In this episode of the Sense by Meg Faure podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Sr Ann Richardson, a midwife and owner of a well-baby clinic in Johannesburg. Ann and I have been partners in helping new parents since our bestselling book, Baby Sense, was first published in 2001. Our goal has always been to guide parents in making the most of their time with their newborns, babies and toddlers.

We began the discussion by exploring what every parent should know about bringing a newborn home from the hospital. Ann emphasised the importance of having reasonable expectations. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of having a baby and feel the pressure to know everything and make everything perfect. However, caring for a newborn is a learning process, and it becomes much easier when we let go of the pressure to be perfect.

Ann also shared practical tips on umbilical cord care, when to give your baby their first bath, guidelines for baby skincare, and vaccination protocols in different parts of the world. We then delved into the topic of crying and colic, both of which Ann and I are passionate about addressing. We discussed the importance of recreating the womb environment to calm babies and help them feel secure. Ann shared some valuable tips on how to achieve this.

Moving on, we talked about baby routines. While we both agreed that strict routines can be overwhelming for parents, we emphasized the benefits of a flexible routine guided by ideal awake times. This approach allows for the establishment of healthy sleep habits and a predictable routine without placing unnecessary pressure on parents. I also introduced our latest feature from Parent Sense called the Responsive Routine. This innovative tool enables moms to input their sleep and feeding preferences and track their baby's day. The Responsive Routine dynamically adjusts to create a personalised routine for each baby. It's a fantastic way to follow a flexible routine without the rigidity and anxiety that can arise when things don't go according to plan.

We concluded the episode with Ann summarising her must-knows for newborn care, and she promised to return for another episode focusing on caring for a newborn. Stay tuned for more valuable insights and practical tips from Ann and myself as we continue our mission of supporting new parents on their journey of parenthood.