As new parents you are likely to experience a riot of emotions. You may be excited about brining your baby home and nervous about the prospect of your new life with baby, you may be inspired by the experience of giving birth to a new life and you may be exhausted and fatigued after the labor.

Your whole being will now center on looking after and caring for your baby. Initially, your life is bound to go topsy-turvy as both you and your baby are adjusting to the new life and environment. Some mothers are likely to feel the baby blues in such situations. You may lose your appetite, may not feel in perfect shape and you may find it extremely difficult to cope with your baby’s crying, sleeping and feeding patterns. But, all this will pass. In a month’s time you will learn your baby’s sleep routine, number of times she wakes up at night, you’ll be able to differentiate one sound of her crying from another and a bond will develop between the two of you.

Meanwhile, your baby will start developing her personality. As parents you will be the primary source of socialization. Your baby will learn her expressions and reactions by observing and interacting with you. This will form the basis of your baby’s interaction with the society. To help your baby in her development process, try forming a network of new moms. This socialization will stimulate your baby and encourage their development. You will benefit from sharing your feelings and learning from others experiences.

Another important aspect of your life with baby is your relationship with your spouse. Your baby sees you as her chief care giver and has been dependent on you even before her birth. So while you are likely to have a stronger attachment with your baby right at the start, your spouse may take time to bond with the baby. Stresses may develop in your relationship as he feels neglected. It will be a good idea to hand over your baby’s responsibility to her grandparents for sometime and spend some quality time with your partner. Focus on each other and discuss how you are feeling.

Dads can take over some responsibilities from mothers like changing diapers and looking after the baby while mothers finish the chores. This will strengthen their bond with the baby.