Being pregnant can be daunting, especially if you will soon be parents to two little ones. Luckily these tips will help you find your way.
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BRINGING A SECOND BABY INTO YOUR HOME CAN BE DAUNTING
Before giving birth to your firstborn, most moms worry about basic baby essentials and whether they are going to be a good mother. But welcoming your second child into your family, might look and feel a tad different. Soon you’ll have to be the family ‘multi-tasker’ as you embrace managing the love, care, feeding, soothing, and sleeping of two under two!
Welcoming a second child will be different for every family. Each child is born distinctive from their sibling, and your role as mother or father becomes a balancing act that may take time to adjust to.
What is true for all second-time parents is the worry about continues time pressures and higher stress levels. Mothering two children who need round-the-clock care is now joke. And this time around, instead of taking naps alongside your newborn, you will be spending precious time with your toddler.
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EASY TIPS TO HELP MAKE THE TRANSITION EASIER
Although daily family life as you might now it will change, there are a few things you can do to help make the transition a little bit easier.
Check out these tips from Philips Avent South Africa.
COMING HOME AND FAMILY INTRODUCTIONS
Even kids as young as 18 months to 2 years can feel that things are changing. Prepare your firstborn child for your new arrival into the family only when the time is right, and you feel ready to do so.
Introduce the idea to your toddler that baby will be someone new to love and that having a sibling is a privilege and a gift, and they can be excited about having a new role as an older sibling. Don’t oversell the idea, however as you may set them up for rivalry.
SETTING UP YOUR NEW ROUTINE
Once your newborn has been introduced home, set up your new routines as soon as possible by aligning feeding and nap times as much as possible to avoid double duty during the day.
Breastfeeding your newborn should be your priority, with proper latching and full feeds at the correct times. For working mums, your newborn and toddler can still benefit from breastmilk. When you master the art of breastmilk pumping to ensure you have milk stored in milk storage bags in the freezer. These can be defrosted for feeds.
PLANNING AND PREPPING MEALS
Generally, after the first month, babies gain an average of 500g to 1 kilogram per month within the first six months. Breast milk is the ideal first food, but beyond this stage, both milk and solid foods are needed to help your baby grow and continue to gain around 2 kilograms per month.
Many babies are happy to wait until around six months to begin weaning and, at this age, can learn the skills needed for eating solid food very quickly. Especially if there is an older brother or sister to mimic at feeding times. However, babies develop at different rates depending on genetics and gestation in the womb. Meet your regular clinic checkups for weighing and vaccinations and chat to your clinic’s nursing Sister.
CREATE HEALTHY MEALS AND STAY HYDRATED
Try to have at least one relaxing meal per day together as a family, as this gives kids the opportunity to learn weaning skills and family communication. The core of family life usually takes place in the kitchen and around the table at meals.
Hydration is essential for growth. Children especially need to stay well hydrated as it improves mood, memory, and attention in children, as well as adults, so Moms need to stay hydrated too, especially during breastfeeding. Make it easy for your toddler to learn how to hydrate himself with a fun sippy cup.
You should offer your toddler six to eight drinks (around 100-120 ml) per day with meals and snacks. More drinks may be needed in very hot weather and after physical play or activities. The best drinks to give your toddler between and during meals and snacks are water and milk, as they do not damage their teeth. You can flavor water with a slice of fresh cucumber or watermelon.
Toddlers and weaning babies often prefer raw to cooked vegetables. Keep some aside while prepping and cooking, and offer them to your kids if they get hungry between meals, along with small cheeses and tasty dips. It is also a great way to encourage a love of vegetables and establish a healthy diet from the start.
Ensure you are offering adequate nutrition at mealtimes. Try blending vegetables into dips, soups, and sauces for rice, potatoes, and meat. In the same way, you can offer a variety of fruits in milkshakes, smoothies, ice lollies, or freshly blended fruits mixed into yogurt.
HYGIENE IS KEY
Sterilizing your feeding equipment for the first six months is crucial. It will help protect your baby from harmful germs until your little one’s immune system has matured and grown stronger. Most health professionals advise sterilizing feeding equipment and utensils until the baby is between 6 months and one year old, especially if your child’s immunity is impaired due to illness.
You can also boil feeding equipment in a pot on the stove for at least 10 minutes, making sure all equipment stays submerged. Remember to set a timer so you don’t over-boil teats which can get damaged faster with this method. Regularly check that teats and bottles are not torn, cracked, or damaged.
CALM COMFORT
One thing your two tots will love doing together is having their own themed soother to calm and pacify them with is time to settle down for a nap.
Made to fit newborns perfectly, a small soother acts as an exceptional bridge from hospital to home and soother that fits a newborn mouth perfectly without touching the nose. Its advanced orthodontic teat with unique wings minimizes pressure on gums and developing teeth. The wings make the teat wider so that the pressure that is caused by the baby’s suckling is distributed more evenly.
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