The birth of a baby brings with itself happiness along with lots of responsibilities and stress (especially for first-time parents). We, as the best Pediatricians in Gurugram at VMedica Clinics, share your excitement in nurturing your child and are partners in helping you provide the best care for your child.
From our experience, many parents have a similar set of questions or concerns when it comes to caring for their babies. We intend to take you through this journey of parenthood with the least ‘hiccups’.
Some important information for parents:
Feeding
Breast milk is the best milk for your baby. It contains all the nutrients needed for the optimal growth and development of the young baby. Quite contrary to what many think, Breast Milk is not only species-specific but also baby specific, which means that your body customizes the milk to suit the requirement of your baby.
A full-term baby usually feeds every 3-4 hours for the initial few days before switching over to ‘demand feeding’. Do not offer any gripe water, honey, to your new-born baby. Infant formula can be used in case you and your Doctor agree that to be the best substitute for Natural Breast milk. Milk production and secretion happen through interplay of maternal hormones. It is important to be calm and relaxed during feeding the baby.
Babies may swallow air during feeding. This may cause their belly to be gaseous which can be minimized by burping the baby post feeds. Your doctor will teach you the correct technique of burping.
Temperature Control
To keep babies comfortable and maintain optimum growth, it is important to keep them warm. It is not necessary for parents to constantly supervise their temperature( except when you baby is born quite early). Simple signs as pink feet and warm body should suggest that your precious one is comfortable and warm.
Bathing
A full-term baby can be given sponged from the second day of life. Wait for the cord to dry and fall off before giving them a proper bath. For bathing, the ideal water should be warm but not hot to touch. Wrap the baby immediately after the bath and keep close to the mother. Please ensure doors and windows are closed during the bathing process. This will ensure no cool draught of air alters his/ her temperature balance.
Baby Colic
Colic is identified as unexplained episodes of crying and fussiness, sometimes accompanied by bloating of the tummy in babies. Typically occurs after 6 weeks of age and can give parents quite a fright, at times ending in A&E visits at the middle of the night! This condition is quite harmless and tends to subside by 3-6 months of age.
Please seek medical advice if the child is not sleeping in between, crying continuously for more than 3 hours or if he/she looks sick. Over-the-Counter medications are known to help (but always seek your Pediatrician’s advice), as is a simple drive with the baby in your car (Don’t forget to carry your baby in a car seat!)
Some Normal things for babies:
- Sneezing and hiccups
- Red rashes on body/ white spots on the nose. They are harmless and would disappear in the due course.
- Passing stools from 10-12 times a day to even less than 2-3 times per day. If the baby is active, there is no abdominal bloating and your baby is not vomiting, there is no need for concern.
- A soft spot on his/her head. This is the ‘Anterior Fontanelle’- a window provided to support active brain growth during infancy. It should close by 9-18 months of age. If it does not close by 18 months, consult your doctor for advice.
- Jaundice- is very common in newborn babies in the first 2-3 days of life. Jaundice in the first 24 hours needs immediate medical attention. Your doctor will need to evaluate the level of Jaundice and will guide you accordingly. Please visit us at VMedica Clinics for an initial Jaundice assessment for your baby.