Hi everyone, today I am going to talk about Preterm baby care and what parents can do to help their premature babies achieve optimal growth in the initial months.

During my last trimester pregnancy, I was really worried as I had heard many cases of preterm deaths and complicated preterm deliveries. One of our neighbors had a premature baby who came back home after spending 15 days in the NICU. When they came home with the baby, I saw how tiny that baby was, so fragile like a small flower and had tubes going inside her nose. That was a really heartbreaking sight. I didn’t see the baby for the next 3 months as she was kept inside the house to avoid any infections.

Most pregnancies normally last about 40 weeks and if a birth occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy it is termed as preterm birth.

These babies are considered premature and have an increased risk of complications. These preterm babies need special care as some of their organs are underdeveloped and there are high chances of getting an infection.

I am listing down the 3 essential tips which can help parents in preterm baby care-

1 – Understand & Manage the Nutritional Needs of your Preterm Baby

This is the most important part of preterm baby care as proper nutrition is very important for their growth. Since the preterm babies are born before time, there is a possibility that their organs are not yet fully developed. Their digestive system may not work similar to a full term baby. If the baby has underdeveloped lungs, they may be given fluids through an IV (intravenous).

Breast milk is considered best for both preterms as well as full-term babies as it provides the essential nutrients along with DHA and natural vitamin E. If you are able to produce milk, and your baby is able to suckle then doctors will recommend exclusive breastfeeding every 2 hours. In case the baby is not able to latch, you will be advised to express milk for the baby.

You may also read – 6 Successful Breastfeeding tips for new moms!

In case you are not able to produce milk, consult a lactation specialist immediately. Do not delay! Your healthcare provider may ask your permission to give formula feed to the baby until your supply is established.

Please remember, even just a few drops of breast milk at a time will do them good.

In my previous posts on #FeedIQ, I have shared how the nutrition intake of a mother during pregnancy and breastfeeding impacts the growth of the baby. To avoid any nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy, mothers can also take a supplement (after consulting their doctor) like SimMom IQ⁺ by Abbott. This is a specialized nutrition which offers an IQ⁺ blend of brain nutrients and high-quality protein that helps in the fetal brain development & healthy birthing.

2- Offer Kangaroo Mother Care

Many doctors recommend Kangaroo care since premature babies are not yet ready to live outside their mother’s womb. Kangaroo care is a technique where newborn babies are given direct skin-to-skin contact. Babies are placed on the chest of their mothers immediately after the birth. This is done for many hours a day at least 4 times a week.

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Studies have shown many benefits of this method for both baby and the mother. It is the best way to bond with your newborn and provide him the warmth and safety. Kangaroo care also helps in breastfeeding and fast weight gain in babies.

You may read more about Kangaroo Care, here!

3- Stay Positive & Stress-free

The whole birthing process and the realities of preterm birth may result in stress and anxiety in new moms. You are already coping with so much from raging hormones to the challenges of preterm baby care. But this is the time to stay strong and positive. A mother’s mental and emotional well being is essential for the well being of her baby. Your baby can sense your stress which is not good for both you and the baby.

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Just follow the instructions by your doctor for baby’s proper care and kick that stress out. Enjoy your motherhood and the time with your newborn. You won’t even realize how fast these little babies grow. Just cherish every moment spent with them!

According to WHO, every year, an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm. And preterm birth complication is the most common cause of death among children under 5 years of age (approx. 1 million deaths). More than three-quarter of preterm babies can be saved with feasible, cost-effective care.

Laerdal Global Health is a not-for-profit company dedicated to helping save lives of mothers and newborns. Their goal is to save 5,00,000 more lives every year by 2020. Abbott has collaborated with Laerdal to support their initiative of providing training workshops to nurses on ‘Essential care for every baby and Essential care for small baby’.

Reference –

www.tommys.org,

www.americanpregnancy.org,

www.nutritionnews.abbott,

www.who.int,

www.parents.com,

www.simmom.in

The post Preterm Baby Care – 3 Essential Tips for New Moms appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hi guys, today I want to take up another important topic related to babies i.e Cognitive Milestones in Early Childhood. 

In simple words, cognitive development is the brain’s ability to act and think. And cognitive milestones help keep a check on baby’s brain and intellectual development.

Just like any other new mom, I was also obsessed with the term ‘milestones’, when Nemit was a little baby. I used to keep a check on his physical growth every month and sometimes even every week since babies grow really fast.

For the first 30 days after birth, my complete focus was only on his physical growth. At that time I was not aware that there are cognitive milestones as well. And came to know about their importance only at a later stage.

At around 2 months, when a baby smiles for the first time, it is a growth milestone. And around 3-4 months, when the baby responds to our facial expressions with a smile, it is a cognitive milestone.

Keeping a track of cognitive milestones is as important as other developmental milestones.

Many parents are not aware of the different categories of developmental milestones. These are basically a bundle of physical, cognitive, social, emotional and communication milestones. And each one of these plays an equally important role in a child’s overall growth and development.

Physical milestones involve the development of gross and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills such as rolling over, crawling, sitting, standing and fine motor skills like mastering pincer grip, drawing, writing, eating etc.

With cognitive milestones, the focus is more on thinking, learning, exploring and problem-solving skills.

There are many ways in which a mother can assist her baby in achieving cognitive milestones. And further helping in infant cognition.

One of the best ways is through nutrition!

Source – Gooey Brains

You will be amazed to know that a baby’s cognitive development starts from the time of conception. And that is why during pregnancy, mothers are advised to take proper care of their health and nutrition intake. DHA and Natural Vitamin E are the most important brain-building nutrients responsible for baby’s cognitive development.

Many studies and research conducted by Abbott, reinforce nutrition’s impact on cognition.

Only a mother can provide these essential nutrients to the baby during pregnancy and later through breastfeeding.

I always say that each baby is unique and they achieve their milestones at their own pace. However, this is also true that parents play an important role in their baby’s growth and development. Cognitive development is directly influenced by the quality of time parents spent with their babies. Cognition is the most important part of a child’s development as it lays the foundation for lifelong progress.

Another best way to help your baby achieve cognitive milestones is through stimulation!

Source – www.essentialbaby.com

It’s important that parents provide the right environment and stimulation activities right from the birth. There are many benefits of stimulation for the development of baby’s thinking and intelligence, auditory and visual senses and also helps in improving their social and emotional skills.

To know more about the age-appropriate (0-2 years) stimulation activities check out this post here!

A baby’s brain doubles in size in the first year. And by the age of two, the brain has up to twice as many nerve connections as it will have in adulthood.

Babies are way smarter than we think. For the first 2 years after birth, they use their senses to learn about the world around them. They are constantly learning, thinking and exploring their surroundings. And working towards developing remarkable intellectual skills.

Hence, it becomes crucial for parents to keep a watch on their cognitive milestones. And take immediate action if they notice any red flags. As early intervention always help!

Check out the below chart for an age-wise list of cognitive milestones 

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I hope you find this post informative and helpful. Do share your experience with me related to developmental milestones in the comment below. And don’t forget to share this post!

Reference:

http://static.abbottnutrition.com/cms-prod/anhi.org/img/Cheatham.pdf

http://www.abbott.in/live-healthy/thrive/infant/boost-your-babys-development.html

https://anhi.org/education/course-catalog/B880EF2D92BB48A1AE80277F1B36C0C4

https://www.nap.edu/resource/19401/ProfKnowCompFINAL.pdf

https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2012/05/21/Abbott-Nutrition-Cognition-research-is-one-of-our-top-global-priorities

‘I am taking my Alexa rank to the next level with Blogchatter’

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Hello to all my lovely readers, as promised I am bringing to you the 1st Bonus Post of The Mom Series for the month of December, The Breastfeeding Journey. I feel so proud and elated right now while sharing this story of an awesome mom that I am falling short of words. What to say about her? Have you ever felt battling with something big that once you are over with it you decide to work towards it to spread the awareness, so that no one else goes through the similar struggles.

Well, this mom is one such person, she faced challenges right after her delivery but she was determined and never lost hope. Let’s read her very inspiring story in her own words.

My Breastfeeding Journey

–By Sapna Krishnan

When I was pregnant, I wasn’t prepared for anything and had zero knowledge about the whats and the hows. Also, I worked until my 7th month, quit and then went to my hometown for my delivery. There I had a c-section and was in the ICU where my daughter, Tanirika was brought to me 2 hours post-surgery.

While at the hospital – The first latch

I had no idea what getting the right latch was during breastfeeding. The nurse tried to help but gave up after 3 tries. She asked my mother to take the baby back to the room and bring her later to try again. I had no clue what was happening.

She was brought back an hour later, maybe because she was crying in hunger. We tried again but she didn’t latch. It was a new nurse on shift and she shouted at my mother for not being able to help me. It broke my heart and being high on hormones, I unleashed myself on the nurse. She apologized and my daughter was taken back again, hungry.

It slowly started to sink in that my baby was hungry and wasn’t getting my feed. The hospital did not even start her on formula. I was moved to the room a little later. Seeing how helpless we were, the nurses in charge of that floor came to help us. And we got the first latch, although not right. It hurt but I kept at it thinking that was normal. My cousin who stayed back asked me to sit through it because feeding the baby was more important than the pain of a wrong latch.

Back to home – Support from BSIM

It was all good at the hospital but hell broke loose when we got home. The pain was unbearable and my daughter had begun to cluster feed. I was advised against nursing while lying down. The first night and she cried her lungs through it because I couldn’t keep her on my breast any longer and I was told I didn’t have enough milk because it wasn’t leaking.

I cried for the next few hours with the baby wailing in my cousin’s arms. I felt like a horrible and incapable mother already, on day 4. My cousin assured me that it is going to be fine and I just need to eat and drink well and my body will make the necessary milk. Determined to only breastfeed my baby, I ate 9 times a day. Oh yes, I wanted to throw up most times but I had to do it if that is what is going to help me breastfeed. Nothing else mattered. Every time she cried, she was on the breast. All other times, I was eating. Sleep? Well, I had no idea, because I kept alarms to wake up to eat/drink.

This went on for a month and then I couldn’t handle it. I stumbled upon Breastfeeding Support for Indian Mothers (BSIM) on Facebook. I studied every post and went through all the documents, links and websites. Finally, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Everything felt normal. It may not sound right, but you feel a little better when you know you aren’t alone. The baby was on the breast more, my meals reduced and I became human again.

The Next Hurdle –  To Nurse In Public (NIP)

I had no idea how people did it. Someone suggested a front open (with zipper at the center) dress and although I thought it was a brilliant idea, reality hit when I had to use it. I wasn’t comfortable exposing and the dress did just that and I ended up being confined to the 4 walls.

It drove me mad and I had to do something about it. Why should I stop living because I had a baby? I did a little research and started my own brand in nursing wear by the name, T&S – Threads & Shuttles. Slowly, I realized while I was enjoying what I was doing, I wanted to do more. My hard time around breastfeeding was because of no knowledge around it; thankfully my family was pro-breastfeeding but wasn’t aware of the right techniques.

But there are so many parents who are struggling a lot because of the myths that a new mother is brainwashed with. Breastfeeding requires a lot of dedication in the first year and with the right support and guidance, it gets smoother by the day.

Keeping this in mind, I decided to bring forth the breastfeeding journeys of many inspiring mothers through my blog, Threads & Shuttles. If it helps even one mother to breastfeed her baby, I think I have won it all.

You are definitely winning it Sapna. Spreading the awareness by bringing out the inspirational breastfeeding stories of many mothers, you are doing a great job. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us.

I loved reading Sapna’s breastfeeding story, hope you all liked it too. Show her some love by leaving your comments in the below section. Sharing the post is always appreciated.

You can read all the stories of The Mom Series from November >> Here <<

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