NEWBORN CARE: IN THE HOSPITAL AND AT HOME
If you're expecting a baby, you're probably already preparing for all the wonderful things your little one will bring into your life - from sleeping through the night to making you laugh until your cheeks hurt. But one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your little one is to make sure you have the best possible newborn care.
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Newborn care in the hospital:
Skin-to-skin contact of baby and mother:
This has nowadays gained popularity in most of the advanced countries. Soon after the delivery your OBG lets the baby on the chest of the mother. It allows immediate warming and emotional bonding between mother and baby. Even the cord cutting is done thereafter.
Cord cutting:
The umbilical cord is then cut using aseptic techniques by the health care professionals such as a midwife or doctor. In some settings, they are now giving the husbands an opportunity to cut the cord. This makes the husbands feel their baby delivery and birth an excitement and memorable experience.
Wiping and covering the baby, providing warmth:
Warmth is an essential factor when it comes to caring for a newborn. Using a clean cotton cloth the baby is wiped in a gentle manner avoiding any frictional rub. The white sticky layering on the baby's skin is called the vernix caseosa that is a normal thing and you should not worry if it still remains on the skin after wiping out the baby.
There is a provision of warmers or newborn heaters in the hospital facility. These help in maintaining the baby's body temperature and prevent hypothermia.
Newborns are incredibly vulnerable and need close attention from their families in order to thrive. Here are some tips to help you get started:
NEWBORN CARE AT HOME:
Keeping the baby covered properly:
All throughout these beautiful nine months inside your womb, your baby has felt so secure, so protected. Your baby needs to get that same ambience and warmth just like your uterus. Keeping the baby covered with warm cloth helps in preventing hypothermia or low body temperature. Hypothermia may cause neonatal complications or even death in rare cases. So it becomes your responsibility to keep your baby covered with warm blanket, sweaters, hoodies,warmcaps and socks or mittens.
Cleaning and bathing your newborn for the first time:
Avoiding bathing the newborn for at least 24 hours. Some may even prefer to not bathe their babies for a couple of days and it's a normal thing. Babies body temperature may drop drastically if it is exposed to the cool environment. So avoiding an immediate bath may help prevent the hypothermia or low body temperature.
Even when you bathe your baby after a day or two, make sure you use lukewarm water and an antiseptic baby soaps with less chemicals.
While cleaning after your baby poops, use antiseptic skin wipes and then put on rash free diapers.
Breastfeeding:
Soon after the delivery, the breasts start producing and secreting milk under the effect of prolactin and oxytocin . These hormones are responsible for lactation. Nowadays the best practice is to immediately or at least within half to one hour the breastfeed must be initiated. This enhances the mother-baby bonding and as soon as the baby mouth is put on the nipple and as it starts sucking them the breasts start ejecting the milk.
The first milk: Colostrum. Why do mothers waste it ? What is Colostrum and what are its benefits?
Colostrum is a thick yellowish milk that is secreted for first few days before the thin milk starts to release.
This Colostrum is a super power packed natural formula that contains antibodies and loads of nutrients that can help in nourishing your baby.
Your newborn needs this milk a lot. So simply don't pay heed to unwisely advices of others and discard this nectarine. It is an awesome first feeding formula you can provide your newborn to initiate with the feeding process. when it comes to feed your baby, take no excuse as it can affect your babies health.
Breastfeeding may be a concern for the new mothers. For the first time mothers, it is necessary to be mentally prepared for feeding their baby. Here the role of health care professionals and family as well as partner plays an important part. After the tiresome labour and the pains a woman goes through, it is obvious she needs rest and when it is the first time, she may feel it inconvenient and awkward to breastfeed. Proper support and guidance and relieve the anxiety and help her in breastfeeding her newborn baby.
Learn more about breastfeeding myths and tips to effective breastfeeding.
Care of the umbilical cord:
At home, keep the cord dry all day and avoid touching.
After bathing the baby tap it dry gently with cotton cloth and apply antiseptic powder as ordered by the pediatrician. It prevents cord infection or oomphalitis.
The cord dries up within few days and sheds off on its own completely. Following these the navel must be kept clean and dry all the time.
Burping the newborn:
Newborn must be burped after each breastfeed session. Burping helps release out any extra inhaled air. See more on Burping and tips to prevent baby colic.
Sleeping pattern in newborns:
Newborn babies sleep more as they have done so while in your uterus so don't worry if your baby sleeps more. Make sure you have a good night's sleep. A newborn's sleep is crucial, they sleep throughout the day which is absolutely fine. do not mistake your newborn's half-open eyes to be an awake state. Many newborns are in the sleeping state when their eyes look like half-open. Don't disturb their sleep as it can affect the baby's mood and it may end up crying for hours.
Swaddling the baby in your arms also help them to sleep faster. Be gentle in whatever you do to your newborn. Breastfeed them fully, it induces sleep. Pat them gently and cover them properly to induce sleep. Singing a lullaby helps a lot. However a newborn baby sleeps normally on own. only after one month some babies need extra effort to get down to sleep. Avoid noises or sounds that can disturb your little one's sleep.
Newborn comfort essentials:
Every parent wishes comfort and best care for their baby. When it comes to shopping or purchasing the newborn products, the moms are specially more concerned about the perfection and comfort level of their babies. To ease your shopping, you can go through these newborn baby products listed here.
From selecting soaps to having your baby wear the best and healthy fabric garments, it is responsible yet fun tasks. With millions of options available online it is now possible to get the best out of best things for your newborns. All you need to do is a bit of research and you are almost there where your dream shopping would gain momentum.
Essential newborn care in the hospital and at home plays a vital role in the safeguarding your baby's health and prevention from any major condition or illness. It is also proven to be effective in reducing the neonatal morbidity and mortality rate.
Keep your newborn baby healthy by keeping yourselves informed! Good luck.
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