Hey, welcome to Motherhood! An entirely different world of ‘Do this’ and ‘Dont do this’!A topic which everyone seems to be a Pro at yet you are unable to get the basics of. And oh yes, congratulations on the birth of your new baby.
Seem like your first baby… There will be many things that may be normal for others but you wouldnt know whether to get anxious or to stay relaxed… So thats completely okay.
After going go-go ga-ga over the baby you realize that now you are responsible for a living being. Some one who is outside of you. 🤰🤱Some one who will get hungry, who will need to empty bowels and needs your attention. Remember if its your first time, its even his first time. Both of you will need some time to adjust to each other.
So lets see what are the main things that you should know:
1.Breast feeding: 🤱
Every woman’s breast feeding journey is different from others. There is nothing that is perfect. Whatever suits you and your baby… THAT my dear friend is the best way!
This tiny human has to be fed after every 2hrs. If the baby is asleep, wake the baby up and feed. If you dont feed on 2-3 hourly basis the baby’s blood sugar level start going down and since he cant talk yet, he wont be able to tell you. This feeding thing might take some time so sit in the most comfortable position. Pillow behind ur lower back should be horizontal and the one above should be vertical to support upper back. In the hook of your elbow place the baby’s head and now bring the baby up to you, don’t go down yourself.🍼 Feed after every two hours…no matter what. On each side at least 10 to 20 mins. Don’t let the baby fall sleep. Flicker the toes, massage the head. WAKE➡️PLAY➡️ FEED➡️ REPEAT!🔄
Proper burping and shoulder session even if the baby burps for 20mins. After burp make the baby lie down in left lateral position with pillow support.
Search how to feed the baby on YouTube And get an insight on attachment of baby on the nipple. If you start getting ready cracks on your nipples, its because of improper latching. After feeding the baby spread some breast milk over the nipple and let air-dry.
#motherfeed, #breastmilk
2.BREAST MILK:
First put the baby for mother feed. Make the baby suckle on to the breast for at least 7-10 mins on each side. Repeat after very 2hours. The smaller the baby the smaller the size of the tummy. Milk production is according to the need of the baby. The more the baby suckle, the more the feed is produced. Before you put the baby to feed get hot water bag placement over chest, it also helps. The better the diet of mommy, the more the feed is produced.
A good breakfast followed by 2 rotis in lunch and 2 rotis in dinner. 2 to 3 litres of water per day. Milk at least 2 glasses per day. Panjiri is good for these days.🍳🥚🥛🥣🍗🥩
If you have undergone caesarean, milk production might be a little slow but dont worry the flow gets better in 3-5 days.🤗
Try and avoid formula milk. Mother fed babies have strong immunity and tend to fall sick less often than formula fed babies.
#motherfeed, #noformulamilk
3. POOP stories:(Your new hot topic of discussion)🙊🚽🚼
A baby who’s on mother feed may poop everytime he feeds. This shows he has a very good metabolism. So, dont be worried if its about 8-10 times a day. Initial 2-3 days a black-green colored poop is seen followed by pale yellow color after that. A baby who is on a combination feed (mother plus formula) might show color variations in poop and might go constipated as well.
#pooptime, #blackpoop #greenpoop, #yellowpoop
4. DIAPER:
Even if you are using diapers make sure that you wash baby’s bottom with warm water after every pee and soapy water after poop followed by blot drying. Using baby wipes may irritate the skin. In such situations you may use petroleum jelly or zinc oxide paste. #Diaberrash
5. WEIGHT OF THE BABY
Normal weight is 2.5 to 3.5 kg. For first 20 days babies tend to loose weight then they start putting up.
#weightissuesnewborn
6. UMBILICAL CORD
For cleaning the cord just dab alcohol swab over it once or twice a day. Nothing more. The cord should stay out of the pamper to avoid infection.The umbilical cord usually sheds off between 7-10 days. Sometimes might take up to 14 days.
#umbilicalcordnewborn
7. JAUNDICE:
Usually jaundice comes by the 3rd day, increases till the 5th day and then tapers down till the 7th day
By day 15 jaundice should completely be gone. Till then baby is lazy, tends to sleep more and feed a little less.
#jaundiceinnewborn
8. BATH issues:🛁🚿
You can give a daily bath between 11 am to 3pm. Dry well. Do not put directly under the fan. No AC exposure for an hour or two.
The baby should be cosy neither hot nor cold. As long as this is maintained…he shall be good to go. No tight wrapping.
#cosybaby, #happybaby
9. NEWBORN BABY ALLERGY
The baby might get newborn baby allergy by day 15 to 21. Thats normal don’t put anything.
#newbornallergy
10. CIRCUMCISION:
Get it done during the 3rd or 4th week. Find a good set up with proper hygienic measures as well as sterilization. Just wash with soapy water nothing else.
#circumcisionnewborn
11. VACCINATION:💉
These days BCG vaccination is given at hospital. So, make sure your baby has gotten that. Put a reminder for 6th week vaccination. Should be done ON TIME. Select an institution where cold chain of vaccine is maintained.
#vaccinationOnTime
12. Hang in there babes!
And last but mossst important are you doing okay? Are you taking care of your self?🤗😘
Whether you had a normal delivery or a caesarean those stitches down there or the ones on your belly, are gonna hurt. You will take time to heal as well.🤐😫
You have to look after the baby as well as after yourself. You need to eat good and sleep good as well.😌 Handover the baby to family members and get done with your sleep.A happy you (well-fed and well-slept) will be a better mommy. 🤩😍Its a tough time… But it shall pass and this tiny caterpillar of yours shall bloom into a very healthy butterfly very soon🐛🦋. Dont overburden yourself.
BONUS!!! Some FAQs answered for YOU!
Q. Baby is crying, what to do?
A.Pamper check, hunger pangs,
Clothes causing irritation(only cotton clothing to be worn), feeling too hot or cold due to over wrapping or under clothing, improper sleep, colic.
So kindly check for these.
Also check if the child cries more in the presence of a certain maid or certain kid.
#newbornbabyiscrying
Q.Baby must be thirsty, shall i give water?
A. Please, no water before 6 months of age. 70% of mother feed is water so all the requirements for water are already being fulfilled. Only Exclusive mother feed till 6months of age.
#nowaterfornewborn
Q. Newborn baby has jaundice. Elder people of family insisting to put in sunlight. 🌄Is it beneficial?
A.In old days people used to believe that when a newborn gets the physiological jaundice, he should be exposed to sunlight (8am to 9am) which would help cut down the jaundice. Research has proven that the wavelength of the light reqd to decrease levels of jaundice are not present in the sunlight. So exposing to sunlight is not at all necessary. If the levels are raised to an extent that treatment is required then the baby has to be kept under phototherapy lights. #physiologicaljaundice, #nosunlighttherapy
Q. Vaginal bleed in baby girl. Is this normal??😳
Your newborn baby may have vaginal bleeding on 2nd or 3rd day. Its called withdrawal bleeding. You have to do nothing about it. It will resolve on it own.
#babyperiods, #vaginalbleednewborn
Q.How to unblock nose of newborn babies?
A. Hey, cleaning a baby’s nose is no rocket science.🚀 What you are doing is most probably correct method…just a touch up maybe needed.
First understand this that what is happening: Baby has two openings where they can breathe from one is nose and other is oral cavity (mouth).
If you are feeding the baby the mouth is closed then the only opening left is…..the nose. And if the nose is also blocked then during the feeding time the baby will have no where to breathe from…hence will have a disturbed feed and take out the nipple every now and them to take a breath.
So, the nose gotta be clean.
Put norsaline drops in both nostrils every 6hours. And try to make this time some what 15-20 mins before feed.
So, pull the head of the baby a little backwards and put 2 drops norsaline. Wait for 5mins. Then slightly massage the part of nose just below the nasal cartillage. The kids gonna sneeze. If not, twist a tissue and put in nose. Dry it, clean it.🤧
Or buy a suction bulb to clean the nose.
Then you may feed.
This will ensure better feeding as well. #blockednosenewborn
Q. My baby is sneezing, shall i rush to the doctor.
Hey, sneezing happens when there’s a foreign particle in the baby’s air passages. That’s part of normal mechanism to clear away the air passages. #sneezingnewborn
Q. My baby has irregular breathing pattern. Sometimes it looks as if he stops breathing. Should i be worried?🙀
A.It is part of the development of the diaphragm that produces this occasional catching or skipping a breath.🧐 A pause of up to 20 seconds is considered normal. A more regular pattern of breathing is seen by 6weeks of age. #Strangebreathingnewborn, #irregularbreathinginnewborn
Q. My baby is sleeping a lot. Is that okay?
A newborn baby might sleep 15-18 hours per day and that’s nothing to be worried about. The baby will gradually adjust his schedule.
Q. My baby has swollen breast buds. Shall i squeeze the milk out?
A. Not at all. Do not do any thing to the swollen breast buds. Its in response to hormones that the baby was exposed to during pregnancy. Absolutely nothing to be worried about.
#swollenbreastbuds
Q. Can we give honey🍯 to the baby?A. Nopes, no honey before 12 months.
#nohoney, #noghutti
Q. When to rush to the hospital?
√ If the baby has a temperature of 100.4°F or higher 🤒and its not coming down even after making sure that the baby is not over wrapped or over dressed
√ If the baby stops taking feed or vomits multiple times. 🤮
√ If the baby passes multiple loose watery stools.💩💩💩
√ If the baby is excessively sleepy,😴 lethargic or unresponsive
√If the baby is excessively irritable and cries unconsolably for longer than normal.😭
√ If the baby has redness, swelling or discharge from the base of his umbilical cord.😱
√ If the baby shows any signs of turning blue.😰
#dangersigns, #newborndangersigns
You can join the Facebook group PEDIATRICIAN ON THE GO to keep updated about Pediatric issues.
Finally hatching 