Finance Considerations for First Time Parents

Having your first baby is an exciting time that’s filled with planning and organising for the new person about to enter your life. From choosing a name, to getting a nursery ready and buying everything you will need, the list is seemingly endless and you will need to have finances in place to make sure you can provide everything that is required.

From birth through to infancy you will need specific supplies and equipment. A cot for your baby to sleep in is an essential and if you are a car owner you will need an infant car seat to keep your little one safe whilst on the road.

A changing table or mat is another piece of equipment many parents find useful to have in their home. Baby strollers will give your child a little more freedom to roam around as they grow, and high chairs are another essential purchase that will help keep meal times under control and mean children can join you at the table. More obvious essential basic purchases include nappies, bottles, baby food and basic baby clothing.

There’s no doubt about it, the arrival of your first child will definitely alter your financial status as you attempt to provide for an extra person out of the same income. After you’ve bought all the essentials you need to consider other factors such as childcare. If you plan to return to work after the birth you will have to arrange professional childcare, unless you are lucky enough to have a family member willing to care for your infant whilst you work.

Expenses are likely to fluctuate with your child's age. From birth to infancy, costs will be high due to the basics you will need to purchase for the first time. You will be glad to hear, however, from the ages of four to around twelve the expense drops somewhat. Teenage years can be a costly time as your little bundle of joy will have grown up into a fashion and trend conscious young adult.

Finding ways to improve your financial outlook before your baby arrives is a therefore a good idea. Begin by paying off any major debts and review your budget. A spot of cost cutting will allow you to put aside money for a ‘baby budget’ and you can keep adding to this throughout the pregnancy.

Planning for the future, you may want to continue to set aside some savings for your child, whether to go towards their first car, their education or for whatever purpose. Future planning should also include making financial provisions for yourself and your loved ones in the event of unexpected death or serious illness. You need to make sure you have life insurance in place before you have a child, and with the availability of life insurance online you can even shop around for the best deal without having to leave the comfort of your home.

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The Five Senses Of Bonding With Your Baby

I didn’t fully comprehend the need - or the satisfaction that came with it - to bond with my child until he was born and I held him for the very first time. But although the bonding began that day in the delivery room, it didn’t end there.

The parent-baby bonding process takes time. But that process will probably be one of the most rewarding times your life. The moments when your baby stops crying when he sees you walk around the corner, smiles at you for the first time, and falls asleep contentedly on your shoulder are priceless. They are all indications that your baby feels safe and loved in your presence. They are all signs that you have bonded.

In those precious first weeks of life, your baby responds to you using all five of her senses. Here are some ways to engage her in each one and ensure the emotional attachment you create with your child is healthy –and rewarding – for you both.

1. SOUND – Your baby has been hearing you speak for months before he was born. Chances are he already recognizes the sound and tone of your voice. By speaking gently to your baby or singing lullaby’s to him, even when you are out of his range of sight, you are letting him know you are there. He trusts your voice and every time he hears you, it bonds you to him. And it won’t be long before he talks back.

2. TOUCH – There is little that soothes a baby more than when you pick her up and hold her close. The security she feels increases each time you respond when she cries, rock her to sleep, or let her curl her hand around your finger. Also, research indicates there are many benefits to nurturing your baby with infant massage. This can also be a wonderful time of bonding with your baby. Check into local classes or conduct online research regarding the techniques of infant massage.

3. SIGHT – Is there anything that can compare with the moment when your baby locks his eyes with yours and breaks into a smile? Focusing your gaze on your child sends the message that he has your full attention which is essential for creating a bond with your child. He needs to know he is the center of your world and maintaining eye contact tells him that he is, indeed.

4. TASTE – Of course, breastfeeding is the way your baby will bond through taste. Your milk has a distinct taste that she immediately becomes accustomed to because that taste also is her primary source of nutrition. But even if you don’t breastfeed your baby, the formula you use will become the tasting bond for you and your child. While it’s true that anyone is able to feed a non-breastfed baby, when combined with the other four senses, your child will feel especially secure when you’re the one holding the bottle.

5. SMELL – We all have a unique scent to our bodies and it doesn’t take long for your baby to know yours. It is especially important not to wear perfumes around your baby that might turn him off to you or cause you to be more unrecognizable to him. Clean and fresh is better and promotes a more familiar - and gentler - atmosphere for your baby.

The opportunity to bond with your newborn lasts only for a time and then is gone, forever. Whatever you do, make the most of each moment and savor the special time you have together.

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What Does Your Child Really Need From You?

Most parents want to be good parents. Yet parenting is one of those things that does not have hard and fast rules. So how do we know what to do? How do we know what will support our children in being all they can be?

One of the most important things for parents to do is to learn to trust their own intuition. Your feelings tell you when you are on course or off course in your behavior with your children. When things feel right inside, then you know that you are being a truly loving parent, and when they feel wrong inside, you know you are out of alignment with what is in your highest good and your children's highest good.

Now research has proven that babies who are not picked up when they cry become more dependent and insecure than babies who are kept with their mothers. In other countries, babies sleep with their parents until they no longer want to, feeling safe all night. In our country, most babies are alone at night, some crying themselves to sleep. This is not only sad, it is not healthy for the baby.

So the first thing your child needs from you is to trust your inner knowing rather than any book you read. Your child needs your loving presence - not your busy preoccupied presence. For your children to feel important to you, they need to feel you fully present with them - reading to them daily, playing with them, holding and comforting them, and listening to them.

Your children need for you to create a healthy environment for them by feeding them healthy food, restricting screen time - TV, computer, video games - and making sure they play outdoors and get enough exercise. They need your encouragement to develop their hobbies and interests. They need you to try natural remedies before resorting to drugs for illness, so that you don't set them up for more illness with the side effects of drugs.

They need for you to be a good role model of self-care. Children need to see their parents taking full responsibility for their own feelings instead of being victims and blaming others. With this role modeling, they will also learn to take full responsibility for their own feelings. Learning and practicing the Inner Bonding process that we teach will support you in becoming this loving role model for your children.

Your children need to see you being connected with a spiritual Source of love, peace and wisdom in order to naturally connect with their own higher power. By developing your spiritual connection, they can learn to have their own.

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