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Taking Care Of Your High Needs Baby
Even though your baby is inside of you for nine months, you never know what to expect once they are born. There’s no way to predict how easy or difficult it will be to take care of them. It may take time for you to understand your baby’s cues and needs. This can sometimes be a difficult task, especially for the first time mom. There are lots of tips in helping you and your baby overcome this difficult stage.
One of the problems many new moms face is how to get their baby to stop crying once they leave the room. Sometimes it’s so difficult to get anything accomplished if your baby is like this. Everyday tasks such as showering and brushing your teeth are impossible to find time for. Most babies love music. Try playing some classical or soft music in his room. This will help to soothe and relax your baby. You could put a white noise machine in baby’s room too. You can purchase these types of machines online or in certain specialty stores like Shaper Image. Not only do many of these machines play white noise but they also play sounds of the ocean and other nature sounds. Fisher Price makes a Peaceful Planet Musical Aquarium that attaches directly to your baby’s crib. My first born son was a high needs baby. He had such a difficult time being away from us and from sleeping at night. We bought the aquarium from Fisher Price and it was a Godsend. It was the only thing that would lull him to sleep. When the light was shut off in his room, it would display waves of light onto his ceiling. I think he was so mesmerized by it that it helped to relax him and then he eventually fell asleep.
Stimulate your baby by purchasing toys that are brightly colored or make sounds. Keeping your baby stimulated with toys and activities will not only help them developmentally but it will also help to tire them out. Of course you don’t want to over stimulate them before putting them down to sleep. Once they are able to hold their head up, remember to include a lot of tummy time activities for them. Placing your baby on his tummy on a boppy or on the floor with an activity toy, will help strengthen his muscles at the same time as providing fun.
Wearing your baby is probably the best thing you can do to keep your baby satisfied and anxiety free. I was at my wits end when my first son was born and I couldn’t get him to relax and stop fussing when I wasn’t holding him. I bought a baby carrier and wore him around the house as I was doing housework and just going about my day. I don’t know what I would have done without one. There are so many kinds to choose from too. There are baby carriers, baby slings, and wraps. You can even nurse your baby while he’s in the carrier. My son found it so peaceful that he would fall asleep while I walked around with him.
Finally, if all else fails, take a break and have someone help you. Maybe a family member, friend or neighbor can give you some relief and watch your baby for an hour. The job of a mother can be very demanding and yet rewarding. It’s okay to feel that you need a break. Treat yourself to a massage or lunch with a girlfriend. Taking care of yourself will help you to not feel resentful of those times you just can’t get your baby to be calm. |
