Bringing up baby

LET us all be honest with ourselves: nothing is more frightening and demanding in life than becoming a parent. Every mum and dad will agree that you will never be prepared. Let's discuss the common mistakes.

Saying no to help

Someone is kind enough to offer to watch over your child. Do the laundry and the like. In your pre-baby life, you probably declined offers like this. However, your life today is different. So it's advisable to take them up on it, because you need to have some "me” time.

Being a stress ball

Am I feeding my baby well? Am I overfeeding him? You name it, a new mum excessively worries. Other than legitimate health concerns and safety, chances are you're making yourself crazy. Don't stress yourself too much - everything will be fine.

Not trusting your instincts

That advice to rub rum on your baby's gum or ignore that weird rash, or to do some other thing that might seem ridiculous to you? It probably is. It doesn't matter if you don't want to offend someone or if that person has years of experience when it comes to parenting, you're still the mum of your baby. So better trust your instincts. As they always say, mummy knows best.

'Your kid is better than mine'

Perhaps your friend's baby might already be cruising and crawling, while your precious little gem is still figuring out how to roll back on to her stomach. Don't let this affect you a lot - know that babies tackle milestones at their own pace, and it doesn't make your child an underachiever if she hasn't yet. As long as your baby's pediatrician is telling you that your munchkin is progressing normally, you don't have to worry about anything.

Being their best friend

Some parents are afraid to step up to the plate and do the hard things, they just want to be their child's friend. This isn't love at all but more of a need, and will only lead to disciplinary problems down the track.

Jody Allen is the founder of Stay At Home Mum: www.stayathomemum.com.au