First time parents think that the 9 excruciating months of pregnancy is all the pain there is in the process of birth. They are obviously wrong! The major tough time starts AFTER your first child has been born. Those 9 months are just a gentle reminder of what you will be up against!

Jokes apart, first time parenting can be a really tough task for some people that can get on to their nerves.

1.      Taking care of your health – If you will not take care of your own health, your baby will suffer. The baby depends on you one hundred percent and if you neglect your health, you will not be able to support your baby fully. It goes for both the parents; do not make yourselves sleep deprived. It can lead to unnecessary headaches and nausea. Remember, your new born needs you to be in perfect health for it to be perfectly healthy. Eat you meals properly and do not stop working out.
2.      Taking some personal time – This does not mean that neglect your child. But you need to have some quality personal time too; else you will soon going to lose your nerves. Raising up a baby is a task as it is, do not make it even tough by being too hard on yourself. Adjust baby timings with your spouse and in the free time, carry on with your hobbies, friends or even catch up on some sleep! It is very important, do not take it lightly.
3.      Do not hesitate to take help- Paid help is available in every form possible. You can hire a nanny, maid, laundry service, food service; everything is available! Do not think that you can handle everything because you cannot. You have to rely on help just a little if not much. Also, help in the form of family and a friend is also superb. Call your mom or sister to come live with you in the initial days. That way, you will be able to take care of the baby in a far better way. Think about it.
4.      Do not give up on your social life – Not at all. Do not stop going out and having a gala time with your best friends. It might not be possible for as frequent as before, but it should not be diminished too.
5.      Spend quality time with your partner – This is crucial for your marriage. You cannot just be about your child all the time. Your child will be the happiest if your marriage is healthy.
6.     NEVER panic. Everything has a solution – Your child has a high fever at 4 in the night? No need to panic! Children get that, it’s ok. Just give him a few drops of liquid meds and it will be ok.
7.     Let your baby cry. It’s OK – Yes, it’s healthy for babies to cry! It is said that while crying, babies also do the Prayanam, hence it is all the more important for them to cry.
8.     Never fight with your partner in front of your newborn – Yeah that might disturb him even if he does not actually know what a fight is. No negativities should be the goal!

With these tips, your parenting would half as much trouble as you think it might be. Keep your child happy and healthy and feel yourself reflect that happiness too. Parenting involvesteamwork and in that team you, your partner and baby, all are aboard!