Understanding the temperament of your newborn

By Aparna - Updated: December 13, 2018

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Ways to understand your newborn

Having a newborn around can be a mixed bag of emotions. As parents, you must be ecstatic to have your bundle of joy in your arms, but understanding his needs by just guessing may appear to be a difficult task.

The emotional crisis of a parent is similar to the crisis of a newborn who is trying to adapt to the new world. Parenthood brings in a series of worries and assumptions along with the joy. If you are a new mom or dad, you must be struggling to catch up with your baby’s temperament and behaviour.

It might come as a surprise to you, but newborns have an attitude as well, and you are supposed to tackle it with all the tenderness you have. Initially, it can be challenging and somewhat frustrating. However as time passes by, the temper of your baby would no longer be unfamiliar to you and will start making sense.

Ways to understand your newborn

If you observe deeply, the temperament of your baby is quite simple and basic. He shows his temper out of basic instincts. For example, the little one is likely to cry or show irritation when he has wetted the bed.

The best gesture or medium of communication is crying for all newborns as they cannot talk at this tender age. Thus, they convey most of their demands by crying. You may become nervous in the beginning, but within a week or so, you will get familiar with his crying. Believe it or not, each crying is unique if you watch a little closely and has a different reason behind it.

He will cry when he is sleepy, hungry, or feeling any kind of discomfort. With little patience and persistence, you can easily cope up with the temperament of the young one as you will start understanding the cause of weeping and comforting your newborn.

Notice when he is most active during the day and accordingly, interact with him during those hours. This will help you to bond in a better manner with your newborn.

If you are a second-time parent, then understanding your baby’s temperament becomes easier for you. However, if you are a first-time parent, you need to give it some time. It is all about bonding, which you will grow with time and experience.

Your pediatrician will surely help you when you are unable to understand any behaviour that seems unlikely. For this, you should constantly be in touch with your baby’s doctor during the first couple of months.

It is also important to understand that each baby is unique. Thus, each of them is sure to act in a different way. For example, behaviour of a premature baby is quite different from other normal babies. So be positive, and enjoy your parenthood with a full heart.

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