Caring for your baby-the first few days

Your baby must be immunised, against all the immunisable diseases.

This baby is over-dressed!’ exclaimed the doctor, when Joyce took her newborn daughter for a check up, a few weeks after delivery. ‘You see,’ explained the doctor,” a baby is simply a small human being, but with same senses as an older child or an adult. How would you feel on a hot day, if someone dressed you in a vest, sweater, t-shirt and woollen jacket, and further wrapped you in a blanket?’

Like Joyce, your baby has finally come. It has taken you nine whole months – and now that she is here, she needs to get the best care from you. Taking good care of your baby is not only a gesture of responsibility on your part, but also ensures that your baby grows up healthy and happy. You need to understand what your baby needs, when and why.

Take account of the following as you start life with your baby:

Just arrived
Always wash your hands with soap, before handling your baby.

During the first few days, restrict the number of people holding your baby, especially those who have coughs, colds or sore throats. It sounds mean,but it helps to protect your baby against such infections.

Look out for temperature changes
The temperature in the environment swings dramatically, and your baby may not be able to put up with such changes. Her systems are not yet mature enough to cope with the varying temperatures. While in the uterus the temperature was constant, but now that she is out, you need to help her remain comfortable. Keep her warm when it is cold, and dress her lightly whenever it is hot.

Cleaning your baby
Daily bathing is not essential in the first few days. You may bath your baby on alternate days. On days when you are not bathing her, use cotton swabs to wipe her face, skin folds and napkin area.

To prevent heat loss, do not over-expose your baby. If you are not giving your baby a full bath, expose only that part of the body you need to clean.

Bath her in a warm room, using warm water that you have tested the temperature, using your elbow. Do not use your hand to test the temperature of your baby’s bathing water, as the palm is harder than the rest of the skin, and is therefore not as sensitive to temperature. High temperatures may feel ordinary to the palm.

Clean the umbilical cord with methylated spirit, and leave it dry. Repeat this daily until it dries and falls off. Wash your hands before and after touching the cord. Take care that you do not enclose the cord in the napkin as urine may cause infection and slow down the healing process.

Always use baby soap when washing your baby. Other soaps are often too harsh to be used on baby’s skin. Your baby’s soap is exclusively hers, and should not be shared with the other members of the family.

Clean your baby’s eyes properly if there is some discharge. Be careful not to transfer an infection from one eye to the other.

Change your baby frequently
Wet clothing must always be changed immediately. The cold clothing draws heat from your baby’s body. Ensure that your baby’s skin is protected from certain irritants such as urine and stool, by changing nappies and garments immediately your baby soils them.

After every nappy change, dry the baby’s buttocks to prevent soreness. Be gentle, as too much rubbing may traumatise the baby.

Feeding time
When you are breastfeeding your baby, maintain eye contact. This is important to enhance communication, and ensure that you and your baby bond well.
When feeding your child, place her in a position that will not cause her to choke. Airway obstruction can result in death. Always help your baby to bring up wind or to burp after every feed. Hold her upright against your shoulder, then gently massage the area between the shoulder blades.

Never allow your baby to vomit while lying on her back. She may breathe in the vomitus into her lungs. This may cause serious problems and even death.

Baby’s health
Your baby must be immunised against all the immunisable diseases. Ensure that you take her to a neonatal clinic where her health will be monitored.

Occasionally she will get a blocked nose. Since she cannot blow her nose, get a mucus extractor, which is available in most pharmacies. It is a saline solution that helps to thin out the mucus and allows it to flow out.

Check the colour of your baby’s skin from time to time. A bluish-purple colour indicates that either the baby is bleeding or has been deprived of oxygen. Always inspect the umbilical cord. The baby may bleed through the cord, if the clamp is not tight enough. This requires urgent medical attention as bleeding is very risky, especially for a newborn.

Your baby may be sensitive or allergic to certain fabric conditioners and soaps. As soon as you notice such sensitivity, discontinue their use.

There are nappy fasteners available in the shops. In case you do not get these, you may use a safety pin. If you use a safety pin, insert it into the cloth from side to side (not vertically) and with one hand protecting the baby’s abdomen to avoid pricking the skin or genitalia with the pin.

Cut your baby’s nails from time to time, so that she does not scratch and bruise herself with them.

If you notice that your baby has a sunken fontanelle, she is most probably dehydrated. The fontanelle is the area on your baby’s head, where the skull bones meet and usually pulsates. It closes when the baby is 18 months old. Consult the doctor who will advise on rehydration procedures, both at the hospital and at home.

‘A baby is simply a small human being but with same senses as an older child or an adult.’

END: BL 4/54-55