Raising a newborn alone can be overwhelming and stressful at times. For a single parent, it is essential to learn how to deal with this pressure without creating a mess. You need to nurture and support your child at every step.
Nowadays, one can find families with single parents easily so you will have a lot of people who will share the experience with you, so you are not alone in this.
Challenges Single Parent Faces
A single parent will face difficult situations, and you will find yourself in various circumstances. As the sole parent, you will have to take the entire responsibility. It will add a lot of stress, pressure, and fatigue in your life. Single parents who get easily distracted or feel tired due to the enormous burden on their shoulders will face behavioral problems while disciplining or supporting their child.
As a single parent, you might also face financial instability and health issues as you will have to juggle between your newborn and work so it will socially isolate you and might bring financial difficulties.
The single parent will feel the absence of a female or male parental role model in their child’s life.
Tips On Single Parenting A NewBorn
Control Your Emotions
For many people, single parenting is an unexpected situation. Nobody imagines that their relationship won’t work with their partner. Sometimes the reason for single parenting can be different as well.
If you don’t have any experience in raising a child, then raising a newborn alone can be pretty daunting. Before that, you will have to cope up with the negative emotions that you are going through.
Keep aside any baggage that you are carrying from your past. Focus on building a healthy relationship with your kid. Otherwise, your child will also carry negative emotions, and when they grow up, they might face mental challenges or stay depressed. The process of healing will take time, so be consistent and have patience. Your newborn needs a happy parent.
Research On Baby Care
Learn parenting skills and how to raise a newborn instead of worrying and complaining. There are tons of resources out there. For pregnant mothers, research about trimesters and the process of delivery.
Prepare yourself to avoid stress and worry. Start purchasing all the things that the newborn will need before their birth. Later on, you won’t get enough time to leave your child and shop. Seek help from any family member or hire a professional babysitter or nanny.
Purchase Portable Bassinet
A portable bassinet is safe for the child. Swings, rockers, loungers, etc. are not safe if you leave the baby unattended. Opt for portable ones so that you can carry it with you.
Purchase Postpartum Supplies
Buy all the postpartum supplies because you will need them to keep the baby safe. Make a list or ask someone who can help you with it. Purchase things that you will need after the delivery. Don’t ignore your health. Buy plenty of wipes, diapers, and essential supplies for the baby. You can also purchase necessary items like bags that will help you to carry your child whenever you go.
Hire Overnight Nurse
The mother or father needs to get sufficient sleep to function properly. If you have the money to spare for hiring a nurse, then hire an overnight nurse. It will help you to sleep properly at night.
They will change the baby’s diaper, feed them at night, put fussy babies to sleep, etc. Having an extra helping hand is very important for a single parent. Look for agencies that provide the best overnight nurses.
Sleep When The Baby Is Sleeping
Many people make the mistake of not sleeping when the baby is sleeping. Instead, they focus on folding laundry or doing household work. Your household work can wait so you should sleep to function properly.
Easy And Healthy Meals
Try to cook easy and healthy meals instead of preparing meals that will take a long time. Do not stuff yourself with a lot of fast foods because it will not be healthy for your body.
Automatic payment
Many financial experts advise people to not stress on keeping count of the bills, and they should automate their bills. Instead of worrying about gas bill or electricity bill or any subscription, it will get easily deducted from your account. In this way, things will go smoothly without even worrying about it.
Don’t Be Obsessed With Cleaning.
With the newborn in your house if you are obsessed with cleanliness, then it will make it more stressful for you. Things will get dirty so instead of cleaning it frequently leave it for a particular time of the day when you can clean it. If you keep on cleaning it whenever it gets dirty, then you will not get enough time to sleep or manage other work.
Flexible Working Hours
A newborn demands constant care so you will have to ask your supervisor to provide you with flexibility in working hours or work from home option. It will help you to maintain a balance in your work life.
With a new member in your life finances might take a toil if you are not working. It will be hard for you to work by keeping your baby nearby. So you will need someone to take care of her.
Accept Help
Taking care of the newborn will be hard to accept help when any closed ones are offering you. You can talk with your family members or friends about the difficulties that you are facing. Sometimes you might need a shoulder to cry on or someone who is providing moral support. Don’t be harsh on yourself.
Babies Have Dry Skin
Many parents will be concerned to see that their baby has dry skin. It happens because for nine months they are soaked in liquid, and suddenly they are facing air.
Don’t be worried and moisturize them using hypoallergenic lotion. Diaper rashes, pink bumps, or baby acne can also appear. You can seek help from a doctor if things look bad.
Baby Will Sleep Most Of The time
Babies will sleep most of the time, but it won’t be on long stretches. Feeding them after two or three hours is significant. They will sleep for at least 8 hours every day until they reach three months of age.
Create a sleeping schedule that matches with the baby. During the day time, don’t allow the child to sleep for more than 3 hours. Let the child have a sound sleep for long hours during the night. It will also match with your sleep cycle.
Learn How To Change A Diaper
Irrespective of whether you are a single mother or father, you will need to learn how to change the diaper carefully. Depending on the gender of the child, the technique will differ. Use lotions while changing diapers as it will keep the baby’s bum soft and rash free. If you put the diaper in the wrong way, then it will disturb the comfort of the child.
Don’t Feed Unnecessarily.
Every 2-3 hours, you will need to feed the child. The child will cry when he/she is hungry and use the weight of the baby as an indicator. Initially, they will lose weight after birth, but then they will regain weight in the second week. Count the diapers after 5 days, and you will see that you have to change at least six of them every day.
Sponge Bath For Umbilical Cord
If the umbilical cord is kept dry, then it will fall off quickly. So use a sponge bath in the initial days as babies don’t get dirty quickly. If the umbilical cord gets wet then pat dry it.
When the umbilical cord falls off there might be some blood in the stump, but it is completely normal. Looking for pus or infection at this can make things complicated.
The Cry To Communicate
Babies don’t have any other way to talk to their parents, so they cry to grab their attention. Crying is not a negative thing. It can be a signal for their hunger or discomfort. If the baby is crying continuously for 3 hours, then seek a doctor’s appointment.
Take A Break
As a single parent, you will work harder and sacrifice many things. Try to get a break when things seem complicated or overwhelming. By taking a break, you will be able to refresh yourself. Take some time to indulge in things that you like.
Have A Schedule
Structure a routine for your daily life as it will make it easier for the child and you to adapt to each other’s timing. There should be a fixed bedtime and wake up. As it is a newborn so you might have to feed them in every alternate 2 to 3 hours so be particular with the schedule. When you are creating a schedule, you are planning everything so it will help in reducing confusion and frustration every day.
Verdict
Raising your newborn can be pretty daunting for a single parent. You have to put your baby as your priority and watch them every time. Even though it is hectic still, this phase of parenthood is rewarding.
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Mother of Two children. I’m a former teacher with a background in child development and a passion for Good parenting. I understand child development and know how to develop activities to help children learn and grow. Spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, and volunteering in my community.