In the 50-plus years since Lyndsay Morgan trained as a Karitane nurse, she has met and helped hundreds of parents who wished their babies came with an instruction manual.
So she has finally got around to writing one. Lyndsay hopes her book Baby on Board – Mother is Driving will prove to be a lifeline for parents in those confusing few months with a new baby.
A mother of three herself, Lyndsay, from Tauranga, says it’s crucial for new parents to remember that babies need boundaries to feel secure and sticking to a routine is vital.
“They also need to quickly understand that you are the boss,” she says.
“What routine means to me as a Karitane nurse is that the same thing happens every day at approximately the same time. Very soon a routine is in place, and you and your baby will know what is going to happen next. Allow for a little give and take – let’s not get too hung up about clock-watching to the extreme.”
She says it is also important for mums to remember that they still have a life to live that doesn’t purely revolve around the baby.
“You are a very important person and need some time each day to call your own,” she says. “You will be a better mother for it.”
Here are some of Lyndsay’s top tips:
Aim to stay at home for the first few weeks to enable your baby to become settled into a routine and for you to rest.
Feed your baby well. Fill its belly, don’t just give it a snack.
Swaddle your baby firmly. They should feel secure.
Teach your baby to self-settle.
Settle baby into their own bed – never co-sleep with a baby.
Don’t keep a new baby up after a feed. An over-tired baby is very difficult to settle.
Get your baby used to sleeping in a room with a door that has been pulled almost shut. When they go into a single bed at around two and half years old, and the door is then shut properly, they will not get out of bed and go into your bed.
Bath your baby every day. Babies love their bath.
