What Is The Right Time To Take Your Baby To The Pediatrician?

Best Child / Pediatric Specialist Doctor near me - Motherhood India Hospital

The American Academy of Paediatrics highlights that a baby should have her first visit 3-5 days after birth. Likewise, the first year of a baby accounts for around half a dozen pediatrician visits. Normally, the trend goes – 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months. 

Understanding Newborn Health Concerns: When to Schedule Your First Visit

Infants need a pediatrician as they have a weak immune system that makes them prone to diseases, malnutrition, and more. It is therefore recommended that if your child is a baby, you must always be in touch with your pediatrician. 

Common Infant Health Issues: Identifying Symptoms and Seeking Medical Attention

However, the relationship between the pediatrician and your infant begins right after delivery.

Here are a few pointers that highlight the stuff examined by the pediatrician before discharging the mother from the hospital. 

  • Neck and collarbone check for any sort of fracture while squeezing through the birth canal. 
  • Head check 
  • Hip check for signs of dysplasia
  • Reflex check for a Moro reflex
  • Genitals check 
  • Sleeping patterns
  • Digestive system
  • Baby feeding pattern
  • Pulse check for any sort of heart defect

The need for regular visits: why is it necessary to visit the pediatrician on time? 

To better understand the child’s health condition and nutrition levels. 

The diseases do not show symptoms in the early developing years but when the child starts to grow. Thus, a check-up in the developing years is recommended. 

The Role of the Pediatrician in Your Baby’s Development: Milestones and Expectations

As per the primarily standardized norm, the children between the ages of 1 and 4 years must be taken to the pediatrician at least 7 times. 

  • 12 months old
  • 15 months old
  • 18 months old
  • 24 months old
  • 30 months old
  • 3 year old
  • 4 year old

After 4 years, the child can be taken to the pediatrician every year for an annual check-up. 

All in all, visiting a pediatrician right after the baby’s birth is a significant part of ensuring that the baby is healthy inside out. Regular visits are thus recommended for infants and the pattern changes with advancing age. 

 

After Delivery Myth & Postpartum Care

Care After Delivery (Postpartum Care) - Motherhood India Hospital

Postpartum is referred to as the six-week tenure after childbirth. It is a crucial time for the mother to make a bond with the baby while taking some time for body healing.

Coping with Physical Pain: Essential Tips for Postpartum Recovery 

 However, several myths surrounding this period often make it difficult for mothers to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong. Here are a few insights that could help you regarding the same. 

Common myths around postpartum care:

  • Avoid hot foods and cold foods. (Hot as in brinjal and cold as in lady’s finger).
  • Paan is a rich source of calcium for mothers. Fact says that paan can do nothing but stain the mother’s teeth. 
  • Cold foods like fruit juice and curd can cause pus after c – section. 
  • Radiations from screens are harmful to babies. 
  • Ghee strengthens joints after delivery. 
  • Postpartum tummy binding could get your stomach back in shape.
  • Wearing brassiere post-delivery hampers milk production.
  • Postpartum care: the need

Self-Care for New Moms: Prioritizing Your Wellbeing After Delivery

Postpartum care is necessary for new moms as they are at risk of serious and sometimes life-threatening health complications in the days and weeks after giving birth. Estimates say that many new moms have died as they did not get such care.

 Here are a few tips for post-delivery care that new moms must be aware of –

  • Get plenty of rest. Take your healing time to cope with tiredness and fatigue. 
  • Seek practical help around the house. 
  • Increase fluid intake for breastfeeding. Eat healthy meals. 
  • Exercise daily for a speedy recovery.
  • Work on core strengthening. 
  • Fight the baby blues with meditation and the required medication. 
  • Continue with your prenatal vitamins. 
  • Avoid alcohol and caffeine. 
  • Avoid using tampons at least for the first week. 

Myths and facts around breastfeeding.

Post-pregnancy is a stage where you are on the receiving end of uninvited advice, especially when it comes to breastfeeding. Here are a few facts that bust the myths about breastfeeding and could help you seek more clarity regarding the same. 

Myth: Babies who consume formula milk get less colic: 

Fact: Studies suggest that mother’s milk is the best remedy for colic. 

Myth: Daily weight check is a way to determine if the baby is getting enough breast milk

Fact: There are other ways of determining the same like observing the sleep pattern, urine cycles, and more. 

Myth: Mothers’ diet does not impact the quality of milk and mothers can eat anything in any quantity. 

Fact:Studies show that the baby can have the taste of what the mother eats through the milk and that the quality and quantity of milk produced are determined by the same. 

Myth: Mothers cannot feed after getting a flu shot. 

Fact: WHO guidelines clearly state that pregnant mothers have a high risk of flu and should be prioritized to be given a flu shot. 

Myth: Babies can be allergic to their mother’s milk

Fact:There are 2 or 3 such cases out of 100. However, bovine allergy is common among infants. 

Myth: The mother must wash her nipples before breastfeeding. 

Fact: It isn’t necessary to wash nipples before breastfeeding. Instead, it has been found that they produce a substance that the baby smells. It has the good bacteria that helps with immunity building in the infants. The baby is familiar with the mother’s smell. 

Myth:During breastfeeding jaundice, the mother should not feed the child. 

Fact: Elevated bilirubin levels could cause jaundice in infants. It has nothing to do with breastfeeding. 

Myth:Formula milk in the first six months for better adjustment to bottled milk

Fact: It is highly recommended that breast milk is the best nutritional choice for infants. The American Academy of Paediatrics suggests that babies must be breastfed for up to the first six months. 

Vaccinating the Baby

Vaccine Schedule for Infants and Toddlers - Motherhood India Hospital

Vaccines are products given in childhood to stimulate the body’s natural defences hence preparing it to fight diseases effectively.

The Basics of Vaccines: Understanding Immunization

  • It provides protection against diseases like measles and whooping cough.
  • It is a highly effective way to keep your child healthy
  • Vaccinations are timed in a way that the immune system of your child will respond to it at various ages. Thus, they provide protection for all ages.
  • To strengthen the child’s immune system

Common Vaccines for Infants: Schedule and Dosages

What type of diseases do the vaccines for children cover?

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Rotavirus
  • Diphtheria
  • Tetanus
  • Acellular pertussis
  • Haemophilus influenzae
  • Polio
  • Pneumococcal disease
  • Measles
  • Mumps
  • Rubella
  • Varicella
  • Influenza

Ingredients of the modern-day vaccines:

Today vaccines make use of certain ingredients like –

  • Adjuvants that boost the body’s response
  • Stabilizers that keep vaccines effective after being manufactured.
  • Formaldehydes are used to prevent contamination by bacteria
  • Thimerosal is used in the manufacturing process.

Do you know that certain vaccines protect babies before birth?

Yes, babies receive antibodies during pregnancy from the vaccines their mothers had. For example, the measles vaccine protects the baby in the womb for a short time span. However, this protection wears off after a certain time and is thus injected again when they are 12-18 months old. Babies get the shots at this age to keep them protected from measles and two other diseases.

How do the vaccines work?

Vaccines spark the immune response to specific diseases. So, the next time that the virus Or bacteria invades your body in the future, your immune system will already know how to fight it. Thus, the body is now ready to fight infections more efficiently.

Vaccines form a significant part of baby health. Infants bear a weak immune system. They need vaccines to strengthen their immunity. It is thus highly recommended that you ensure that your child is fully vaccinated in the early stages of life.

Drugs during Lactation

Medication use in lactation: evaluating safety concerns - Motherhood India Hospital

Lactation is the process of milk production in humans. It is a hormonally driven process that demands medications. In cases where the mother isn’t able to produce milk, induced lactation is brought into use. Here’s a short insight into the drugs used during the lactation period. 

Navigating Medication Use While Lactating: A Guide for Breastfeeding Mothers

The American Academy of Pediatrics highlights that the drugs used during lactation could have many side effects on the baby, many of which are still not known. Thus, the academy recommends that medications must be taken when needed and one must try to cut the long-term use of drugs during lactation. 

Here are a few insights that’ll help you understand how the drug consumed during lactation works. 

It has been found that the pH of mother’s milk is slightly higher and thus more acidic than plasma. Thus, the weakly basic drugs can easily be transferred to the mother’s milk through passive diffusion which is the primary pathway through which the drug enters breast milk. Ionization of such drugs could leave them trapped in the milk itself. 

Lactation and Drugs: Balancing Your Health and Your Baby’s Needs

The risk of a drug to a breastfed infant is largely dependent on the concentration in the infant’s blood and the effects of the drug on the infant. Feeding immediately before a dose may help minimize infant exposure as concentrations in milk are likely to be lowest towards the end of a dosing interval. 

It has been found that premature babies and neonates have a lower capacity to metabolize and excrete drugs while the babies who have been exposed to the same in the uterus before delivery will augment the existing drug concentration on further exposure via breast milk. 

Safe Medications to Take During Lactation

It is recommended that drugs must be used in the lowest effective dose. Breastfeeding alternatives can be used in cases when high doses are consumed. Studies have found that drugs with relatively short half-lives minimize drug exposure in the milk while social drugs must be avoided at any cost.

Ways To Support Your Child During A Doctor’s Visit

Ways to help kids feel comfortable and safe at the doctor's visit - Motherhood India Hospital

Medical appointments are full of unpredictable moments.

Medical procedures may be invasive to our bodies and cause pain. this mixture will be enough to make significant stress for a toddler. As parents, you may notice that your child shows fear, intense crying, anxiety, and tantrums within the lounge or during a process.

Preparing Your Child for the Doctor’s Visit

If you dread taking your child to the doctor, here are ways to stay in mind to assist your child through a doctor’s appointment.

Provide Information: Never underestimate the facility of preparation. Children will begin to stress a couple of doctor’s visits from the instant they’re told they’re going to be going. Because children are excellent at diving into their imagination, they may create endless possibilities of what might happen. instead of letting your child sink into the worst of their fears, attempt to provide information that may help ease their worries.

Allow Movement: Children who are stuck in fear will usually don’t have any ability to stay still. Instead, they’ll be crying, kicking, pushing, trying to show away or exploit the doctor. When children behave in this manner, it’s common to do and restrain or hold down them down. Because movement may be a natural response created by fear, preventing the movement can be more stressful for the kid. instead of holding down your child, validate their feelings and help soothe them to a more calm state.

Addressing Any Concerns or Fears Your Child May Have

Include Soothing Objects: most youngsters feel attached to a special object. for a few children, this could be a blanket, a toy, a stuffed animal, an image or a bracelet. Bringing your child’s comfort object to the doctor’s office is very helpful, allowing your child to actively use their soothing object moments after they feel overwhelmed.

Following Up and Providing Continued Support After the Appointment

Nurturing Doctor: one in every of the simplest ways to defuse fear in children is thru kindness. While you’ll be the best source of support for your child, remember that you simply don’t seem to be the sole adult within the room.

Common Reasons To Visit A Pediatrician

Best Paediatrician near me - Motherhood India Hospital

As a young mother, you’re always conflicted about whether to travel to a paediatrician or a GP for the health needs of your child. However, it is vital to consider choosing the services of a paediatrician because these professionals specifically concentrate on the health of your baby. Records from the Health Department show that 93% of the children saw a paediatrician within the last year. If you’re wondering why you need to see a paediatrician, learn below.

Importance of Regular Check-Ups for Children’s Health

Check-up of the baby: A baby’s health should never be ignored. Newborn experts indicate that the health of a replacement baby should take priority in your life. Health analysis should occur within the primary week of their life. Paediatricians will take a mean of thirty minutes to evaluate the health of your baby, after which they’ll come up with a conclusive analysis of the baby’s wellness. Having a licensed professional analyze the health of your baby is vital in their growth. Most immunizations are done before the child gets to the age of 18 months.

Common Illnesses in Children and When to Seek Medical Attention

Annual Physicians Exams: Child well checks are very necessary, and they should happen on a routine basis. These routine health checks are formally mentioned as annual physician’s exams. They assist in checking whether the baby is growing well and evidently. The annual physician’s exams include the checking of children in terms of height, weight, and overall body appearance. If the baby isn’t growing obviously, certain measures are incorporated to make sure that the right growth and wellness of the baby are achieved.

Childhood Vaccinations and Immunizations

Baby Immunizations: Baby immunization isn’t only a health requirement but a legal undertaking. Failing to need your baby for pediatric care, especially immunization may end up in jail terms for negligence. The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed and implemented a toddler immunization schedule that must be followed to the letter.

How Often Does My Child Need A Wellness Visit?

How to Prepare Your Child for a Wellness Visit - Motherhood India Hospital

What Is a Wellness Visit for Children?

Some people might imagine a doctor’s appointment as an event when someone is sick or hurt. While these are valid reasons to go to the medical provider’s office, proactive appointments are important too. Regular checkups help the doctor to gauge the child’s health and development. During the visits, the doctor might even see a priority that otherwise wouldn’t have come to light. It is easier for the doctor to make any wellness treatment if required. A wellness checkup keeps the kid up thus far with vaccinations and also helps keep parents attentive to any physical, mental or emotional concerns.

The Benefits of Regular Wellness Visits for Children

Starting at age 5, children should have a wellness visit at the paediatrician’s or family doctor’s office once a year up until age 18. Doctors might want more frequent visits from children with certain health conditions like diabetes, cognitive difficulties or genetic disorders. From birth, parents must get regular check-ups of their children done. As an example, during the primary year of life, doctors recommend checkups every two to 3 months.

What to expect
At the wellness visit, the doctor and other medical staff members will take the child’s vital signs. The doctor also will measure height and weight to work out the progress the kid has made. The doctor will conduct a physical examination of various organs of the child such as eyes, ears, mouth, nose and other internal organs. These visits are an opportunity for the parent to debate any behavioural or developmental problems the kid has.

Common Concerns and Questions About Child Wellness Visits

Some people may wonder why such annual appointments are necessary, especially if the kid looks healthy. A wellness visit will give the doctor a more in-depth study of the child’s health. Things that aren’t obvious to the mom and pop may become apparent to the doctor.

6 Life Skills Your Toddlers Should Know And Develop

Life Skills Your Toddlers Should Know And Develop - Motherhood India Hospital

Self-Care Skills: Teaching Toddlers to Take Care of Themselves

Life skills go hand in hand with development and may help your child succeed later in life. Discover the superior essential life skills your child should know and ways to include them in your daily routine.

What are the foremost critical skills for kids to learn?

1. Focus and Self-Control: Children thrive on schedules, habits, and routines, which not only create a sense of security but also help children learn self-control and focus. Talk together with your child about what to expect daily. Organize your home so your child knows where to place shoes, coats, and private belongings.

2. Perspective-Taking: Puzzling over another’s point of view doesn’t come naturally to most kids, but it will be developed. Discuss characters’ feelings and motivations within the books you read.

3. Communication: Children need high-touch personal interactions daily to create healthy social-emotional skills, including the flexibility to grasp and communicate with others. While the pace at which they develop these skills may vary, children must find out how to “read” social cues and listen carefully. They have to consider what they need to speak about and therefore the best thanks for sharing it.

4. Making Connections: True learning, says Galinsky, occurs once we can see connections and patterns between seemingly disparate things. The more connections we make, the more sense and meaning we make of the planet.

5. Critical Thinking: We board a fancy world within which adults are required to research information and make decisions about myriad things each day. One of the simplest ways to make critical thinking is thru rich, open-ended play.

6. Taking over Challenges: One every of the foremost vital traits we can develop in life is that resilience being able to tackle challenges, recover from failure, and keep trying. Children learn to require challenges once we create an environment with the correct amount of structure not such a lot being limiting, but enough to create them feel safe.

Integrating Physical Activities For Toddlers Into Your Schedule

Outdoor Activities to Keep Toddlers Engaged and Learning - Mother India Hospital

Physical activities are just as important as any other thing, in your toddler’s life for general health and well-being. Any routine is simpler to accept in the early stages of development; once it becomes an essential part of your child’s way of life, they are more likely to stick with it. So you should integrate play-based activities that combine physical activity with your child’s interests and abilities.

The Importance of Physical Activity for Toddlers

Lack of physical activity in young children can lead to a number of health issues including undesirable weight gain or excess body fat, high blood pressure, and problems with bone health and strength, from a young age.

On the other hand, getting children moving at an early age has several advantages, like improving their fine and gross motor abilities,  improving their sleep, and it also helps them in school by making them have a higher attention span.

Incorporating Physical Activities into Daily Routines

Walk: Begin with an easy activity; walking, and believe me your toddler is going to love it. Their balance, coordination, and even muscular development will all be improved. Additionally, strolling on grass is a wonderful method for children to develop a connection to nature.

Dance: Everyone loves dancing irrespective of their age, and so will your little one. Your toddler’s coordination and balance will also improve as a result of dancing, which also promotes the release of serotonin, the feel-good hormone.

Musical hide & seek: This game is where you play music on a phone while keeping it out of the kids’ reach. The kids and you can then search together to determine the source of the music. The toddlers will enjoy and move in this activity.

Hop & Jump: Hoping and leaping are excellent workouts to burn off excess energy, whether they are done on a play mat or a trampoline. It can take the place of a full-body warm-up and will assist your kids to get more energized for other activities.

Freeze dance: Play music so that youngsters can dance but they have to remain still whenever the song is paused. Kids will enjoy dancing, and they’ll also learn self-control techniques.