Hey mama friend,

Most moms want to do a good job. We want to put our best foot forward and give our children the very best in life. However, mistakes are inevitable, especially in new motherhood. No one is perfect, after all. Check out some of the common mistakes new parents make, and you might be able to avoid some of these hurdles.

Common Mistakes New Parents Make

Poor Car Seat Safety

Before you can leave the hospital with your newborn, the law dictates that you must have a correctly installed baby’s car seat in your car. However, some parents struggle to know how to install them correctly or put their baby into the seat comfortably.

Months before giving birth, moms should practice installing the seat and fitting it with a stuffed animal. If you need professional help to teach you the proper method, contact the National Child Passenger Safety Certification site. They can help you get it right.

Not Feeding on Demand

Motherhood can be exhausting. Early mothers, especially, spend hours on their feet trying to comfort and feed crying babies. No wonder we don’t always feel ready to jump up and feed a baby in the middle of the night.

However, newborn babies must feed every two to three hours, even if they don’t demand it. One of the most common mistakes new parents make is ignoring that physiological need. New moms need to get out of bed every few hours, gently wake their babies, and feed them before putting them back to bed.

Discouraging Thumb-Sucking Too Early

There are many mistakes parents make when dealing with their child’s thumb-sucking. But the most common issue is we don’t know when to start discouraging the habit. Some moms are so put off by thumb-sucking and concerned about how it may damage their child’s future that they dissuade it as soon as they can. But generally, parents shouldn’t try to break the habit until the child is about four years old.

Burping Improperly

Many moms feed babies, wait for them to sound peaceful, and then put them back to rest without another thought. However, if you don’t burp the baby or don’t burp them enough, that same peaceful infant will be screaming in a few moments.

You should try several burping techniques until you find one that works best for you. Some like to hold the baby high against their chest and lightly pat their back. Others like to place the infant facedown on their lap and pat and rub the baby’s back.

I hope you found this post helpful, please let me know your thoughts! Also, be sure to subscribe before you go so you never miss out on new posts or anything else happening over here! (big announcement coming soon!) Plus when you sign up you’ll get FREE motherhood quote graphics sent to your inbox!

-Love, JessXO