Lately a reader of mine just welcomed his new born. This was a joyful occasion and we were all happy for him. As every parent, I believe the new parent also suffer some sleepless nights. There is always mixed emotion in parenting, excitement, anxiety, frustration....you name it. This brings back my memory when I was a new parent and I have few words to share with my friends out there on how to make your life better. It is simple, listen and follow what your parent did to you when you were baby.
When I first had my baby, I chose to go the opposite of what my mum told me to, thinking that her ways were out dated and no scientific prove to support that. For example, she urged me to put the baby into sarung for nap and bounce the baby but I said no because it would make the baby be accustomed to the motion and not able to sleep by himself. I also fight for a long time not to give pacifier but at the end, after listening to the PD, I let the baby use pacifier to help him to sleep better. I also against my mum's view of giving the baby a special pillow so that he could associate that with sleeping. Because of these fights against the old method of bring up a child, I found that I brought to myself more trouble and more work. Not only my son didn't get enough sleep, I also lost my sleep trying to claim him and sooth him to sleep.
So I learned from my experience of the first one. When the second one comes, the pacifier, sarung and pillow all come together. Not that my baby sleeps well and grow well, she is also a happy and contended baby. Is that really that good? no side effect? will she able to kick all those habit, I am not sure but it is already a blessing seeing her growing up well.
So parents out there, sometimes those old methods may have some truth in it. Do not think that you studied more than your mum and ignore them. There is a saying, mum eat salt more than we eat rice. When comes to childcare, experience that counts.
My brother in law is a PD. He believes that when you breastfeed, you don't need to give water because breast milk has a lot of water. So both he and my sister refused to give water to his one week old baby even though he was crying and my mom said that it's better to give him some water. After 3 days, the baby develop fever. Had to be hospitalized. Reason? Dehydration!
ReplyDeleteSo now, my bro in law welcomes advice from older generation - water and even supplement milk because his son is a big eater - can empty the whole breast and still not enough - at first he doesn't want to provide milk supplement, now he agrees... and yes, pacifier too! :D :D
I learned from him and my sis so little Jean has all this if she needs it! Jean and my sister's son is only 3 weeks apart.
Experience as a parent will sure make your bro in law be a better PD
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