1000 MEDICAL ADVICE FOR NEW BORN BABY

 Tips for New Born baby |New Born Baby Care Tips| Guide to Take Care of Newborn Babies|Infant and Newborn Care|Caring for Your Newborn|Top Baby Care Tips for Parents of Newborns | Baby Care |

  

INTRODUCTION

Mostly parents consider it as a difficult task and troublesome affair. It is not correct. People who don’t know the basics of child care will say it as an agonizing experience. But it is not so. If you know the fundamentals of child’s growth and development and their problems, you can easily nurture and nourish them.

Those days were gone, that four or five children were born in a family and parents were bringing up their children in a casual manner.

Nowadays, due to small family norms and slogan of single child for a small family, parents are very much worried about their children if they become sick.

Moreover, the emergence of never diseases and outbreaks of existing diseases make them anxious. This blog is written to infuse the basic ideas of child care in minds of parents.

Normal growth and developments of children, vaccination schedules, common problems in the newborn period, during infancy and childhood are highlighted in the form of points. Besides, the hygienic measures to be followed are also told.

MEDICAL TIPS FOR NEW BORN

A new born baby is the one which is less than 30 days of life. In other words babies from the date of birth up to 30 days of life are called as new born babies.

New born babies should be breast feed as early as possible as and when mother is ready to feed the baby after the delivery.

All babies should be exclusively breast fed for the first four months.

New born babies should be nicely covered and wrapped and kept.

Newborn babies can be kept adjacent to the mother itself. That will give adequate temperature and warmth to the babies. We can even say mother is the natural warmer to new born baby.

Newborn babies above a stipulated weight at births can give bath daily.That is newborn babies above 2.5 kgs should be given daily baths with warm water and soft baby soap

Oil – any kind of oil should not be instilled in the ears, nostrils and eyes of the newborn. If oil is instilled in the nostril it will be responsible for the infection and inflammation of the lungs which is called Pneumonia.

Normally umbilical cord after birth will fall off within 4-5 days. After its fall just wiping it with a ball of cotton dipped in spirit daily for a week will be enough to prevent any infection of the umbilicus.

Newborn babies will pass greenish stools initially for 2 to 3 days. It is called as “Meconium” After 4-5 days the colour will change and the baby will pass golden yellow stools. It is called as “Transitional stools”. Then the baby will start to pass normal stools. Normally, newborn babies will pass 6-7 motions a day. So, parents should not worry about it.

Newborn babies will pass urine frequently. It is again normal. Soon after the delivery baby will pass urine within 24 to 48 hours. So, if the baby does not pass urine on the first 1 or 2 days, parents should not become panic. They have to wait and see. Even after 2 days if the baby does not pass urine, consultation with a child specialist is a must.

Newborn babies after feeds should be kept on the shoulder and patted on the back. This is called as burping. That is the swallowed air along with milk will come out during burping. If it is not done babies may vomit little quantity of milk. Mothers will be anxious about this and complain that baby is vomiting a lot.

There is no hard and fast rule that newborn baby has to pass stools daily. Babies may pass motion on alternative days. Sometimes babies will pass motion every 2-3 days or 4-5 days. No need to worry about it.

Newborn babies will have normal digestion. No need for digestive medicines.

Application of coconut oil to the scalp can be done daily.

Massage of oil to the head for few minutes and following it giving head bath and subsequently exposure to the fragrant smoke is to be forbidden. If you do like that, that smoke itself may allergic to the baby and because of that baby may start to have cold, running nose, sneezing and cough.

Adults at the house who are having smoking habits should not smoke in front of the newborn babies.

New born babies should be put on clean cotton soft dress.

Diapers should be changed as soon as the baby passes urine or motion. Baby should not be allowed to be with the soiled napkin for a longer period.

Nails of the new born baby have to be cut carefully periodically, If it is not done so, babies may scratch their skin by their sharp nails.

New born babies normally will sleep for 16 to 18 hours. Don’t worry about it.

There should not be a time schedule for breast feeds. As and when baby cries it has to be fed.

Some mother’s breast nipple will be in drawn or shrunken. Those mothers should use nipple shield for feeding the baby.

Breast milk should not be stopped on any circumstances unless otherwise doctors advise to stop breast feeding.

If cow’s milk, buffalo’s milk or tinned artificial milks are to be fed it has to be fed with wide mouthed bottles. Those bottles should be sterilized by boiling for few minutes in the boiled water before feeding.

Instead of bottle feeding it is better to give spoon feeding.

If the baby is getting cow’s milk or tinned milk it has to be given with equal concentration of water for the first month. In another words the milk and water ratio should be 50:50 is in the first month. Then afterwards, that is from the second month on wards no need for dilution with water. Milk can be given without adding water in to it.

If the breast feeding mother is a working women, before she leaves to the office she can express the breast milk and keep in a sterile container and it has to be stored in a refrigerator. As and when the baby cries for feeds that breast milk can be warmed and fed.

For good secretion of breast milk the mother has to take nutritious diet. There is no restriction in the diet after delivery. Mothers should drink plenty of fluids. Then only there will be a adequate breast milk secretion.

If the baby is not breast fed in the night, breast milk will be sour – is a superstition.

The first milk which is secreted is lemon yellow in color and called “ Colostrums.

Colostrum contains adequate amount of proteins and provides immunity to the babies. Even though the secretion of colostrums is meager in amount, it is highly nutritious to the babies. Each and every mother should know about the importance of colostrums.

New born babies who are blue at birth and yellow at birth becomes yellow subsequently needs immediate medical attention.

If a newborn baby us grunting and groaning with frothing at mouth may have problems pertaining to respiratory system and need medical care.

Like adults newborn babies may sneeze 4-5 times a day. It is normal and should not worry about it.

Some newborn babies may have a soft swelling along one side of the scalp. It happens following difficult delivery. It is due to the collection of blood in the scalp. There is no need for any treatment for this swelling. An opinion from the medical expert can be obtained.

Some female new born babies will have swelling on the breasts. If you press it there will be milky fluid oozing. Such an enlarged breasts should not be pressed and that milky fluid should not be expressed. If it is done like that, it will lead to problems.

2-3 days after births some female new born babies will have bleeding from their external genitals. Medical opinion should be sought to confirm it is a normal bleeding. Usually it will be normal bleeding. No treatment will be necessary for it.

Even now, at villagers the old people while bathing baby keep their mouth over the mouth of new born baby and blow saying that they are expelling the phlegm. Such, a practice will harm the baby rather doing good. Suppose, if they blow like that, if the person who blows may be suffering from any infective disease will spread to the baby. This practice should not be allowed.

Some new born babies while feeding may find difficulty in breathing and feed after intermittent gaps. This may be due to nasal congestion and clock.

During feeding if the baby is breathless with sweating of head, it needs consultation with the doctor. That may be due to the congenital ( from the birth) heart problems.

Usually the babies will stay in the womb (Uterus) of the mother for 38-41 weeks. These babies are called Term or mature babies.

Babies born less than 37 completed weeks are called as Pre term or premature babies. These babies need special care.

Babies born after 42 weeks of stay in the mother’s  uterus are called Post term or Post mature babies. Those babies also need extra care.

Normally new born babies weigh 2.5 kgs to 3.7 kgs. Babies below the weight of 2.5 kgs are called as “ Low Birth Weight” babies. These babies need special care and observation.

Babies with birth weight more than 3.7 kgs are called as “ Large for Date’ babies. Those babies should also be observed.

Nearly 60% of the new born babies will have yellowish tinge of the eyes,skin,palms and soles after 2-3 days of birth. This jaundice is called as “ Physiological Jaundice”. NMo need to worry about this jaundice. This jaundice will clear off around 7-8 days, of its own accord. Such babies with physiological jaundice can be  exposed to the early morning sunlight for the fast clearance of this jaundice.

New born babies born with cleft lip should be operated within three months of life.

Some new Born babies may have a cleft in the upper portion of the mouth which is called as cleft palate. That also should be corrected by doing operation.

Male newborn babies with swelling in the scrotum should be kept under observation for one year. After that, if it does not subside as per the advice of doctor it should operated up on.

Some new born babies will have greenish or purple color birthmarks over the body. No need to worry about these birth marks.

Some babies will have fusion of one or two fingers or toes. If it is so, after consulting the child specialist the fused fingers or toes should be operated to separate them.

Normally the foreskin of the male new born babies will look as it closes the external genitalia (Penis). If that skin cannot be retracted or if the tip of the penis bulges like balloon while passing urine, after one year of age the foreskin should be cut by a small operation. This operation is called as “Circumcision Operation”.

If the new born body is blue in color with difficulty in breathing it is a symptom and sign of heart disease. Such babies need immediate medical attention.

Breast milk is the best milk on the earth. None is equivalent to it. Sterile, clean and provides adequate nutrition and energy to the new born baby, moreover, it is easily available and also economical.

Artificial milk powders in the tin should be prepared as formula feed under strict sterile measures or else the babies may be affected with loose motion.

Very few babies may not tolerate the sugar in the breast milk. The sugar in the breast milk is called as “Lactose”. Those babies who are intolerant to the Lactose will have loose stools as soon as breast milk is fed. This is called as “Lactose intolerance “such babies will need Lactose free special formula feed. Even in such babies the breast milk should not be stopped immediately. If continued, breast feeding aggravates loose stools breast milk has to be stopped.

Sometimes the lactose intolerance may be subsequent to the bacterial infection of the intestines and it will be transient. So in such cases temporary withholding of breast milk may be adequate.

New born babies and babies less than one year of age (infants) may have incessant cry, mostly in the evening hours. This cry is due to the colicky pain in the abdomen. It is called with medium advised by the doctors.

Premature or Pre term babies and low birth weight babies are prone to lose their body temperature rapidly and will go in for a condition called Hypothermia. In this condition, the body temperature of the babies will be subnormal. So, these babies should be covered and kept. They should not be worn with winter cloths like woolen sweater, cap and even stockings.

If babies are too premature and are very much low in birth weight, those babies should be kept in “ Incubator” which provides congenial temperature and atmosphere for the babies.

Preterm babies and babies with low birth weight should be given care by the mother only. She has to feed the baby and look after the baby. Too much of handling of the babies by different people should not be encouraged and it may be harmful to the babies. That is the reason why low birth weight babies and pre term babies are isolated. Moreover these babies should be given care with strict sterile measures to prevent infections.

If all the kith and kin kiss the new born babies they will develop infection on the cheek and skin which is called as “ Allergic Dermatitis”. To avoid this none should kiss the new born babies.

Application of olive oil is not going to improve the complexion of the baby. It is again a superstition only.

Drinking milk with saffron during pregnancy is again not going to give good color to the new born babies. It is also a superstition.

New born babies may have mild shaking of their legs and hands. This jittering is normal. No need for any medication for it.

If the baby has jerky movement of the limb or chewing moment or cycling movement of the lower limb it may be seizure of disorder of the newborn. That is convulsions of the new born. If those movements happen, immediate medical attention should be sought.

New born babies with normal birth weight can be given bath doily. Babies with less birth weight should not be given bath till they reach the normal birth weight of 2.5 kgs. Till that time, they can be given towel baths. That is their body can be wiped of with towel dipped in soap water and then body should be mopped.

During bathing new born baby eyes should be gently wiped of with water. If the babies have sticky eyelashes in the morning and cannot open their eyes , eye drops should be instilled after the advice of doctors.

New born babies will lose their weight initially for few days after birth and regain their original birth weight around 10^th day. Then they start to have increment in their weight.

Normally a healthy new born baby will gain 20-30 Grams of weight a day.

Normally a healthy new born baby doubles as that of its birth weight at 5 months and triples by the end of the one year.

Subsequently every year the babies will gain hardly one or two Kgs a year. That is the reason why most of the parents often complain that their child not put on weight after the first year.

MEDICAL CARE TIPS FOR  INFANTS & PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Babies below 1 year are called as infants. Children up to the age of 5 years are called as Preschool children. Since the children grow fastly during infancy their nutritional requirements, Physical growth and mental growth should be carefully monitored.

Giving vaccines to the infants and Ore school children are the prime duty of parents. If they fail to do so, we can say have failed in their duty.

Within one week of birth or before 3 Months of age B.C.G injection should be given. BCG injection gives protection against Tuberculosis.

Within one week of delivery babies should be given polio drops for the prevention of Poliomyelitis.

Around 1 ½ months or forty five days Triple Antigen ( DTP) injection should be given thrice at an interval of one month.

Triple Antigen injection protects three diseases namely Diphtheria, Pertussis alias Whooping cough and Tetanus.

This injection should be given in the buttocks. The vaccine should be injected deeply in the muscles.

Following this DPT injection some babies may get fever. To control the fever medicine which controls fever should be given as instructed by the physician.

After giving this vaccine the baby can be given bath. For instance, following any vaccination babies can be given bath. There is no restriction to give bath.

Polio drops should also be given along with Triple vaccine at monthly interval for four months.

Two drops of Poliomyeltis vaccine should be instilled in the mouth.

After putting Polio drops it is better to avoid feeding for half an hour.

It is better to start the Hepatitis ‘B’ vaccine, the so called Jaundice Injection.

This Hepatitis ‘B’ vaccine should be started soon after bath. Three doses should be given at an internal of one month, or else for the first two months

This Hepatitis ‘B’ vaccine should be started soon after birth. Three doses should be given at an interval of one month or else for the first two months it should be given at monthly intervals and the third dose should be given at the end of months.

BCG vaccine should be given within the layers of skin. In other technical words, it should be given intradermally.

After giving this BCG vaccine, no need to rub it. At the site of vaccination, a small vesicle develops by the end of four weeks. Subsequently, it becomes pustule and around 6-8 weeks pustule bursts and heals of its own accord and scar will form.

After 9 months of age Measles vaccine should be given. This vaccine can be given below the skin or inside the muscles. It is advisable to give below the skin. In technical words it is called as subcutaneously.

A vaccine to protect brain fever by bacteria called Haemophilus Influenza should be started from either 1 ½ months or 2 months of age. The colloquial terminology of brain fever means infection of the brain and also the infection of the membranes which covers the brain.

This injection should be given in the muscles. It should be given at an interval of 1 ½ to 2 months, thrice. A booster injection should be given at the age of 15 months to a8 months. This injection will prevent the infection of the membranes of the brain by that particular bacteria alone. So, after giving this injection nobody can claim that the baby will not suffer from brain infection. Besides, this bacteria there are many number of viruses, bacteria, fungus can cause brain fever and infection.

In spite of it, doctor’s advice to have this injection since it is the common bacteria responsible for the brain fever.

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