Post 4

I would first advise a new mother to maintain a healthy relationship with her partner if she is married. I've seen many women neglect their marriages when they have a new baby. I think the addition to the family is an opportunity to bring a couple closer together-to embark on the adventure together will strengthen the bond of the relationship. The mother should not take all the responsibility upon herself, but include her spouse in the process of caring for the infant. Another piece of advice I would provide to a new mother is to let the baby sleep as much as it will. Seventeen hours seems like too much to us, but the baby is developing brain connections and building its immune system while it sleeps. Another important factor to consider is co-sleeping. I think the infant should learn from the beginning that nighttime is not something to be afraid of, and to be able to soothe itself during the night when Mom is not there. Therefore, I think co-sleeping would form an unhealthy and co-dependent relationship between the parent and child.