Are you preparing to welcome a newborn child into your home soon? Perhaps it is your first child? If that is the case, it can feel incredibly overwhelming as you consider childproofing everything form cabinets to electrical sockets. Not to mention diapers, cribs, and figuring out which baby stroller is going to be the right one for you. Welcoming a newborn child into your home is a wonderful thing, but it can feel daunting for the adoptive parents. Below are a few tips to help adoptive parents prepare.
Source: Flickr, Maggie Winters
Find A Class
Most community centers, women’s centers, and churches offer a variety of parenting classes. These often include caring for newborns and provide all sorts of excellent tips to parents. They also give parents a safe place to ask questions they may think are silly (there are no silly questions when it comes to childcare!), and find other parents to act as support groups. What many people don’t know is that newborn classes are perfect for expecting AND adoptive parents. Look for a local class and feel free to call the instructor to let them know that you and your spouse are adoptive parents and would like to participate, if you are at all unsure. You will likely bet met with welcoming arms and will find a wealth of knowledge in these classes.
Time to Read
We all know that there are many books out there about raising children, noting different types of parenting styles, discussing setting boundaries, and much more. If you are preparing to welcome a baby to your home, focus on looking for books that discuss helpful tips such as how to treat diaper rash or ways to help your newborn sleep. When they are very small, it’s these minor details that can often plague new adoptive parents.
Establish A Stress-Reducing Routine Early
Everyone knows how stressful it is to have a newborn at home. They’ve made so many sitcoms about this very thing! It’s no surprise that sleepless nights can happen or hours of crying keep you awake in the rocking chair. A good way to tackle this now is to work on reducing stress. Figure out what works for you. Maybe it’s a long walk, meditating, taking slow breaths, or visualizing a special place. The key to being able to keep your stress levels low (and then be able to sleep once the baby does) is to have these routines in place beforehand. That way you can reap the benefits quickly when the stressful moments arise.