Have you entered parenthood? If yes, then get ready for the newfangled ride of your life. No matter how much experience you hold in your professional or personal life, parenthood is going be an exceptional episode for you. Parenthood is undoubtedly the highest, holistic and selfless ministration. Through sleepless nights, hazy days and difficult circumstances, parents take care of their babies selflessly and mellifluously. They need to learn myriad chapters so as to nourish the baby with immense love and care. No parents will ever want anything mischievous happen with their baby.  But what if things go wrong with the baby because of your small mistakes?

There are petty mistakes done by first time parents that may happen unintentionally while nourishing their babies that in turn can become a lifelong trouble for them. So don’t let your baby become the victim of your mistakes.

Following are the biggest mistakes you probably make to your baby –

Feeding your Baby Water and Solid Food Before 6 Months

Giving water to a baby increases the risk of diarrhea and malnutrition. Breast milk is more than 80% water. Therefore, whenever the mother feels her baby is thirsty she can breastfeed him or her. This will satisfy baby’s thirst and protects the baby from infections.

This isn’t a good idea to feed baby solid food before 6 months because solid food given too early may result in health problems like allergies and eczema. In a long run, it can slow down baby’s metabolism and gives birth to chronic disorders like diabetes and celiac disease. Moreover, food is not as nutritious as breast milk is and these foods are harder to swallow that interrupts baby’s digestion.

So if your baby is under 6 months and seems unsatisfied with feeding or is fussy all the time, it has nothing to do with feeding. It might be other behavioral or even medical issues. In this case, please don’t turn to solid food. Call your doctor and he may figure out the problem.

Not Letting your Infant Cry it Out

Parents can’t see their baby in tears. But it is good to know that it’s a healthy sign indicating baby’s overall well-being. This helps the baby to breathe in and open up the lungs to take in sufficient air.

It helps in communicating. Crying can be due to many reasons and in varied pitches. Each pitch indicates the level of discomfort or attention needed. It’s a medium of communication, a kind of language for the baby.

It helps to stretch muscles. When a baby cries, his/her muscles and limbs twists and turns which helps stretch muscles and make them stronger.

It helps shed excess emotional baggage. It may surprise you that tears are a way of shedding the excess emotional baggage even for babies. Crying helps to break the tantrum and balance the emotions.

But if your infant is inconsolable for an hour and has a fever, rash, vomiting, a swollen belly, or anything else unusual, consult a doctor immediately.

Trying to Make Baby Sleep All the Time

No doubt, sleep is very essential for babies, especially for new born. It helps in the healthy growth of a newborn. But duration of sleep decreases as baby grows up to six months. Parents often try to make their babies sleep most of the time so that they can bind up their household or office work, but this may lead to health problems. Long hours of sleep after four months can obstruct normal mental growth of a baby, making him/her dull. Moreover, you shouldn’t let your baby sleep for too long without feeding. This can lead to dehydration.

On the other hand, indulge your baby in other activities like playing with toys, show him different colors or pictures, make them laugh by funny acts, let them move on an empty bed, etc. All this will make your baby mentally and physically active.

Ignoring Oral Hygiene of the Baby

Babies don’t have teeth but that doesn’t means they don’t require oral hygiene. Keep in mind that your baby is growing teeth and germs can attack if proper care is not taken. As soon as the baby starts to take in food, there is a chance that the baby can develop oral problems.

So, wipe the gums of your baby by using wet gauze. To ensure strong teeth, let your baby sip on water post feeding after six months of the birth. Water contains fluoride; a component essential for healthy teeth and gums.

Stopping Breastfeeding Too Early

Breastfeeding the baby for at least six months is very important. It provides your baby all the necessary nutrients and anti-bodies that help enhancing the immunity. The anti-bodies present in mother’s milk helps to keep several diseases at bay. But some mothers are eager to get back to the pre-pregnancy figure or in the hurry of feeding semi-solid food to the baby.

In the wake of these desires, the baby lacks nutrition. The piece of advice to all the mothers- seek doctor’s advice and go slow on losing baby weight by doing exercise and eating healthy.

Parenting is a difficult and challenging task and requires new parents to be on their heels all the time. It is better to be well-informed so as to avoid such mistakes that can trouble your child lately. The key is to be aware, less fussy and trust your senses in raising your baby.

This article was previously published on SafetyKart