It is amazing how much difference the arrival of a baby can make in a family. Everyone in the family has to make adjustment – father, mother, sisters and even grandparents. It is important, therefore, to make adequate preparations before the baby arrives
Beside the baby’s basic needs, family adjustments will have to be considered
Baby’s clothes
Clothes for the baby should be
Loose
Comfortable. Cotton is the most comfortable fabric for baby’s clothes in a tropical climate
Strong enough to withstand frequent washing
Inexpensive. The baby outgrows them very quickly
Baby’s other needs
A baby’s needs are very much like yours. He/She needs to eat, sleep and keep clean just as you do. To meet these needs, the baby should have the following basic equipment
Family adjustments
Traditionally the care of the baby was left to the mother, and often the father felt quite left out as the women of the household fussed over the arrival. However, nowadays more and more parents are realising that the father has a very important role to play
How can the husband help his wife at this time? One way is by doing some of the household chores. He can also encourage his wife to do antenatal exercises or take her for a daily walk. Some husbands accompany their wives to antenatal classes and even choose to watch the delivery of their baby so that they can share the joy of their child’s birth
A husband who has been involved in these ways before the baby’s birth is likely to be involved later on too
Another member of the family who often feels left out is the older child. It is natural for an older child to feel jealous when the baby becomes the centre of attraction. Here are some suggestions to help overcome the problem of jealousy
Include the older child in the planning for the baby’s arrival
Talk about the baby as early as possible to get him/her used to the idea of a new sister or brother
If the baby is going to use the older child’s cot and clothes, ‘promote’ the older child to his/her new bed as early as possible so that he/she will not feel that the baby has taken over his/her place
When the older child meets the baby, let someone else hold the baby. Give your attention to the older child before introducing the baby
Give the older child as much attention as possible when the baby is around
Let the older child play with the baby, but only when an adult is around
