New mothers are under a great deal of stress because of lack of support in nuclear families, especially since the traditional caregiver — the grandmother — is more likely to be a working woman these days. The deluge of contradictory advice, paucity of reliable information and lack of a clear road map don’t make things easier. Here are a few things that new mothers should know.
During pregnancy walk for a half hour in the morning and evening. The baby’s head is the heaviest part of its body, and walking will help gravity pull it down to the lowest part of the birth canal. It will also strengthen the calf and thigh muscles, making it easier to push out the baby during delivery. Many gyms offer special exercise or yoga classes for pregnancy and childbirth.
As the skin stretches over the distended abdomen, the elastic fibres under the skin break and tear. This leaves indelible brown or white marks on the abdomen called stretch marks. To avoid them, apply oil on your tummy, thighs and back everyday from the time your stomach starts to grow.
The nipples may develop painful cracks and fissures once the baby starts to feed. Oil (coconut, olive, sesame or a mixture of the three) needs to be applied, left on for 10 minutes and washed off with a delicate body wash.
Food and drinks with artificial colours, preservatives and other chemicals should be avoided. Restaurants tend to use ajinomoto (and not just in Chinese food) so home cooked food and fresh juice is best. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes as well as second hand smoke from a spouse or parent. Vapourising mosquito repellents should be avoided. A mosquito net and an electric bat to hit recalcitrant mosquitoes are safe and effective alternatives.
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It is better to stick to one doctor during the entire pregnancy. Folic acid, iron and calcium supplements are essential. Urinary tract infections are common and need to be treated. Diabetes or hypertension that were pre-existent or developed during pregnancy needs to be controlled. Poor control can mean small babies or sudden death of the baby during pregnancy. Any medication for long term illnesses such as a seizure disorder or a psychiatric illness should be continued. The appropriate consultants should be informed about the pregnancy so that they can change the medication or adjust the dose. If you see a new doctor, mention you’re pregnant.
It is best to not travel during early pregnancy. If travel is unavoidable, trains are probably better than planes. If you are planning to have the baby in a different city, be there a month before the anticipated date. Babies are notorious for arriving early and in the middle of the night.
Wear loose clothes in natural fibres and flat sandals. Stay away from heels.
Put the new born to the breast as soon as possible. Although the first milk secreted appears watery and inadequate, it contains essential immunoglobulin to protect the baby against infections. As the baby sucks more and more milk will be produced. If at this point artificial feeds are introduced, the baby loses interest in sucking. Without the stimulation, breast milk will decrease. Drinking a glass of water before and after feeding keeps the milk flowing adequately. Breastfed babies do not need water until weaning starts.
The umbilical cord usually falls off between 7-10 days after birth. It needs to be kept dry and exposed to air till then, so the diaper needs to be tied below the umbilicus. Basin baths should be avoided until the stump is healed.
Do not apply soap directly to baby’s skin. Soap up a soft wet towel and use that. Clean and dry the folds in the neck and groin properly.
Do not use powder (even baby powder) on children. Talcs contain magnesium trisilicate and may be contaminated with cancer causing asbestos. If inhaled, the fine particles can cause wheezing and lung damage. Application in the groin area in girls has been linked to ovarian cancer.
Babies need fresh air and sunshine. They should be taken outside within a week of their birth for limited periods of time. Exposure to crowded places or travel is not advisable until the first three immunisations are complete.
Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in
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