Hygiene during pregnancy

During pregnancy, it is very essential to take proper care of your health as it not only helps you to stay fit but also keeps your baby healthy. From a healthy diet to keeping yourself clean, you need to take proper care of everything you do. Personal hygiene is one of the vital factors for a healthy pregnancy.

pregnantmom

Importance of maintaining proper hygiene during pregnancy

When you get pregnant, your body tends to undergo many uncomfortable changes due to the increase in blood circulation and hormonal changes. This results in frequent urination, perspiration, vaginal secretions etc.

The baby in the womb is vulnerable and weak. If the expectant mother does not maintain proper personal hygiene, there are more chances of infection which may harm the baby. The would-be mother also suffers from various infections that affect the skin, stomach, urinary tract etc. Thus, it becomes very necessary for expectant mothers to maintain a healthy personal hygiene.

Tips for maintaining healthy hygiene during pregnancy

  • Clothing: For pregnant women, it is very important to wear washed clothes as it helps prevent infections and irritation of skin. Throughout pregnancy, you should wear loose and comfortable cotton clothes as cotton is said to be the ideal fabric for expectant mothers. It helps in absorbing any discharge and dries quickly. As milk secretion is possible during the third trimester, wearing cotton maternity bra with pads will help to absorb the leakage of colostrum from the nipples. Moreover, you should avoid wearing sweaty clothes for longer period of time.
  • Breast care: To prevent nipple irritation, it is very important to wash your breast and nipples properly with water so that the dry colostrum gets removed. Caring for your breast will help you maintain good personal hygiene.
  • Genital care: Pregnant women should take special care to keep their pubic area hair-free and clean but you should not douche. It thus helps in preventing genital infections which may affect the developing baby. To maintain the pH level, you should use mild and unperfumed genital wash.
  • Dental care: During pregnancy, teeth care is another important factor of hygiene. Due to the increase in estrogen level, pregnant women may suffer from gum sensitivity or swelling. You should make sure that you brush twice daily to keep your teeth and gums free of infections.

dental

  • Wash hands: In order to prevent stomach infections, you should wash your hands properly before eating. If you go to work or any other place, use sanitizer before having food. In addition, have fruits and vegetables that are washed properly and use clean utensils.

washhands

  • Skin and hair care: As the oil glands become more active during the pregnancy your scalp might turn oily. So, shampoo your hair regularly using mild shampoo. Avoid taking bath in a bathtub as there is a higher chance of vaginal infection as the water gets dirty in the bathtub. Use the shower or a mug to take a bath and natural bath products to wash your skin.

Images courtesy:

http://vancouverdentalsedationgroup.com/

http://stork.macaronikid.com/

www.onlymyhealth.com

 

Benefits of Coconut Water during Pregnancy

Introduction

Extremely refreshing with a slight sweet taste, coconut water helps you to keep hydrated. Rich in electrolytes and essential nutrients like potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, vitamin C and certain B vitamins, coconut water helps in giving you instant relief from fatigue and tiredness by reviving the salts lost by your body.

Coconut water is produced naturally in the fruit and contains 94% water and very little fat. It should not be confused with coconut milk, which is made by adding water to grated coconut meal. Coconut milk contains about 50% water and is very high in coconut fat.

coconut1

Is it safe to drink coconut water during pregnancy?

Coconut water helps a pregnant woman to get refreshed as she often suffers from dehydration and exhaustion. These occur due to rapid physical changes, increased fluid requirement and the additional needs of the developing baby in the womb.

As a healthy oral rehydrating fluid, it is safe for pregnant women. It is recommended that it be had in moderation so that you gain all the nutritional benefits. Fresh and tender coconut water could be the perfect alternative to sodas or caffeinated fluids. Even though drinking coconut water is safe during pregnancy, consulting your doctor/nutritionist is always advisable.

 

 coconut2

Benefits of coconut water during pregnancy

  • Keeps you energised: Rich in electrolytic content, coconut water helps refuel your body with essential nutrients keeping you energised when you feel exhausted or suffer from diarrhoea.
  • Boosts immunity: The presence of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants strengthens the immunity of the Mom-to-be. So, consuming coconut water during pregnancy can help both mother and baby be healthy.
  • Prevents constipation and heartburn: As digestive problems are common during pregnancy, consuming coconut water helps in preventing acidity, maintaining pH levels and relieves nausea. It also helps in soothing and preventing heartburn during pregnancy.
  • Maintains blood sugar level: Coconut water contains sugars which can help raise your blood sugar level when you’re hypoglycemic, and reenergise you. It is a natural isotonic fluid.
  • Prevents urinary tract infection: It has been found that consumption of tender coconut water helps during urinary tract infection which occurs in most pregnant women.


Conclusion:

Though there are numerous health benefits of coconut water during pregnancy, it doesn’t act as a medicinal cure for severe and chronic diseases. Take your doctor’s/nutritionist advice about the quantity of water to be consumed.


Images Courtesy:

http://www.beingtheparent.com/

http://www.coconut-info.net/

 

 

FERNANDEZ STORK HOME ENDORSES KMC CONCEPT

Original Story – “Kangaroo Care Helps Preemies And Full Term Babies, Too”

kangaroo-care-1_custom-1943602d492dc7788d7f6380d21d0d61cbb51acb-s800-c85
Salma Shabaik holds her newborn son, Ali. When he was born, she held him naken against her bare skin, a practice called kangaroo care. Ali is wearing an ear cap to correct a lop ear.

When Ali Andrew Li was born on Jan. 7, he was gently placed on his mother’s chest, where doctors cleaned and examined him and covered him with a warm blanket. “I just loved it,” his mother, Salma Shabaik, a family physician who lives in Los Angeles, says. “It was really nice to have the baby right there beneath my eyes where I could feel him, touch him, kiss him.”

Read this story at : http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/01/23/510465435/kangaroo-care-helps-preemies-and-full-term-babies-too

FERNANDEZ STORK HOME ENDORSES KMC CONCEPT

Fernandez Hospital totally endorses the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) concept for premature and low birthweight newborn babies. The benefits are undeniable for both baby and Mother. The natural skin to skin contact is conducive to immediate breastfeeding and weight gain. We also encourage the Father or another caregiver to do skin to skin contact with the baby inside the NICU and get involved in this low-cost yet effective procedure to improve the baby’s overall health. Fernandez initiated KMC way back in 2004. Our full-fledged KMC Ward has well-trained staff and lactation counselors and is supported by a human milk bank.

Baby Feeding – From Months 1 to 12

 

Breastfeeding is the best way to feed and nurture your infant as breast milk contains all the nutrients required for your baby to develop in a healthy manner. Breast milk gets digested easily and helps in protecting your baby from infections and diarrhoea. Moreover, breastfeeding helps in burning the extra kilos you gained during pregnancy.  It also creates a special bond between you and your baby.

babyfeeding1

Signs of your baby feeling hungry

Being a mother for the first time, it is very hard to know when your baby is hungry. You should spend as much time as possible with your baby so that you get to know how your baby reacts at different times. If your baby is hungry he/she will do the following things:

  • Sucks fist
  • Cries
  • Makes faces as if getting irritated

Signs of your baby being full

It is very important that you don’t overfeed your baby. If your baby does the following things, it is a sign that he/she is full:

  • Stops sucking
  • Closes lip
  • Turns the head away

babyfeeding2

Month-wise summary of baby feeding:

As your baby starts growing, apart from breastfeeding you can give your baby different types of food. You can consult your doctor, if you have any doubt. Below is a month-wise summary:

Birth to Month 6 – Exclusive breastfeeding

From the time of birth till your baby becomes six months old, your baby should be breastfed. As the digestive system is still developing, it can digest only milk. Mothers who cannot breastfeed may go for formula milk.

Month 6

It is better that during this period you continue breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby. You should not be in a rush to start solid foods as your baby is still not ready for this. But you can go for pureed vegetables, pureed fruits or semi-liquid cereals.

Months 7 to 9

By the time your baby becomes seven months, teeth will start appearing. This varies from baby to baby and in some cases, teeth may appear even before. Some babies may have no teeth till the end of a year. Whatever the case, you can start giving your baby semi-solid foods. So, instead of pureed foods you can give mashed food.

Months 10 to 12

By the time your baby is around ten months, you can give it finely chopped foods while continuing to give mashed foods till your baby becomes a year old. When you change the texture of the food, remember to watch your baby carefully and see whether he/she is adapting to the change or not.

babyfeeding3.jpg

Tips for baby feeding:

  • While feeding pureed, semi-solid or solid foods, you should always start with small amounts. At each feeding, your baby will let you know if he/she requires more or not.
  • In order to prevent your baby from choking or tooth decay, avoid putting your baby to bed with a milk bottle in the mouth.
  • Support your baby’s head till the time he/she can hold the head on its own.

Images Courtesy:

https://similac.com/baby-development/nutrition

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_food