Healthy Babies

You are young and you recently gave birth to a healthy baby.  But how can you raise him and keep him healthy now that you are a lone parent, a single mom? 

Babies can cause you too much stress.  Some cry a lot and you can’t find ways to keep them quiet or at least make them sleep. Actually babies would feel what the mother is feeling so if your baby is always crying, he may sense that you are unhappy.  When you are with your baby, focus on him alone.  Forget about your other issues.  This way you will enjoy your time with you baby and will enable you to raise a healthy baby. A happy baby will destress you and enable you to plan and think of how best to handle your new role.

It is important that you establish connection with your baby.  The moment a baby is born, he establishes connection, sorts and categorizes information.  He is in a new environment and he tries to process his new surroundings. He will not immediately respond to your words during the first few weeks of birth but do not be dismayed.  Soon, you will enjoy playing with your baby.

At age one month you can start engaging with your baby's senses. Touch and massage him to help him recognize your touch.  This will comfort him and make him feel secured.  You will notice that when he is crying and another person will touch or carry him, he may not stop crying.  But when you take him, he will relax and stop crying. Though his vision is not yet clear, he will start to grab colorful objects that you show him.  He will be attracted to sounds and this is the best time to call him to enable him to recognize your voice.

Your baby’s personality will start to develop at age one to two months.  At this stage, they depend on others to initiate interaction.  They will respond to your coos and smiles. At age three, they start initiating interaction through facial expressions, vocalizations and gestures. At age three to four months, they can squeal with delight and laugh aloud.

It is crucial that you play with your baby to enable you to raise a healthy child.  Though couple parenting is an ideal situation, you can still raise great kids even if you are a single mom as long as you give your utmost attention to your child.