At that moment when that pregnancy test turns positive and it is a clear sign of what you have been praying for, a heap of emotions spread through your body. You sit down and jot in a notebook with so much excitement about how you would like to raise your little one. You’re only 6 weeks pregnant but you already have a school picked out. Why does any of this matter? In life, nurturing generally begins long before we are born, when life is still unfolding in the womb.
It is often said that things we experience in our childhood often shape our adult life. So, what does it mean to nurture? Nurturing can be best defined as caring for and protecting someone or something while they are growing. From both pre-and post-natal care, mothers are expected to keep their clinic visits and are supplemented with nutrients all in preparation for this life that they are bringing into the world. Without a doubt, the labor pays off once you deliver your healthy baby, but the path to good nurturing has only just begun.
If we want to understand how to best nurture our children, then we must look at these 4 pillars.
A few hours after delivering my baby, reality finally sunk in. I had a tiny human now depending on me to feed him and I couldn’t let myself fail this very important task. The nurse brings him to my room and I’m still groggy from the anesthetic and the whole experience in general, but the baby must feed. It was only minutes after the baby latched and the milk was trickling away, incredible what the human body can do. Then comes this unknown feeling that you will protect this little human in your arms with everything you have. This is only the beginning of the journey, but if you start right then you will end right. This mantra has stuck with me throughout my motherhood journey. I breastfed exclusively for 6 months and when I began the weaning journey, all the knowledge I had shared with my clients in the past is the same I provided for the baby, a well-balanced meal, freshly squeezed fruits, not too much porridge to bore him but enriched enough to make it fun and make him strong. Providing a baby with food that is safe, cost-effective, and nutritious in the most natural way is simply how I have managed to keep colds and sickness away and have him looking so chubby and healthy. I am a proud mama.
The first 6 months to 1 year go by so fast and you notice that baby wants to be more independent. They either want to hold their food or feed themselves and for older kids they want to make big decisions like dressing themselves, making their beds, preparing a small meal, or even doing homework on their own. How do you fit into this part as a parent? Guiding and encouraging them when they want to try something you always do for them is a good way to start. Let them believe that you trust them to make such an important decision and if they do it wrong then you let them know that they will get it right next time. This prepares them later in life to deal with difficult situations and to always be self-aware and assertive of all the decisions they make.
As you progress to the second trimester of pregnancy, the fluttery small baby kicks begin, and it forms an unimaginable connection between mother and baby. This bond grows even bigger during breastfeeding and creates a nest where the baby always knows that this is the person that will always protect them. A rocky first trimester of vomiting and nausea to cracked nipples during breastfeeding and sleeplessness nights requires the community surrounding both mother and baby to be very supportive to ease the journey. This overwhelming responsibility carried on one shoulder has led to many cases of post-partum depression. A stressed mother leads to a decreased milk supply and an unhappy cranky baby. Spouses and family members are called to take care of the mother so she can in turn take care of the baby.
When crawling begins and you know that baby is about to take their first steps or start mouthing words like ‘mama’ or ‘dada’, and they have also acquired tiny skills of smiling, waving goodbye, saying thank you, sorry, and creatively playing with kitchen utilities like toys. This might cost you a pretty penny to always replace these items, but it is how they learn what these objects are in their special little way. The feeling of pride that swells up your heart as you watch these milestones unfold is simply the reward of good nurturing. We have fallen into the sweep of technology letting our babies watch television daily from morning to evening. Don’t get me wrong this can be a good occasional pass time, but overreliance on this often affects their social and creative skills once they are around other children in school, it becomes hard to do simple things such as sharing or coping with difficult situations. Let baby out more often to play outside and interact with nature, make castles and cars out of mud, and get dirty all over. Experience the true feeling of being as free as a child.
Lastly, whichever journey you are on right now, remember, you are doing your utmost best for yourself and your little one. Keep going it is all worth it.
By Radido
