Take Care Of Your New Born
New parents are always excited but equally nervous about being right about their steps towards taking care of their new born. They read N number of books, take consultations from Pediatricians, elders and what not! However, it cannot be denied that experience does help and is sometimes reliable too but blindly following anything could be a risk. So, One World News brings to you the correct ways of taking care of your new born, along with Dr. Neha Joshi, a Pediatrician.
Umbilical Cord: Many feel concerned that it is an active part of the body and they sometimes feel concerned if it will pain the baby. Firstly, it is a painless structure. It will shiver, shrink and automatically be fine one day, as it would come off the baby within 5- 12 days on its own. However, it is recommended that it should be kept clean and sterile.
Parents are not recommended to touch it with wet, dirty or oily hands. And with the help of your doctor, one may prescribe sprinkling of Betadene powder to keep it sterile while it is on the body. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping it untouched for the entire time it is on body however the Indian Academy of Pediatrics says that because we live in a tropical country it is recommended to use antiseptics to keep it dry and clean.
Baby Napkin: The Indian Academy of Pediatrics recommends two types of napkins- Disposable Diapers and Re-usable napkins. The advantages of Re-usable cotton nappies are that it allows aeration which is very important for hygiene of new born babies. The skin is still immature and still forming its outer-most barrier layer so it is important that we provide the right amount of care, aeration etc. which is possible with cotton nappies. With diapers, one has to take care of the intervals in which they change it. Some suggest changing it in two to three hours of intervals but one should make sure that the baby is not in touch with the soiled nappies because there are risks of having rashes in such times.
Luke warm water and cotton is recommended by the American and Indian Pediatric societies.
Baby Massage: New mothers are always bothered about when to start massaging their new born. We all know now that the umbilical cord has to be protected and not be touched with wet, dirty or oily hands so, it is recommended to start massaging the baby after the cord gets detached from the body. More care has to be taken in the case of pre-terms and babies who are small for the gestational stage.
How to do it:
– On the foot it is recommended to massage up and then down.
– Legs and Arms: Up and down and circular motion
– On the belly, give a clockwise massage because it is the direction in
which the milk will move in intestines and this massage prevents babies from having gastric discomforts.
Oil to be used: There are many products available. Natural ones involve: Olive oil, coconut oil, palm nut, mineral and mustard. The massaging is done to provide skin to skin contact and to stimulate the muscles toallow the blood flow and therefore a passive exercise for the baby. The type of oil is not so relevant but it has been noticed that babies have developed certain allergies because of use of mustard oils on them. In a temperature like ours one has to be careful about how we use the oil. It is recommended that the oil is not directly applied on the baby’s body but on the hands of the one who would do the massage. Notice the skin for a period of time for any signs of allergy, if none present, the same oil can be used. Also, it is advised to massage every day because it is a passive exercise.
Baby Bath: We all receive recommendations from the elders on the matter of giving bath to the new born. We have to understand that the reason behind using a mild shampoo or soap is to cleanse off the dirt, dead skin or any bacteria. The baby products shouldbe fragrance and color free and parents should not apply baby powder since they are found to clog the pores of the skin and is a risk to the airways.
