Once you have your baby, you will want to do everything in
the world to make his or her life easier. From the moment
you see your child, you will feel a sense of
responsibility.
Most of us wish nothing but the best for our child, but in
his or hers very first months, parents tend to exaggerate.
With all the excitement that a newborn baby brings in
their home combined with a few sleepless nights the new
mummy and daddy do get carried away with baby shopping.
Many parents get a lot of toys and other items for their
new babies. They don't take the time to think about
whether the baby can use these items. In many case, the
baby cannot. The parents may have toys for toddlers or
older infants, and these will sit in the nursery until the
baby grows some. In the meantime, the newborn will need
her or his own things, and the parents should be prepared.
When you head back to the store after baby's born, you
will be tempted to buy everything in sight. You will see
cute, cuddly stuffed animals, baby decor, and more and
more clothes. All of these items are expensive. The baby
product industry thrives on knowing that Mom and Dad will
spend more than they can afford to provide for Baby.
Think hard about what your baby needs. If you spend and
spend now on frivolous items, you won't have any money
left for what your newborn really needs. You should be
willing to spend money on nice baby clothes although your
child does not need the top of the line designer digs.
Sturdy cotton materials are great for babies as they will
be able to feel soft and cuddly while the material will
hold up for the parents.
There are a few products on which the parent should not be
economical, such as dippers, clothing, baby oil, powder,
feeding bottles, bathing products and towels. A shopping
list can be of considerable help to parents, especially if
this is their first child.
Get out a sheet of paper to make your list. Write at the
top how much you can spend. Then, think about the kinds of
diapers you plan to use. Decide how many you'll get and
estimate the cost. Remember that babies go through up to
10 diapers everyday. Also consider that you may need to
change brands with a newborn to see what works. Your baby
should not feel any discomfort from the diapers and should
not get red or have any itchiness. If that happens, move
to a different brand. You also need wipes, lotion, and
powder. Then, you should make room in your budget for baby
wash and shampoo. Newborns cannot use adult soap and
shampoo, so you'll have to get baby his or her own.
Baby's clothes should be washed with a fabric softener or
baby shampoo. This applies to all of the baby's stuff.
These detergents and fabric softeners are more expensive,
but with good reason. Your baby's skin is sensitive, and
he or she will need these products more than toys or books
at this point.
When you do buy toys, because it is okay to buy them
just not overdo it, look at the tags. Read the safety
labels. Make sure it's something your little one can
play with safely.
To sum up, it is in the newborn baby's best interest to
have parents that focus on caring for his health and
comfort rather than on spoiling him and themselves. As a
parent, one should bear in mind the fact that the newborn
baby needs all the love, care and responsibility that his
mother and father can offer.
Dora Lenisare runs the Fond Loving Parent
website. For more parents and family info, visit
http://www.flparent.com/. Check out past
articles (along with future ones) at:
http://www.flparent.com/news/
