Parenting Your Baby In Their First Year

Your baby's first year 

"I think you can still enjoy the balance of doing what you used to do. You just have to make it work.".

In the video, we hear from Ngaruna, a Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse. She explains ...

"When we come in to see whānau, we talk about mum's well-being and health as well, to make sure she's is looking after herself, getting some sleep – often that can mean having nan or dad helping out and supporting mum and family as well."

"When we come and do our visits, we do look at baby's measurements. We measure his weight, length, and head circumference."

6-week-old-Peytons's mum says ...

"She checks up on myself and baby. We've been really fortunate to have a good relationship with our nurse as well."

'Baby blues'

You may feel down after having a baby – known as the 'baby blues'. If the blues don't go away, you may be developing postnatal depression. Ask for help.

See the Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand website for information about postnatal depression. 

When your baby cries

All pēpi (babies) cry. Responding to their crying will make baby feel secure and safe.

See KidsHealth for tips on what you can do when your baby cries.  

Attachment 

Attachment is the deep bond which develops between a child and their primary caregiver in the first few years of life. Secure attachments have positive outcomes for pēpi and tamariki (children) throughout their lives.

See the KidsHealth page to learn more about the importance of attachment in babies.

Breastfeeding

Breastmilk is free, fresh and requires no preparation. It is easy for your baby to digest, changes with your baby’s needs, and contains the nutrients your baby needs. Find out about preparing to breastfeed, the health benefits of breastfeeding and the hunger cues your baby may display.

See the KidsHealth section on breastfeeding for more information.

Safe sleep

Tips when putting pēpi to sleep

• face up 
• lay pēpi flat on their back
• face clear
• gentle handling of pēpi

See KidsHealth for more information about safe sleep for your baby.

Sleep needs

Pēpi need sleep to grow and develop. Sleep needs vary and change as they grow. Knowing what to expect at each stage helps you understand your baby's sleep needs as they grow.

See the KidsHealth section on normal sleep patterns at different ages.

Starting solids 

Around 6 months, your baby starts to need the extra vitamins and minerals (especially iron and zinc) that are in solid foods. Pēpi have usually grown and developed enough to start eating solid food by around 6 months.

See the KidsHealth section on starting solids for more information.

Development 

Tamariki are natural learners and between birth and 5 years, tamariki grow and learn at the fastest rate of their lifetime. There are many ways of learning - tamariki learn by watching, by listening and especially by doing. 

See the KidsHealth section on learning and development for more information. 

Smoke-free environment

Make sure your baby's environment is smoke-free. Cigarette smoke is very harmful for your baby.

If you want to give up smoking:

• call the free Quitline Me Mutu on 0800 778 778 or text 4006
• check out the website Quitline
• ask a health professional

Safe home environment

Make sure your home environment is safe for your baby. Never leave tamariki, especially those under 5 years of age, unsupervised near water, including baths, buckets and water troughs. Keep medicine in a high place out of reach and out of sight of children. 

See the KidsHealth section on injury prevention for more tips.

Enrolling with a general practice

It's important to enrol your baby with a general practice at birth or as soon as possible after that.

See KidsHealth for information about enrolling your child with a general practice.

Pēpi and young tamariki get sick often – it's a normal part of childhood. Get help quickly if your child shows any danger signs. 

See KidsHealth for advice about when to seek help if your child is sick.

Call PlunketLine on 0800 933 922 for parenting advice.