A new baby may excite the parents but there is a host of issues to be dealt with to ensure a safe and healthy growth for the baby
. Parents, especially first time parents, would need to pick up sufficient knowledge and skills on baby care to be effective parents.
Acquired skills
Caring for a baby is an acquired skill; no parent automatically knows how to do it. It comes from securing sufficient relevant and helpful knowledge that is put into practice. The skills in caring for a baby become better with practice and experience.
Baby care is mainly about nurturing the child from its arrival to its adolescence; there, a host of new parenting skills and knowledge is required to develop the child further in life.
Parenting can be very enjoyable and fulfilling when the right approaches to baby care are adopted. Different babies may have parents take on slightly different baby care approaches due to personality and circumstances. Hence, a parent must be sensitive to individual babys needs without overly generalizing the baby care practices.
Approaches
One of the most important aspects of baby care is to communicate and relate to the baby. Hence, parents or child minders are encouraged to talk to the baby with a lot of touching to make the baby feel important and safe. Good interaction with the baby bonds the parties which is the foundation for a healthy baby.
Breastfeeding benefits have been established through intense research; hence, mothers are strongly encouraged to breastfeed their babies whenever possible as the activity not only provides the best of nutrition to the babys growth; breastfeeding bonds mother and child for life.
Good baby care approaches are usually taught in the hospitals after the delivery of the baby. The new mothers would be shown how to handle a baby comfortably; bathe the baby carefully; breastfeed the baby and change its diapers and so forth. These knowledge and skills extend to the home as continuous good baby care is encouraged at home.
Parental responsibilities
Regular health checkups are necessary with babies where there is a host of vaccinations required by law for the safety and good growth of the baby. Parents must be diligent in this aspect while always researching and learning the best ways to care for their baby.
Keen observation on the babys growth on a daily basis would ensure that the baby is kept safe all the time for good growth.