A Helpful Guide for Couples Expecting Their First Child

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(Photo : Nathan Dumlao via Unsplash)

Parents only want the best for their babies. Because of this, they will do everything they can for their child to be healthy. For new parents expecting their first child, though, this might be a challenge at first. With that in mind, we've prepared a guide on what you should do in the first few years of being a parent. In turn, this can help ensure the best start in life for your little one.

In the Womb (1st to 9th Month)

Pregnancy isn't something to be taken lightly. It requires proper planning and full effort to bear happy and well-developed children. Eating healthy food and drinking lots of water is good for your unborn baby. Going to the doctor for a monthly check-up to know the current state of the baby is also important. 

Taking prenatal vitamins for pregnancy that helps nourish your baby while they're still inside your belly is highly recommended. Exercising and being active can also help make giving birth easier and can help prevent complications. Avoiding some types of food, drinks, and certain bad habits can help prevent miscarriage, as well.

Infancy (9th Month to 1st Year)

Having an infant to take care of will consume lots of your time throughout the whole day. They need full attention, as they are vulnerable and need your protection. Building a safe environment for them to stay in is the best decision. Avoid putting them in hazardous places, for instance, where they might fall or bump themselves into hard things.

Having a schedule for who will look after the infant at a certain time of the day can also help maximize the potential of the mother and father in their own lives, as well as the time spent with their baby. You'll also want to make sure to fulfill the needs of your baby in terms of companionship and nutrients that they need in order to be healthy.

Toddlerhood (1st year to 3rd Year)

In toddlerhood, a child's cognitive, emotional, and social development are in its first and most active stages. They can learn easily, and at this age, will copy and mimic everything around them. This is the best time where they can be taught good manners and language. You may expect them to be playful and adventurous, so make sure to guide them in everything they do without making them feel bad at all.

According to research, toddlers will always choose to stand on their own and be independent at this age. They would want to put on their own shoes, carry their own stuff, and choose their own clothes. It's better to let it happen and support them in their independence or lackthereof, just make sure that you're there for them whenever they need help. Show them love and give them the best memories they can look back to when they grow up. Your child will only be a kid once, so make the best out of it.

Schoolkid (4th to 6th Year)

Your kid just turned 4 years old and they are now almost ready to enter kindergarten. Time really flies, too. In one moment, they were just a helpless baby that couldn't do anything on their own except cry - and now they are independent and want to make decisions based on what they want and what they don't.

On the first day of school, make sure to prepare them in advance, as they will enter a new environment and meet new kids that will likely shape the way they act and their personalities. Give them what they need and don't forget to give them your full support. They might feel scared on the first day, but they will get used to it. Before long, it will eventually become a norm for them.

Another year will pass and your child will continue to grow older and more mature. They will start making more friends, and their friends will influence and help your child build their character. As always, being a parent means you must guide your child on their journey growing up.

Raising Your Child

Before you give birth, make sure that the unborn child is healthy and will have a safe arrival. As the baby grows and becomes a toddler, don't forget to shower them with lots of love and help them make the best memories they will carry with them as an adult. When they start going to school, check on them and what kind of friends they are making. Don't be too hard on them, and focus on teaching them how to make the right decisions.

Ultimately, you want to be the parent your kid can rely on and go to when they have a problem - and not the parent they will be scared to talk to. Being a parent is not always going to be easy, but with the right guide and mindset, it will be less stressful and so much more enjoyable!