The wait for your bundle of joy is undoubtedly worth the wait. Though the voices of the demons of panic are pretty loud – there’s always a more pragmatic approach to welcoming your toddler to this world.
This article will highlight a few aspects that will help you cover some basics. It will help you create a checklist and cover areas that allow you to lay the fundamentals of early parenting.
Before we get to the nappies and spilled milk – let’s cover some stats so you’re aware of the ground realities of ‘having a baby in 2023‘.
Medical Xpress claims that childbirths during older ages are said to have a positive impact due to stable career paths and better financial status. However, declining fertility can potentially have negative consequences and side effects.
The Child Birth Injuries Justice Center claimed seven out of a thousand babies delivered suffer from birth injuries. The common injuries are:
- Fractured Collar Bone – 15 in 1000 live births
- Cerebral Palsy – 1.5 to 4 Children develop this in 1000 births
- Erb’s Palsy – found in 12,000 babies annually
While you’re working towards preparing your financials and medical bills – we suggest going through childbirthinjuries.com to learn more about medical negligence before, during, or after labor and delivery.
Primarily socioeconomic, environmental, and genetic factors play an integral role in causing birth injuries. Among those factors, medical malpractice is, unfortunately, one of them.
The resource linked can help you cover the unfortunate circumstances of medical negligence before, during, and after labor, along with deliveries. If you’re thinking of having a baby at 35, then Dr. Juli Fraga has your back!
“Even with fertility issues, there are many ways to help families have children, through IVF, donor eggs, or surrogacy.”
Source: Parents – a subsidiary of Dotdash Meredith publishing family
With that covered – let’s work towards a checklist that can protect your grounds of parenting 101.
1. Schedule Preconception Appointments
Various clinics and birth centers provide facilities such as preconception appointments, maternal nutritionists, physiotherapists, and even support groups. Consider searching around for clinics with these facilities within a convenient store’s drive away.
A prenatal specialist can help the young mother/surrogate prepare for labor. Furthermore, the expecting parents will better understand the medications and essential appointments to take before the day of delivery. Having these appointments help prepare for different types of deliveries:
- C-section
- Vaginal Delivery
- Assisted Vaginal Delivery
- Vaginal Birth After Cesarean
The preconception appointments help acquaint to-be parents with misconceptions and realistic expectations about the growth and development of the baby. That covers the importance of preconception appointments.
But there are also particular tips for young mothers, surrogates, and fathers. So let’s look at a few tips on getting around places next.
2. Pack your bags
It’s not until the second trimester (in most cases) that pregnant women get a grip on their mood swings. Symptoms such as morning sickness are still not an afterthought – though due to their frequency become part of the ‘current normal.’
Hence, most prenatal specialists recommend pregnant women travel between the second and third trimesters.
Before bringing out that travel bag, consider getting in some research. Look around for trip insurance – it’s pricey, but it can protect you in unfortunate events. If an insurance-protected trip might break the bank, you can still take a healthy trip by following these tips:
- Keep Medical Documentation Copies
- Schedule a pre-trip checkup.
- Maintain strong communication with your obstetrician during your vacation – though avoid calling them over every minor setback.
- Familiarize yourself with the local doctors and childcare specialists at your destination.
Keep an eye out for blood clotting when traveling by road or train. If you’re prone to such clots, pack extra stockings and wear blood-circulation-friendly clothing. In addition, simple seated exercises such as lifting the foot, twirling, or wiggling toes can help maintain blood flow.
If you’re considering traveling via air, make it a mental point to get up and walk every few hours to avoid complications. Then again, keeping yourself updated with travel policies and terms is crucial.
Next, let’s look at the type of food to avoid when traveling.
3. Pay attention to your diet
If you’ve been to a prenatal nutritionist – you’ve probably already received a list of foods to avoid. The list of some of these foods to prevent goes as follows:
- Soft Cheese
- Smoked Sea Food
- Raw Eggs
- Fish containing excess Mercury
- Dairy Products containing Listeria
- Deli Meat containing Listeria
This list is generic and does not pertain to pregnant mothers prone to allergies such as lactose intolerance, peanuts-triggered inflammation, or any outlier medical conditions. So, though we’ve covered foods to avoid during pregnancy – let’s also cover certain healthy foods.
It’s best to consult a prenatal nutritionist based on specific conditions – consider including lean meats, healthy fats, a balance of vegetables and fruits, and a healthy intake of water.
4. Establish and Maintain Healthy Habits
Keep your prenatal checkups planned, so you’re aware of conditions and the baby’s overall development. Similarly, If you’ve been prescribed or recommended specific prenatal vitamins – consider setting a regular time for its intake.
Another healthy habit to adopt is getting pre-birth exercises regularly and aiming to get seven to nine hours of sleep regularly. Most importantly, consider keeping your water intake consistent and aim to have eight or more cups daily.
5. Work with a Support Group
A support group helps prepare young parents in various ways – mainly by improving their quality of life. According to a journal published in the National Library of Medicine – support groups help in the following ways:
- Informational Support
- Emotional Well-Being Support
- Instrumental Support
- Appraisal Support
This type of support is not limited to the mother alone but includes the father, close relatives, and caregivers playing an active/passive role in the mother’s pregnancy. Support groups help raise awareness of each member’s role and play an integral part in keeping the mother’s mental well-being in check.
In a Nutshell
That covers some vital aspects of looking out for when having the first baby. To recap, these are a few things you should consider:
- First, consider working a healthy routine – something sustainable and long-term.
- Maintain a diet – and know your allergies
- Have an awareness of how and when to travel
- Stay connected to the support group – as a few helping hands can immensely help.
We hope this article helped set the foundations of a pragmatic approach to having your first baby. If you feel we missed certain essential aspects, please leave your thoughts below.
