3 Crucial Things For Baby’s First 6 Months

You learn a lot when you have your first child. Mainly, you learn a lot about how exhausted you can really feel, but the first 6 months are where both you and your baby will learn so much. In fact, in the first 6 months of your baby’s life, they will learn how to do something new almost every day. But here is what you can learn to make sure you are looking after them to the best of your ability during this tough time.

Keeping The Baby Healthy

Ultimately in the first few months of the baby’s life, it is very likely that they are prone to infection and a lot of common baby issues, such as hiccups, griping pain, or colic which can keep them from sleeping. But there are plenty of medicines you can purchase to help with this.

Infection is something you need to keep your eye out for things like chest infections can be very common. But it’s also important to keep an eye on the baby for any symptoms, especially in baby boys around sensitive areas like the genitals, and especially if you are a religious family who is looking to get a circumcision for the child.

If you see anything that is unusual, it’s always best to get the opinion of a doctor. Get peace of mind and catch anything in the early stages if there is anything wrong.

Sleeping Arrangements

During the first 6 months of a baby’s life, sleeping is a big issue, not least because of the lack of sleep for you, but also because your baby may only sleep when they are in bed with you. And while this isn’t recommended by healthcare professionals, it’s always best to try and have them in a Moses basket next to the bed.

But it’s very likely that they need the comfort of their parents so while you would want to comfort your baby, you need to be aware of sudden infant death syndrome (also known as cot death) which can happen when the parents sleep with a baby either on a bed or in a chair or sofa.

Watching Them Develop over the First 6 Months

The most important thing in the first 6 months is to make sure that they are getting used to their environment as having been cozy and warm in their mother’s womb, being thrust into the big wide world is a major shock to the system for them. But you can help to acclimatize your baby better by talking and singing to them, as well as playing with your baby.

And make sure that you give them plenty of tummy time which encourages them to crawl, and, eventually, walk. By around month four they will really start to show the signs of developmental progress, and it’s important at this point to start introducing solid foods which you should add gradually, and only one item of food every few days just to check if they have any food allergies.

Takeaway for the First 6 Months

These are the three pillars to helping your baby in those crucial first 6 months. It will be a major learning curve for everybody but it is completely worth it, and while you may look back on it as a blur, to see the difference in them from the first day to 6 months later, it’s a humbling yet amazing experience.