baby

If this is your first baby, you are probably looking forward to the arrival with pleasure, and also perhaps with increasing doubts, as you listen to your friends and relatives experiences and their advice. You might get confused and lose your confidence. If your baby is a normal healthy baby, you should remind yourself that most babies born in your country are brought up very satisfactorily by mothers who take care of their babies instinctively; without the help of expert advice. So do not lose your confidence. What is most important for the baby, from the moment of his birth, is the feel of your natural loving care.

In bringing up the children we are fortunately guided far more by love and natural instincts, unlike the pattern in the so-called developed countries. But there, too the trend now is to be far less rigid, and parents are advised to respond to the babies’ needs be it the need to be fed or just comforted, rather than to adhere to any strict schedules. New parents, however, need a few basic guidelines or else they are lost between their own inexperience and advice given by a host of well meaning friends and relations.

Pregnancy

During your pregnancy your doctor will need to look after you as your health will reflect on the growth of your baby. This will men keeping a watch on your weight and blood pressure, testing your urine for abnormalities, and preventing anemia, as the baby is like a little parasite and will draw all his or her own requirements from the mother. You should take extra milk to supply proteins and also calcium for the baby’s skeletal growth. Your doctor will advise you to take vitamins and iron which you will need in excess of your normal requirements during your pregnancy you should put on a total of 20 pounds in weight, that is, if you have not been overweight before. The 20 pounds represent the weight of the baby, the rapidly growing uterus, the placenta and the fluid that surrounds the baby.

It has been observed that babies of working mothers are often smaller at birth than born to mothers who do not go out of work. Though you should remain normally active during you pregnancy and in fact regular exercise is advised, see that you get time to rest.

baby