A healthy Baby

1. By: Dave Jay S. Manriquez RN.

2. Baby Health Depends On Food And Environment Baby health is dependent to a great extent on the health of the mother, especially during the time of her pregnancy. The genes of both the parents have a large role to play in baby health. Besides, the care taken of the baby, nursing the baby and all the precautions taken against major diseases contribute to it.

3. Care Before Birth To ensure baby health the expectant mother must keep herself physically fit to have a normal and healthy baby. Most women require special foods high in proteins after they become pregnant. The nourishment should be good, and the mother should be relieved from work stress or any other kind of mental stress. This can have an effect on baby health later.

4. Environment Should Be Clean Baby health care indicates providing the proper environment for the baby, where the environment should be clean, safe and cheerful. Physical surroundings alone have little influence on the baby health and its development. The people responsible for a baby’s care are the most important part of the baby’s environment.

5. Feeding procedures A baby may be fed milk from the mother’s breast or baby milk mixture from a bottle. It is always better to breast-feed the baby at least the first few months in the beginning, but sometimes it may not be possible and bottle feeding is the answer. Baby health is largely dependent on the fact whether the baby has been breast- fed or not.

6. A Natural Immunity A natural immunity is built within the baby’s body if he is nursed by the mother, and makes him less prone to diseases and gives him a stronger constitution. Besides, the mother’s milk contains all the nourishment that most babies need, like the essential vitamins.

7. Vaccination In most countries, babies are usually vaccinated against seven fatal diseases. This has become a normal procedure for good baby health, and soon after birth the baby receives the vaccinations in stages from the family doctor or a pediatrician. In any case regular visits to the doctor are important to check out whether the growth and the development of the baby are proceeding normally. Any untoward signs showing deterioration in baby health can be treated immediately.

8. Physical And Emotional Deprivations Physical and emotional deprivations are two environmental factors that have a severe effect on baby health and their growth and development. Babies brought up in poor living conditions are likely to be smaller and more prone to illnesses and accidents. Those who are not cuddled, held and loved become listless, lose their appetite, and in cases of extreme neglect, may not survive. Babies who are cared for lovingly, that is, in close and understanding contact with their parents, have the best chances of developing a normal, healthy personality.