Opting for the best maternity hospitals in Chennai will ensure that your pregnancy, labor, and delivery are both – safe and healthy. And when the time comes for your baby and you to go home, you will be equipped with all the information needed to handle a newborn. And during this journey, if you ever feel like taking more guidance, here’s a quick guide filled with some useful insights.
The following tips will help you care for your newborn in the most efficient way.
A little help can go a long way:
We all need help. Especially if you have a newborn at home. So, before you leave the hospital, talk to your doctor about how to go about the various activities you will be engaging in with your baby. Some of the best maternity hospitals in Chennai have feeding specialists or lactation consultants. You can consult these experts for nursing or bottle-feeding. Hospital nurses also volunteer to show you how to hold, burp, change, and care for your baby.
Bonding with your newborn:
Perhaps the first activity which you will do with your newborn is spending time bonding. It is also one of the most pleasurable aspects of infant care. Bonding takes places within the first few hours after birth. Initially, it is only the mother and baby, who engage in this activity. Subsequently, the father too can step in. This is the time when you will make a deep connection with your baby. Skin-to-skin closeness not only promotes an emotional connection between the babies and parents, but also benefits the baby neurologically.
Stable emotional growth invariably contributes significantly to the overall physical and mental development of your child. Not to mention, bonding is also another way of “falling in love” with your baby.
Circumcision and Umbilical Cord Care:
As soon as the circumcision is done, the tip of your child’s genital is generally covered by a gauze coated with petroleum jelly. This keeps the wound from sticking to his diaper. Later, all you must do is gently wipe the tip clean with warm water. This needs to be done every time you change your newborn’s diaper. Next, you will need to apply petroleum jelly to the tip in the same manner as the doctor would have done it. Redness or irritation of the penis is common and generally heals within a few days. However, if it stays for a longer duration, it is advised that you inform your doctor immediately.
Similarly, there are some precautions which need to be taken for the umbilical cord, until it dries up and falls off. Some of the things which you should ensure are:
- The navel area should be kept dry
- Do not submerge this area in water until the cord stump falls off
- Wait till the area is completely healed before you clean it
With these tips and a thorough consultation from your doctor at the best maternity hospital in Chennai, you will be able to sail through this challenging time easily.