Being A Daddy For Your First Baby

The baby years are the ages of 0 to 1 year old. At least, that's my definition. From the ages of 1 to 3, is the toddler stage. So, you only have 12 months before your baby is no longer a baby. Those 12 months are when she is totally dependent on you. This is time when she is just so cute!

During this time, your baby communicates through gestures, and sounds. Just arms and legs waving in the air. It doesn't mean anything other than wanting your attention. The sounds that she makes isn't a language, it's just sounds. Other than the cries she uses for hunger, discomfort or pooping but these are different in tone. You will have to guess a lot of it, but over time you will know what she wants. It's part of being a parent. Some people will be amazed at how you can decipher what she's trying to tell you. But you will have developed a private and encrypted means of communication with you baby.

My baby likes to sleep in the middle of the bed. That way she has a choice of who she wants to cuddle with in the middle of the night. She spent the first week back from the hospital on her cot. Then I decided it was easier to have her in the bed. Just be careful not to crush her. I almost did once. I heard her kind of squeak and woke up before I rolled over on her. But she likes the contact, and she sleeps better. For us, anything that gave us more time to sleep is good. It's tough having to wake up every 3 hours to feed her.

When she learns how to roll over, make sure she can't roll over and fall off the bed. My baby did just that when she was about 12 months old. She managed to roll right over the pillows surrounding her, and cried loud enough to wake everyone in the block. Then there was the time she rolled head over heels and fell off the bed. We were scrambling around looking where she ended up. You would have expected her to roll off the side of the bed, but no. We found her at the foot of the bed with a lump on her head.

Just use common sense and she'll be alright. Barricade her if you leave her to sleep alone. Check in on her every few minutes. Make sure nothing can strangle or suffocate your baby.

When your baby is 6 months old, it's time for her to learn how to eat semi-solid food. Asians like my wife and I, like to give our baby porridge or soup. While rice rarely causes allergy, babies still lack the particular enzyme needed to digest the starch in rice (and wheat for that matter). Our baby didn't like baby food like Gerber's. For that matter, I'm not that convince processed baby food supplies everything a baby needs.

Some things to remember:
1) Try to vary the food she's eating, and make it interesting.
2) Slowing introduce soft food and fruits to her diet.
3) Make sure the food is in bite-size potions.
4) Asians leave off food like prawns, crabs, scallops and egg whites. These can cause allergies.

Babies need good nutrition to grow strong and healthy, The food they eat have to be safe and serves to protect them.
a) Proteins for growing muscles, organs and bones.
b) Vitamins A, C and E to strengthen a baby;s immune functions.
c) Vitamin B for energy release and growth.
d) Calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus to build teeth and bones.
e) Iron to produce blood.

Although messy, self feeding helps to build your baby's confidence. So I guess it's alright to play with food just a little. Don't force feed your baby if she doesn't want eat. Babies will not starve themselves nor will they stuff themselves once they are full. If your baby is picky about the food she eats, she is not trying to be difficult. She is just finding her preferred food.

Don't cut your friends out of your life. They are a source of free and probably trustworthy babysitters. But seriously, get together with your friends for a night out. It is a great de-stresser. All parents need it after being in the house for weeks looking after a baby. It keeps things in perspective and helps you focus. Other parents too will know something you don't. Little things can make a difference.

Even if you are a stay at home dad, don't let anybody tell you otherwise. Being a dad is a full time job. You have pay the bills, entertain your baby, spend time with your wife, be the troubleshooter.

Contrary as it may seem, being the perfect dad isn't necessary good for your baby. If after you have read so many parenting books, you found that your baby isn't really taking your directions well. Lighten up, she is just a baby, and who sets the standards anyway? Look at the positive side of her personality. Even if she likes to scream and cry, it's over in 3 minutes.

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