Moms and Bubs

One of the things that a new mother has to learn is the caring for the umbilical cord of a baby. Mothers may not yet have any problem with their umbilical cords of their babies while they are still inside the womb. However, they will have to know how to take care of it as their babies are born. A new mother need to know a little more about her baby’s umbilical cord and she also need to learn what to do with it when she goes home with her baby.

After delivery, the umbilical cord of a baby is clamped and then it is cut by using a painless process. What will be left is a stump which will dry up and then fall on its own after several days. A new mother need to keep the stump always clean and dry and she must fold the diaper just below the stump to expose it to air and to prevent it from being soaked in urine. A new mother is also advised not to bathe her baby in the tub until the stump has fallen off. There might be some small blood that may be observed as it falls off though this is just normal not unless that she sees some heavy bleeding.

A new mother who is caring for the umbilical cord of a baby should never attempt to pull the stump even if there is only being held by a very fine thread. She will have to be patient and wait for it to just fall on its own.  There are times though that some flesh may still remain when the umbilical cord of a baby falls off. There is no need to worry as this will disappear in time or it may also be treated painlessly by a doctor.

Caring for the umbilical cord of a baby starts as the doctor swabs it with some antiseptic before putting a clamp on it. A mother is then instructed to swab it at least once or even twice a day with a cotton or gauze that is dipped in alcohol. However, there may be some doctors who would advice a new mother to just let it on its own to dry. If the baby is healthy and has a strong immune system, his or her umbilical cord will heal in a lesser time than expected. A new mother though has to consult her doctor immediately if she observes any sign of infection while she is caring for the umbilical cord of her baby.

There are varying opinions about baby vitamin supplements. Parents must consult with their babies’ pediatricians in order to be advised if they have to give baby vitamin supplements or not. Usually the breast milk or the infant formula has everything that the baby needs from birth up to four or six months. However, there is a need for vitamin D supplement for babies who are breastfed or who drink a lesser amount of infant formula in a day. By the time they reach four to six months old, pediatricians may recommend baby vitamin supplements as they start with their first solid foods.

In some cases baby vitamin supplements are necessary such as among premature babies because they usually have lower birth weight. Breastfeeding or infant formula may not be able to provide all of the vitamins that they require to catch up with the rest of the babies their age. It is also necessary to consider the health of the mother even during before pregnancy. Mothers who have been taking medications may have lesser nutrient content that are in their breast milk. Mothers also have to know about the proper diet that they need to be able to provide for the nutrient needs of their babies.

The baby vitamin supplements that may be needed include Iron, vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and Omega3. There may still be other baby vitamin supplements that pediatricians may recommend to parents depending on the vitamin deficiencies or needs of the babies. Although breast milk and infant formula contain Iron, babies would need more of it by the time they start eating their first solid foods. Parents need to see to it that they are given iron-fortified baby foods such as pureed meats and some kinds of legumes and beans. Iron supplements may be recommended if babies are not able to get enough from the food that they are given.

Vitamin D is one of the baby vitamin supplements that are recommended to newborns. Mothers may only transfer a small amount of vitamin D from their breast milk. This vitamin is produced through the help of sunlight. However, babies cannot be exposed too long to the sun each day. Vitamin B12 is also necessary especially in developing the nervous system as well as to prevent the occurrence of anemia. Likewise, omega3 fatty acid is important for developing the brain and the eyes. Omega3 may however be recommended when the mothers do not eat the right foods that provide this nutrient that can be transferred through their breast milk. These are some of the baby vitamin supplements that may be recommended for the proper developments of babies.