Any new parent will tell you how difficult it is. At first it is a roller-coaster of emotions. One minute you can up and the next down. Every baby is different and responds differently. First time parents often find it more difficult than parents who have had children before. Many people are making their own baby gifts for first time mothers in scrap books. It is possible to purchase special scrapbooking paper to make baby gifts with.
You might be feeling disappointed that you were not able to have a natural birth. Having a baby in any circumstance is difficult, but if you have a baby early or by Cesarean Section it can be a very worrying time. Babies that are born early are sometimes placed on special care baby units where they have to be given special care.
It can be a stressful, anxious time when your baby has to be placed on special care. Although you know there are a lot of nurses and doctors around it doesn’t help knowing your baby is on a special ward. Babies on special care might be different from other babies in that they are not as heavy. They might have problems feeding and need to be fed by tubes.
As well as coping with all the natural emotions of child birth there are other emotions and uncertainty that a parent can feel for having a baby on a special care ward. A baby on special care might have to be put in an incubator where they are protected from the outside environment of the ward.
As well as having a baby, having a baby on special care can be a whole new level of stress. It can be very difficult for the whole family. If this is your first child you may have wanted to have a natural birth at home. Even if you wanted to have a birth in hospital it is still not something you expected to experience.
The common treatment on special care baby units is to place the baby in the incubator under a special light. It is almost like the baby is sunbathing and is a simple treatment that does not hurt the baby. Jaundice that is not serious is easily treated and responds well to treatment. Other complications for babies on special care baby units include feeding problems and low weight issues.
Nurses on the ward are helpful but, at times they might be short with you as they are under a lot of pressure. Most special care babies grow up to be healthy individuals who respond well to life. It is important to remember that even though a baby might be on special care for a period of time during the start of their life they can still progress and lead good lives. Progressing once you have had a baby can be difficult, but at some time the question of when you will return to work will come up. Some people feel confident to return to work straight away, whilst others want to wait a while. The man might go back to work first. Sometimes a man will find it is time for a new career move. They might go back to college to gain a qualification. Some men like to work as farmers where they work the land. They use special equipment such as a cultivator so that they can cultivate crops. Some men like to work as gardeners either self employed or not. They have to learn how to use lawn garden tools which can take some time. No matter what you do it is important to do something after having a child because life goes on.