Understand the Challenges of Parenting Infants

1. Understand the Challenges of Parenting Infants Objective 4.04 Overview

2. Adapting to new routines • Adapting to interrupted sleep • Infants need to eat often and very rarely sleep throughout the night. Alternating who gets up with the baby may make it easier to adjust to • Accepting offers of assistance • Do not feel ashamed if you need help but be grateful and don’t take advantage of those that offer to help • Allowing time for other things • Having free time is important to manage stress but the baby takes priority so cutting back on your other activities may need to take place

3. Handling mixed emotions • Dealing with the happiness of having the baby vs. anxiety of responsibilities • Take responsibility for the new life you have to care for • Coping with fear of having the baby vs. feeling of being overwhelmed • You can ask others how they dealt with overwhelming feelings • Resolving resentment of new role vs. guilt for having negative feelings • Babies are expensive so addressing finances is important

4. Gaining confidence • Realizing that confidence is not inborn, but takes time and patience • Obtaining guidance from experienced parents • Asking questions or having a parent or grandparent come over. Guidance can also come from other sources such as a library, internet, or parenting help groups. • Growing through hands-on experiences • This can be before the baby is born by taking classes or after the baby has been born and practicing the daily needs acts necessary to care for an infant

5. Strengthening the parent-child bond • Bonding develops gradually • The bond is instant but it will grow stronger the more positive time you spend with the child • Meeting daily needs of child with love • Feeding, bathing, changing, holding, and anything else that needs to be taken care of with love and care. This means cuddling, soothing, and talking in a calm, loving voice while doing these tasks.

6. Managing multiple roles • Setting priorities • Using time effectively • Starting routines early on will help things move more smoothly • Getting organized • Infants require a lot of attention and care so having your space organized will help in effectively caring for the child • Managing stress • Spending time with friends and family, doing an activity you enjoy, or having a sense of humor

7. Developing a support system • Selecting trustworthy people • Support systems can be abused if used to frequently and not on a needed basis • Showing kindness and diplomacy • Not telling the care taker how to do their job and being friendly when there are things to discuss about the infants care • Expressing appreciation • Telling someone thank you when they watch your child

8. Terms to Know • Routine- A set schedule for doing activities • Mixed emotions- Having a variety of feeling about something • Confidence- Believing in ones self • Bonding- Forming of a close emotional tie between parents and child.

9. Multiple roles- Being a mother, father, and having a career all at the same time • Priorities- Putting tasks in order of importance • Support system- People in parents lives who they can trust and rely on to help them with challenges of caring for children • Diplomacy- A tactful way of working with a touchy relationship