An Experienced Mom & Doula Has Revealed 6 Rules Everyone Should Follow When Visiting A Newborn

Dec 17, 2018 by apost team

If you plan on visiting a family member or a friend who just had a baby, there are a few rules that you should keep in mind. These are often put in place for the health of the mother and the new baby and for yourself.

A new baby is an exciting experience. You get to give kisses and cuddles, and you get to watch a new life take shape. But sometimes it's stressful for new parents to deal with all of the visitors who want to see the baby and the mother.

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Remember, the parents are trying to settle into life with a new baby, getting adjusted to being a family or introducing a new sibling to the home. From the thoughts of a newborn, keep a few of these suggestions in mind whether you're visiting the hospital's maternity floor or you're making a trip to the baby's home.

It seems like everyone is a professional when handling a newborn. When visitors come to see me, my parents have to decide who holds me and who gets in the house, especially if someone is sick.

If I come to you in a carrier of any kind, then that's what I need to stay in unless I need to be fed or changed. Sometimes, my skin is sensitive to certain smells and materials.

You might wash your clothes in a detergent that I don't like or be wearing a fragrance that just doesn't sit well with my nose or my skin, so it's best to just leave me in my carrier.

Even if you just have to take a few pictures with me, wait until my parents are back to get me out of my carrier so that they can take the pictures instead of you trying to do everything at the same time.

You might be ecstatic to hold me, but don't hold me forever. There are other people who want to hold me as well, and my parents might not want me tossed back and forth all day from one person to another. I need to get sleep during the day as well, which is difficult if I'm being handed off from one person to the next.

You might want to rock me to sleep or give me a bottle, but I just want to be with my mommy or my daddy so that they can comfort me among all of the strangers in the home. You should remember that my mommy has a schedule for feeding me, changing me, and trying to get me to sleep, so when those times come, don't be shocked when you're asked to give me back to my parents.

There should be no kissing when you see me no matter what I'm wearing that might state otherwise. You shouldn't even put your face near me or your hands unless they have been thoroughly washed.

Although my mommy might enjoy hearing some of your parenting tips, you don't need to tell her every little thing that you would do or that she should do about feeding me, changing me, or providing the other types of care that I need.

Let my mommy learn on her own so that she can be the best she can be while giving me love and support. If she doesn't do something right, I'll cry and let her know. I'm her baby, so it's her rules and my daddy's rules in my house.

When you walk into the hospital room or my house during the first few days and weeks after I'm born, you might not expect some of the things that you see or smell. I will cry when I'm hungry, sleepy, need to be changed, or simply bored.

I will poop in a diaper, and the smell might not be pleasant all the time. Consider staying for about an hour or so as my mommy will want to try to keep me on a schedule.

Since my parents don't have a lot of time to eat, you might not want to come during their mealtime. You shouldn't expect my parents to feed you or have a lot of time to hold a detailed conversation because they will be providing the care that I need. When you hold me, don't be surprised about what you might see or smell, especially if you visit right after I eat.

Try to put your feelings aside. Don't be surprised if my mommy doesn't always text or call you back. My mommy might post a lot of pictures on social media, but don't expect to see every waking moment of my life. She's trying to provide the care that I need instead of trying to worry about making everyone else happy.

There are many parents who are taking some of these rules into consideration and sharing them with their friends who are expecting or who have recently had a baby. However, there are parents who think that this is just taking things too far and keeping people from enjoying a new baby.

What do you think of these rules? Which one is most important? Let us know in the comments and pass this article along to your friends and family so they always know how to act when visiting a newborn baby!