Caring for baby

Caring for baby

It’s funny the assumptions that all the baby books make and I can see how easily some new parents could begin to doubt themselves in the face of all this overwhelming “good parent” advice.

For example, the baby books say you shouldn’t give your new baby a bath more often than every two or three days. The assumption is apparently that you’d want to bathe your baby on a daily basis.

Um, so how long can you go without bathing the baby? Not that we want to neglect her or let her get all yucky, but frankly she’s not rolling around in the mud and it’s nearly all we can do to make sure she’s fed, has her diaper changed, and sleeps a little bit. Melanie is wiped out from nearly no sleep, while I’m getting only a little more than she is, I’m trying to do the heavy housework (and failing miserably) and trying to put a very late magazine together. (Oh and look for a new job.)

Now, appearances to the contrary, I’m not complaining. If I was asked whether I would trade Isabella for a full night’s sleep and peace of mind, the person who asked me would get a pop in the nose for even having the temerity to ask such a stupid question.

Getting back to my original point, the baby books all seem so calm and reassuring and project an air of domestic tranquility, just like those videos we saw in the birthing class. I’m not surprised the reality is different—I had mentally prepared myself for it, having plenty of friends and family with kids of their own—but like I said I can see how some new parents can be overwhelmed.

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