KEEPING BUSY

from The Ultimate Baby Book 2021

SAY WHAT?

PUSH PLAYLIST Music is a great distractration and could even help alleviate anxiety in labour. Could these apt tunes be next on your Spotify playlist?

IT STARTED WITH A KISS

Hot Chocolate Reminisce about how the humble beginnings of you and your partner’s love has led to this moment. A word of warning, though, you’re probably best o playing this early on. Naturally, as labour progresses, you’ll probably want to drag him across the bed and throttle him.

IF YOU LEAVE ME NOW

Chicago The perfect song for mothers and babies who would like things to remain between the two of them for a little while longer. Although singing, “Oooh oh no, baby please don’t go” at the top of your lungs may give your midwife cause for concern.

UNDER PRESSURE

Queen & David Bowie Ahem. Not only does this pay homage to one of British pop’s greatest collaborations of all time, but you have to admit, the lyrics are pretty spot on, too.

PUSH IT

Salt-N-Pepa For when you need that extra bit of encouragement in the second stage – it may well raise a smile ever so fleetingly before the next contraction knocks it right o your face.

I’M COMING OUT

Diana Ross Let baby’s entry to the world be all-singing and all-dancing with this epic disco tune that will have everyone in the birthing room singing along.

Baby’s first bath usanne e ic o Cuddledry shares her tips or a success ul first dip

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To treasure

Be sure to capture those precious early days. Photographers usually recommend a newborn shoot takes place between five and 12 days old

Bathing a new baby is a daunting task that many find stressful in the beginning. After all, wrestling with slippery babies and cold bathroom floors is rarely covered in the parenting manuals!

• Be prepared Before you start, make sure you have everything you need to hand. You’ll need a soft, warm towel, nappy changing items, something to kneel on, a changing mat and liner, plus clothes to dress baby in. • Check the temperature Make sure the room is warm enough, and check the water is around 37˚C. Give it a swirl to disperse any hot spots and don’t overfill – a few inches of water is fine. • Gently lower baby in to the bath The trick to keeping baby happy is minimising discomfort, often caused by being cold. When you undress her, start at the bottom. Remove her nappy and clean her bottom, then remove the rest of her clothes and move to the warm water. Use one arm to support baby’s shoulders and neck, and hold the outside arm with your hand. Place your other hand under the bottom and lower gently into the bath. Once secure, remove that hand and use it to scoop water onto her body. Maintain eye contact to comfort – and enjoy the moment. Bath time really can be the best part of the day and if you’re relaxed, baby will be too. Remember to keep it short – babies can lose body heat quickly, so five minutes is fine.