Everyone knows that the early weeks with a new baby can be challenging. This is why, if you’re a new parent, you should read this…

ECR Life has asked local midwife and nurse, Lindsey Watkeys* for some advice on how to understand to your bundle of joy:

The change from being in the uterus to being in the world can cause the baby to feel very disorientated and unsettled. The only way the baby has of expressing these feelings is to cry. Parents then worry about what’s wrong with baby.

Unknown territory
The early period of a baby’s life is unknown territory for both the baby and mum and dad. Slowly the baby learns about the world and adapts accordingly and over time the parents also learn to read the baby’s signals and respond appropriately.

The calm, alert stage is the time that the baby can process information and is focused and content, but with more stimulation, even just kicking and moving his body vigorously, he can enter the active alert stage where he is no longer content and will soon enter the crying stage.

The calm-alert stage is quite short, initially only 15-20 minutes in a newborn baby within a three hour cycle. Parents may soon learn that baby will be responsive for a short period and then needs to be calmed at the first indication of over-stimulation. If they can calm the baby quickly at that point it will prevent a complete meltdown of crying.

There’s no “one size fits all”
Babies are also very different. Some can remain in the calm-alert stage for a longer period and some appear to tolerate very little. Different faces close to them can be stimulating and particularly being passed from person to person will result in complete over stimulation.

When you think of all the family and friends who arrive to see the new baby, it’s little wonder that the little one screams and gives the parents many unsettled hours following all the visits.

Here’s what you can do
Mums and dads need to tune into their new baby to really identify his/her needs. It takes patience and wisdom that can seem unreachable initially, but time spent just watching the baby will bring the rewards of understanding.

It’s wise not to take a crying baby personally. Baby isn’t out to irritate his parents, he’s simply expressing that he’s not happy and content. However, with careful and loving observation parents are able to pick up the baby’s signals and respond positively. It’s a way of looking at the problem with more sensitivity and insight.

*Lindsey Watkeys runs Life The Crompton Hospital- Baby Clinic at The Crompton Hospital in Pinetown. Telephone: 031 702 0777

*Acknowledgements to “Baby Sense” Fourie and Richardson

Winners!
Congrats to the following ECR Life readers who’ve each won a set of four tickets to the Kids Indaba which takes place at the Durban Exhibition Centre from 19 to 22 March:

• Michelle Olivier
• Slindile Makhaye
• Carmen Potgieter
• Muhammad Kadodia
• Precious Mxabo
• Cathy Mommen