Life can feel really confusing when you’re a new parent. This is especially true when you seem to be getting conflicting advice from different friends and family members and even from health professionals. But ultimately you are the ‘baby expert’ when it comes to your baby.
Black & White but Mostly Grey
Now we’re not talking about the black and white things here not the sort of safe or unsafe options. For example, it’s safe to put your baby to sleep on their back, it’s not safe on their front or side. That one’s black and white. We’re talking more about the grey areas. For example, different positions you could hold your baby in to breastfeed them. Different teats you can use if you’re bottle feeding them. Which buggy to buy, or whether to ditch the buggy and just use a sling.
Remember there are lots of different options and there are different ways of viewing things. There’s also new research coming out all the time. So things do change and often what seems like conflicting advice is actually just a different thing to try if the other thing hasn’t been working.
Listen & Learn (to trust yourself…)
Now my advice, which I recognise is more advice, is actually to listen to what people are saying. Then, take a step back and if you think what you want to do. If you know it’s safe, then go with it and go with it with confidence because you are the expert for your baby. Don’t let anybody make you think otherwise. If family members are interfering, learn to smile. Learn to thank them and then carry on doing what you think is right.
At expecting I often advise clients to treat their first baby as though they’re their third. People often mollycoddle the first. They often worry their way through the first 18 months of their life. But by the time they get to their third baby, they realise that actually most decisions they make aren’t actually that detrimental.
If you’d like a fully comprehensive antenatal course with evidence-based information looking at the different options and helping you become the best baby expert for your baby please check out our courses.
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£95.00
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