When you find out that you are pregnant there will be a great deal rushing through your head. Becoming a mother is a very scary time, but thankfully there is a 9-month grace period, including your maternity leave during which you can prepare for the responsibility and gain the knowledge that you need. As you grow in size and fill out your maternity clothes, it is important to gain as much knowledge as you can about the baby you are about to have and the challenges that you will face. Herein we consider what you need to learn and how to go about getting this knowledge.

Diet

One of the most important things you need to gain knowledge on is the changes in your diet and what you can and can’t eat while pregnant and beyond. Your diet can have a very significant effect on your baby, even when it is still in your womb, so you need to seek this information right away. Many foods, such as sushi and those with high levels of preservatives, need to be avoided during pregnancy and during breastfeeding too.

Handling your Baby

One of the most common signs of a new parent is confusion about how to hold the baby. Babies are very delicate and need to be properly supported in the first months of their lives. Holding the baby’s head is an important factor, but it can be difficult to do so without practice. Holding some a slightly older baby and even holding a doll with the direction of another mother can really help to boost your confidence and prepare you for what is to come.

Breast Feeding

Breastfeeding is an alien concept before having a baby and it may be quite uncomfortable at first. Learning how to properly breastfeed before your baby is born is important, however, so that you can be sure to provide the sustenance that your baby needs from the very beginning. You will also need to buy special breastfeeding tops so that you can easily unfasten one side without having to fully undress numerous times a day.

Home Safety

Your home may seem very safe to you, but when you introduce a baby, everything changes. Loose wires and sharp edges may cause no harm to you, but a small baby with an inquisitive mind will push, pull and may likely injure itself on anything they can grab a hold of. Baby proofing your home is a process that requires time, effort and research because some things that seem harmless can actually be dangerous around a baby.

Education

When you have a baby it may seem too early to learn about education, but this is the prime period of development in a child’s life. Babies are inquisitive and will retain more information about the world in their first couple of years than we are capable of as adults. It is, therefore, vitally important that you understand how you can educate your child from birth to give them the best opportunity in life.

Read, Seek and Discuss

To learn all there is to know about raising a baby you will need to make efforts to seek out the correct information. Reading books, joining groups or classes to discuss the process with new mothers is essential in preparing yourself. The world is rife with available information, however, so there will be countless opportunities for you to learn over the 9 months of your pregnancy.