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Creating a healthy home for your family and a newborn baby requires work, but it isn’t as hard as you might think. Of course, you might be tired as a new parent—especially if your little one isn’t sleeping through the night yet. However, your home can be safer and cleaner with a few simple steps, such as focusing on baby safety and your wellness.
A Safe and Cozy Home
As a parent, you want to make sure that your little one feels safe and warm. Babies can’t regulate their temperature when they are newborns, so they rely on their parents for that. Your house doesn’t need to be as warm as a neonatal unit, but a normal room temperature for a newborn should be between 16° and 20°C (that’s between about 60 degrees and 68 degrees Fahrenheit). Services like Insulation Commandos can help regulate your home’s temperature.
Creating a Healthy Home for Your Baby
Newborn babies need a clean place to grow. Around 40% of new parents worry about their baby getting hurt, so you aren’t alone if you feel this way. There are a few things you can try to alleviate your fears. Common sense prevails in most cases, but you can begin with these:
- Go nuts with baby-proofing as those little fingers get into everything and anything! For example, you can install baby gates and latches to help keep them out of trouble.
- Be very aware of the dangers of hot water and drinks and keep these out of reach.
- Secure furniture such as bookcases as climbing babies can topple them.
Stop Smoking
It shouldn’t need to be said, but there should be absolutely no smoking anywhere near a baby. In fact, your precious little newborn is a compelling reason to quit smoking if you haven’t already, and anyone else around the baby, should, too. Smoking while pregnant can cause several developmental issues, including premature birth. But even after birth, second-hand smoke won’t do any good for a baby’s lungs. No one, even yourself, should be smoking around your newborn.
Keep Your Hands Clean
The human body is home to trillions of bacteria, some good and some bad. Most of the external germs on your body reside on your hands. Therefore, keeping your hands clean is vital as a new parent. Hand washing with antibacterial soap will remove 99.9% of germs from your hands. It will also help to use hand sanitizer before touching the baby and after cleaning the baby’s behind. If you’re in a pinch, baby wipes also have some antibacterial properties for your hands.
Creating a Healthy Home by Cleaning
Creating a healthy home relies on many things, and cleaning is a major part of this. While around 15% of households hire a cleaning service, you might not have the funds. However, even if you are tired, something like a weekly cleaning schedule is highly recommended.
Dust and allergen control
Little lungs are sensitive to pollutants in the air. However, some simple dust control with dusters, ventilation and even air purifiers can make a massive difference to the cleanliness of your home.
Baby-safe cleaning products
Keeping a clean home free from germs is a great start. However, the cleaning products themselves can be dangerous. Milton and Ecover offer baby-safe disinfectants for the home.
Wash bedding and clothing
This is critical as babies may soil their bedding and clothing. These should be washed immediately on the hottest wash possible to remove as much bacteria as possible. However, babies can have sensitive skin so you may want to choose a laundry detergent formulated for sensitive skin.
A Calm and Supportive Atmosphere
Babies react to all kinds of external stimuli as their eyes and ears develop. Any kind of noise or bright lights can disrupt their mood, which can be a nightmare for you. I would be helpful to create a calm space to help you deal with the changes in your life and your baby’s needs. Light and temperature control can help you create an atmosphere of calm. Options like smart thermostats and room-darkening shades may be quite helpful, and you can even stream calming music through Smart speakers.
Understanding and Meeting Challenges
There are tons of books written about how to care for a newborn. But they can be very general. Plus, no one can really tell you exactly how to raise a child. You will feel it when something is wrong, and there’s nothing more powerful than a parent’s instinct. Challenges such as post-partum depression and not getting enough sleep are more common than you think. So, try to seek support if you are feeling the strain of raising your baby.
Creating a Healthy Home Through Wellness
Around 48% of parents report a feeling of being overwhelmed in the first year of their baby’s life, which is pretty normal. Fortunately, there are several ideal ways you can recharge yourself when you have the time:
- Take naps or eat when the baby is sleeping so you can have some time for yourself.
- Exercise while the baby is entertained or sleeping, or take a stroller walk if possible.
- Share your feelings with friends, family, and partners if you feel overwhelmed.
Asking for Help when Needed
One of the biggest privileges in life is people who care about you. Going home with a newborn is hard, and you will face some pretty big challenges. While not everyone has the luxury of friends and/or family, it is recommended you ask for help from them if needed. Family and friends love taking care of the little ones, and no one will mind. If you don’t have relatives or friends, there are local charities, new parent support groups, and online services that can help.
Summary
Creating warmth and coziness is one of the best ways to create a healthy home for a newborn baby. Of course, cleanliness and hygiene are also important. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by being a new parent, ask for help from friends and family.
Being a new parent isn’t easy. But by taking a few simple steps, you can make it easier and even get some much-needed sleep!
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