There are few things in life more exciting than the arrival of your first baby. It’s a genuinely life-changing experience that will have you feeling things that you’ve never felt before in your entire life. Most of these feelings are going to be ones of overwhelming love and joy. However, for a lot of new parents, there’s another feeling that often comes over them when their baby is born: blind panic. Having a baby can be terrifying and there are new things constantly being thrown at you. However, the truth is that you probably don’t need to worry half as much as you are. With that in mind, here are some incredibly common things that new parents panic about that really aren’t that big of a deal.
Fussy feeding
Feeding your baby can be a wonderful bonding experience for the two of you. But it can also be teeth-grindingly stressful. This is especially true when it feels as though your baby is being incredibly fussy and refuses to feed. Don’t panic, there are plenty of things that you can do. From lactation treats from a company like Grey’s Cowbell to finding more comfortable positions for both of you, there are a lot of ways that you can make breastfeeding a whole lot easier. But you should also remember that breastfeeding isn’t the only option and there’s nothing wrong with needing to use a bottle if things just aren’t working out the way that you would like.
Cradle cap
Cradle cap is one of the most minor things that your baby will go through but it can be one of the most panic-inducing because it’s just so obvious. It looks like severe eczema on your baby’s scalp but the truth is that it’s essentially just infant dandruff caused by an overabundance of sebum which makes your baby’s skin oily and irritated. It might look horrible but it’s really not a big deal and will almost certainly come and go without doing your baby any harm whatsoever.
Screaming tantrums
A screaming tantrum from a baby is one of those things that is not only incredibly unpleasant on its own but can also kind of make you feel like you’ve failed somehow as a parent. But the truth is that baby deciding to just start screaming and screaming is a totally normal part of the process. If you’re really feeling like you’re at your wit’s end, the best thing you can do is just to put the baby down for a little while, go and collect yourself in another room, and then come back when you’re not feeling quite so stressed.
The old saying that kids “don’t come with instructions” is a real cliche but that doesn’t mean that it’s not also absolutely true. But you need to remember that no one is born ready to be a parent. Just as your child is developing and learning, so are you. It’s a process and sure you might make some mistakes down the line, but no parent needs to be perfect and there’s nothing wrong with cutting yourself a little bit of slack from time to time.
It can certainly be a stressful time! Interesting read 🙂