Thoughts on Infant Care

I recently got an email from an expecting mom/friend asking about books I read and other helpful things I did to learn how to take care of Aliyah. We took a 5 week birthing class that included one night of infant care, but other than that, I wasn't really sure how to answer her question.

I did so much research and preparation regarding having a healthy pregnancy and a successful birth that when Aliyah arrived, I realized I hadn’t done nearly enough to prepare for actually caring for her. At the hospital we watched EVERYTHING the nurses did to Aliyah in case there was something we had forgotten that we were supposed to do!

The good news is - for the most part, mothering has been completely instinctual. I’ve followed my gut on what is right for Aliyah. A lot of people will swear by feeding methods and sleep schedules - I tried that for about 1/2 day and almost went nuts! We decided to let Aliyah guide us in what she needed. When she was hungry, she cried and we fed her. When she was sleepy, she slept! We also tried to fit her into our lifestyle instead of shutting down everything we’d known before her and trying to create something new. We went for walks around the neighborhood, we went to lunch and dinner with her nestled close to me in my wrap/sling, we tried to live life as normally as possible. Babies are more adaptable than I think we give them credit for. As long as she was full, had a clean diaper, and was warm and cozy - she was pretty much happy to go anywhere... and still is!

The things I haven’t known through instinct - I’ve learned through the women in my family, or our pediatrician, or I’ve asked the advice of friends with children... And if they didn’t know - well good news - We are raising children in the age of Google (HALLELUJUAH!)

Don’t go into it worrying that you might “mess up” - None of us are capable of being the perfect parent. We’re all going to mess up and make mistakes and learn by trial and error. Do the best you can do and educate yourself as best you can and your little ones will be just fine.