Your new baby (new born)

Babies communicate in lots of ways - you don’t have to wait for them to cry to give them a cuddle or play with them. You won’t spoil your baby if you give them lots of cuddles and attention. They will learn the world is safe, and will feel secure.

It will take time to get used to having a baby and working out what they want. There is no need to rush into having a routine straight away. Take time to get to know your new baby and enjoy time together. This special time will help the bond between you to grow.

To guide you on your new journey, the ‘Every Child - Newborn to Age 2’ e-book, written by health professionals with parents, is full of useful information and practical advice to help you and your child grow together as a healthy and happy family. Everything you need to know, all in one place.

Along your journey don’t forget to:

1. Take Care of yourself

It can be an intense time and you may have a range of emotions. It’s life changing, so don’t forget to look after yourself too.

There are likely to be support groups for new parents running locally to you. This is a fantastic way of getting out, and an opportunity to meet other new parents and share experiences. Ask your midwife, health visitor or contact your local Family Information Service to find out what’s on in your area. 

Whilst feeling tired, stressed and anxious is fairly common, there may be times when feelings begin to affect your own health and wellbeing. You may notice changes in your mood, perhaps feeling irritated, agitated or tearful and could be due to the sudden hormonal and chemical changes that take place after childbirth. Sometimes this is known as the "baby blues" and can last for a few days/weeks. However, if your symptoms last longer, it could be postnatal depression. There is more information on NHS 111 Wales website.

It’s OK to ask for help. If you are worried about feeling stressed, low or depressed talk to your health visitor or GP.

2. Make sure your partner is involved

If there are two of you parenting, your partner is very important too. If you are not the main caregiver, you might feel a bit left out. Research has shown that Dads have a positive impact on their child’s life right from birth. You and your partner can strengthen the relationship with your baby by cuddling, talking, singing, smiling and eye contact.

3. Keep your relationship in check

If you are parenting together, sleepless nights and a crying baby can put a strain on your relationship with your partner. Try to support each other and stay calm as you learn what your baby needs. Take turns to have a nap. Sleep when your baby sleeps. For more information on relationships when you first become parents, go to Family Lives or if your relationship is particularly difficult, speak to your health visitor or visit Relate (External link).

4. Talk to me

In the first month, your baby will be able to see, hear and may turn towards familiar sounds, like your voice. Within the first few weeks, your baby will start to take more notice of your voice, your smile, and will recognise their Mum, Dad or carer. Your baby needs cuddles, talking and attention to help their brain develop.

To encourage their development make sure you talk with your baby, whenever you can. Talk with Me has useful tips on supporting your baby’s speech, language and communication skills.

You can also read to your baby but hold the book close as newborns can only see close up. There are more ideas for talking and playing with your baby from the Book Trust Cymru website. website. You can also speak some words in Welsh as this can give them the best start to a bilingual life – Cymraeg i Blant can help with words to use.

You and your child could also sing along to a range of Welsh nursery rhymes on Mudiad Meithrin’s website. These songs include many simple words making it easy for young children to absorb the Welsh language.

5. Keep your baby safe

There are many different ways you can keep your baby safe:

• Safe sleeping.
   
• How to cope when your baby is crying. It can be hard work and upsetting caring for a crying baby. If it is getting too much for you, put your baby in a safe place and leave the room for a moment until you feel calmer. Cry-sis provides support for crying and sleepless babies. Their helpline is 0800 448 0737 (lines are open 9am to 10pm, 7 days a week)
   
• Never shake your baby. This can damage their brain. Always support your baby’s neck and head whenever you lift them or lay them down. NSPCC have a booklet showing safe ways to hold your baby. If you are finding it difficult, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
   
• What to do if you think your baby is unwell. If they have a high temperature, they may have an illness. If you think there's something wrong, ring NHS 111 Wales for advice. You can call them on 111.
   
• The effects of passive smoking. Second-hand smoke harms your baby. Keep your baby away from smoke in your home, car and while you’re out and about. If you, or a member of your family is looking to stop, the Help Me Quit website and helpline 0800 085 2219 can help.
   
• The rights of your child. Every child in Wales has rights. In Wales we have a Children’s Commissioner, whose vision is for children to be happy, healthy and safe. The role involves looking how public bodies in Wales, including the Welsh Government, makes decisions and how they affect children’s rights.