remember babies are individuals and feeding patterns vary. Ask your LMC or Plunket nurse if worried.
- You will need to get up during the night to feed your baby and change their nappy if needed.
- Newborn babies do sleep a lot (on average 16.5 hrs per 24hrs) but you have to recover from the birth, catch up on lost sleep and find time for cooking, eating, dressing, having a shower, cleaning the house, washing clothes, visitors and shopping.
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EDUCATION AND PLAYTIME
To find out more about education see www.edCentre.govt.nz
Babies and children love to be talked to. Even if they may not understand something they love the sound of your voice. They will learn through you continuing to explain things to them and by observing you.
They will learn a lot through reading and play. Things to try are: - Reading, libraries have story time sessions. Try using books that will teach them something at the same time, or books they can do things with eg with The Hungry Caterpillar where they can poke their fingers in the holes.
- Music, turn on the radio or just sing them a song. As they get older they will love dancing with you.
- Water most children love water. Buy some toys for the bath and let them have some fun. A good idea is a small watering can. If using an outside pool, remember sun protection and never leave a baby or child in water without an adult present.
- Toys a ball is always handy. Also a bubble machine and toys they can push when they are learning to walk. You can hire toys from toy libraries. A toy library welcomes children, their families and caregivers to come and to borrow well designed toys, games, puzzles and equipment, which are made available at minimal cost. Toy Libraries operate along similar lines to public libraries. Members borrow toys for a fixed time period. Fees vary from library to library. Toy libraries cater mainly for pre-school children and generally have a limit on the number of toys that can be borrowed at each visit. email: office@toylibrary.co.nz http://www.toylibrary.co.nz/
- Playcentre has three purposes: Early Childhood Education Centres, Adult Education and Educational Publications. A typical Playcentre session will have children from birth to school age playing together with their parents and the other adults, engaged in a wide range of learning experiences. see www.playcentre.org.nz
- Playgroups are often in halls eg church halls, with toys for your child to play with. It is also a good way to meet other parents. Ask your Plunket Nurse for the location of these in your area.
- Kindergarten Public kindergartens provide care for 3-5 year olds and receive some funding from the Government. The staff have trained to become Kindergarten teachers.
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INFORMED DECISION MAKING
To make a decision you have to have information to base that decision on. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines decision as quote "settlement (of question etc), conclusion, formal judgement, making up one's mind, resolve, (come to, make, take, a decision):resoluteness, decided character."
Life is made up of lots of decisions. Being an adult is seen by society as a time when you have to make a lot of decisions. There are many decisions that need to be made involving pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period eg when to tell people you are pregnant, to have a scan or not, choice of LMC (Lead Maternity Carer), where to deliver your baby, name for your baby, the list goes on.
To make these decisions we need information. The information can come from different sources and it is up to the person to decide what information they believe, as not all information is helpful or factual.
Other people love to give advice especially when it comes to babies. This sometimes is helpful but often confusing. When you get told different things it becomes conflicting and you don't know whom to believe, so sometimes you just don't listen to anyone. But I do believe if is important to listen and make up your own conclusions. This may mean you need to do your own research, as in reading books, looking up the internet and going to childbirth education classes.
The LMC and childbirth educator has the responsibility to provide information and should try and do this in a non-biased way, basing their information on research, experience, education and health guidelines. Having knowledge on the different options available relating to pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period and providing sufficient information about the benefits and the risks of these options.
We may not always make what others believe to be the right decision. This is part of being human, but it is important that we are allowed to make decisions and that they are informed decisions based on facts. Informed decisions give us control and responsibility over our lives, this is why our brain will always be our most treasured asset as it enables us to think.
This is my reason for setting up BabywebNZ a free information web site.
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KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY
A lot of parents now live a distance from their family. Sometimes they may be the other side of the world, but with technology today it makes it easier to keep in touch. A letter is always nice but it can take several days sometimes getting to its destination. You can down load photos as attachments onto emails. See the photography section of the shopping page on www.babywebnz.org
You can also make up a photo album of friends and relatives and show this to your child on regular occasions explaining to them about who the people are" this is great Aunt Sue who sent you that lovely knitted jersey from Ireland" Sending personalised cards, eg with a photo of your child on them or footprint or handprint are nice. Remember to use non-toxic ink or paint and to put a moisturizer or barrier cream on their foot or hand beforehand to make it easier to get the ink or paint off. With newborns it is easier to do footprints as they have a reflex to close their hand. Emails sent on your child's behalf to relatives is also a idea: eg Dear Nana and Granddad
Hi, hope you like the photos of me. As you can see I'm very artistic, though I did have some problems getting the paper to stay still so I could draw you a picture. Also there are some photos from Lollypops play land. I like going there as there are loads of fun things to do!
The weather is getting cold now, and I have to wear the warm jersey that you made me.
Next week the painter is coming to paint the house, so I guess I'll be busy helping him with that.
I would like a dog but Mum and Dad said maybe when I'm older. Mum took me to a pet place (Animates) the other day so I could see all the animals. It was great. There were dogs, cats, rabbits, birds and fish there.
I can now say fish and shoes and learn new words every week.
Lots of love from Shane
X X X 18 mths old
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NEW PARENTS LINGO
Becoming a parent brings new lingo with it. Email me if you can you think of other words or sayings to add to the below list: - Cabin fever is when you are stuck at home and feel the walls are closing in.
- Ground-hog day is when you feel like you have done the same thing every day.
- They are cute when they are sleeping when they are sleeping you get a chance to sneak in and just look and them. This gives you time to think about how wonderful and beautiful your baby is.
- Silence is golden it is amazing how loud a babies cry is. Research says babies cry on average 1-4 hrs in total per day usually pre feed and pre nap.
- Never say never, you may have said I would never do that, but when you have a child you do what works for you and your child including things you may have previously disagreed with.
- It must be teething it is good to have something to blame things on and you can use this statement for just about anything really, eg when they cry when Great Aunty Sue wants to give them a cuddle.
- Don't worry it does get better this is good to know as the first weeks with a new baby are busy.
- Nappy brain is when you can't remember, this is usually due to sleep deprivation. You can use this to get away with things eg missed birthdays.
- All I want for Christmas is sleep Until you have a baby you often don't realise the true importance of sleep.
- Lucky you're cute and that you love them otherwise they wouldn't get away with vomiting on your clothes or keeping you up half the night.
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PARENTAL LEAVE AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE
For information on parental leave entitlements you can talk to your employer or find out information via the Department of Labour their web site is: www.ers.dol.govt.nz go through to the parental leave page which is: www.infoline.govt.nz/parentalleave/ or ring them on 0800 800 863
Also see the Working for Families Web site. Working for Families is a package that is designed to make it easier to work and raise a family. It pays extra money to many thousands of New Zealand families. Greater financial support is available for:
http://www.workingforfamilies.govt.nz/
Call: Work and Income on 0800 774 004
to find out more about the Accommodation and Childcare Assistance.
Monday ? Friday, 7am ? 8pm, Saturday 8am ? 1pm.
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