The Post

Tips for transitioning from one child to two

MERCÉDES WESTBROOK Westbrook writes for Philips Avent South Africa.

GIVING birth to your first-born child sees you worrying about how and what to do right as you find your feet and transition into first-time parent mode. Welcoming your second child into your new family, you will be backed by prior experience to support you in your new role as family multi-tasker as you embrace managing the love, care, feeding, soothing and sleeping of two under 2s!

Welcoming a second child will be different for every family. Each child is born distinctive from their sibling, and your role as mother or father becomes a balancing act which may take time to adjust to.

What is true for all second-time parents is that with increased time pressures, there are higher stress levels mothering two children who need round-the-clock care. Now, instead of taking naps alongside your newborn, you will be spending precious time with your toddler.

Happily, in the changing world around us, traditional gender roles are evolving as dads help more around the home and do a lot to ease motherhood for mom’s post-birthing process.

Partners may bring their boardroom logic into crises, managing a moment with quick thinking and the most direct solution when your toddler and baby are both demanding – at full volume – to be fed!

Parenting routines and caring for your kids may come first, and taking time for things other than motherhood at this challenging stage can seem unrealistic. But, like a diamond is pressured into pure, sparkling beauty, it is also an opportunity for you as new moms and dads to set routines, prep meals and delegate responsibilities with the right tools on hand so you can still carve out space in the day to connect with your partner or spouse, take a restorative five-minute walk around the block, or journal in your diary.

Here are some life tips and home hacks to grounding your new family in a harmonious home routine and setting the perfect scene for both your tiny tykes to grow and thrive:

1. Home coming and family introductions:

Even kids as young as 18 months to 2 years can feel that things are changing. Prepare your firstborn child for your new arrival into the family only when the time is right, and you feel ready to do so.

Introduce the idea to your toddler that baby will be someone new to love, and that having a sibling is a privilege and a gift and they can be excited having a new role as an older sibling. Don’t oversell the idea, however, as you may set them up for rivalry.

2. Home help routine: Once your newborn has been introduced at home, set up your new routines as soon as possible, by aligning feeding and nap times as much as possible to avoid double duty during the day.

Breast-feeding your newborn should be your priority, with proper latching and full feeds at correct times. For working moms, your newborn and toddler can still benefit from breast milk when you master the art of breast milk pumping to ensure you have milk stored in milk storage bags in the freezer. These can be defrosted for feeds for your newborn by dad or other caregivers, or used for meal top ups of breast milk for your first-born toddler.

Having the right tools to soothe and protect your breasts and efficiently pump your breast milk makes it easier to stay comfortable and continue breastfeeding until the minimum 24-month breast-feeding period has been reached.

3. Planning and prepping meals:

In the new era of breast pumping, both the Philips Avent manual and electric breast pumps are quite, and you can stay positioned upright, allowing you to continue pumping and feeding, providing the necessary elixir of breastmilk that your children require during the day. Both pumps easily fit into your bag when you are on the go.

Generally, after the first month, babies gain an average of 500g to 1 kilogram a month within the first six months. Breast milk is the ideal first food, but beyond this stage, both milk and solid foods are needed to help your baby grow and continue to gain around 2 kilograms per month.

Many babies are happy to wait until around six months to begin weaning, and at this age can learn the skills needed for eating solid food very quickly, especially if there is an older brother or sister to mimic at feeding times.

However, babies develop at different rates depending on genetics and gestation in the womb. Meet your regular clinic check-ups for weighing and vaccinations, and chat to your clinic’s nursing sister. Be sure not to start your baby on foods other than milk before they are six months old, as their kidneys and digestive system won’t be fully developed enough to digest it.

Fun, not fussy, family food:

4.

Try to have at least one relaxing meal per day together as a family, as this gives kids the opportunity to learn weaning skills and family communication. The core of family life usually takes place in the kitchen and around the table at meals.

Hydration is essential for growth. Children especially need to stay well hydrated, as it improves mood, memory and attention in children, as well as adults, so moms need to stay hydrated too, especially during breast-feeding.

Make it easy for your toddler to learn how to hydrate himself with a fun sippy cup.

You should offer your toddler six to eight drinks (around 100ml to 120ml) per day with meals and snacks. More drinks may be needed in very hot weather, and after physical play or activities. The best drinks to give your toddler between and during meals and snacks are water and milk, as they do not damage their teeth. You can flavour water with a slice of fresh cucumber or watermelon.

Toddlers and weaning babies often prefer raw to cooked vegetables. Keep some aside while prepping and cooking, and offer them to your kids if they get hungry between meals, along with small cheeses and tasty dips. It is also a great way to encourage a love of vegetables and establish a healthy diet early.

Ensure you are offering adequate nutrition at mealtimes by blending vegetables into dips, soups and sauces for rice, potatoes and meat. In the same way you can offer a variety of fruits in milkshakes, smoothies, ice lollies or freshly-blended fruits mixed into yoghurt.

5. Hygiene-happy homes: Sterilising your feeding equipment for the first six months protects your baby from harmful germs until your little one’s immune system has matured and grown stronger. Most health professionals advise sterilising feeding equipment and utensils until baby is between 6 months and one year old, especially if your child’s immunity is impaired due to illness.

You can boil feeding equipment in a pot on the stove for at least 10 minutes, making sure all equipment stays submerged. Remember to set a timer so you don’t overboil teats, which can get damaged faster with this method. Regularly check that teats and bottles are not torn, cracked or damaged.

6. Final word: The initial two-toddler phase will fly by, so enjoy the pure unpredictability of life and remember moments of self-care.

When it comes to back to work for dads and sometimes moms too, make sure to consider all your childcare options. If you are getting a carer or family member to support you, make sure to introduce them to your routine, demonstrate how to use and sterilise feeding equipment and enjoy the support of an extra pair of helping hands around the home.

Baby Post

en-za

2023-05-31T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-05-31T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thepostza.pressreader.com/article/282132115824231

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