It is important that delivery is always conducted by a trained health worker only.
The health worker will take necessary precautions to ensure that you give birth to a healthy child and your health is also protected.
You should know that if a delivery is conducted by an untrained person, e.g. untrained local dai, chances of complications like excessive bleeding and infection to you and the newborn are much more. Many mothers die in India every year due to such happenings.
A trained health worker will carefully ensure the following ‘cleans’ during a delivery. To facilitate the work of a trained health worker, it is advisable that you keep the following items in readiness before delivery:
Washed pieces of clothes and sheets
q A brand new blade/razor
q Clean thread
q Soap and towel A clean room for delivery is also to be kept ready. The blade/knife or the razor and the thread used to tie the umbilical cord should be made germ free by boiling them in water for atleast 20 minutes. If somehow it is not possible for the delivery to be conducted by a trained health worker and the local untrained dai has to be called, make sure that :
q the dai washes her hands thoroughly with soap and water.
q She uses only a blade/knife and the string which have been made germ free by boiling.
Don’t even apply cow dung, ghee or any such items on the umbilical cord stump on child’s abdomen. These can cause infection of the umbilical cord and thus can be dangerous. It is good to remember that most of the deliveries don’t require to be conducted in a hospital. Home deliveries are as safe and good if conducted by a trained health worker. Yes, ‘High Risk Mothers’ need to deliver in a hospital only.
As mentioned earlier also, your family members must ensure that a fast transport is readily available which may be required to transport you to a nearby hospital in case a problem arises during delivery.
Care of the Child in first 24 hours
After birth every new-born child is like a lovely, delicate flower. Moreover, the child is absolutely helpless and completely at your mercy. Such a flower needs your tender, loving, right kind of care and attention.
Points to Remember
1. Record the birth weight of the child. This will tell you whether the baby is of normal weight or not. (Indian children with 2.8 kg. birth weight are considered to be of normal weight.) Birth weight will be of use even in future. A baby with birth weight less than 2.5 kg. is a low birth weight baby. Such a baby is at a greater risk of developing various health problems.
2. Breast feeding : Put your new-born to breast within the first hour after delivery. Breast milk is extremely important for proper growth and development of the child.
The initial thick, yellowish milk, called colostrum, is very good for the baby and must never be discarded. Feed colostrum to the baby. It is a very vital food: rich in disease preventing substances and hence extremely important for your new-born. Many mothers who do not know this, discard the colostrum. Never do that.
Do not give anything else to the child. Many a mother give sugar solution ghutti, honey etc. to the new-born. They are not required and infact, can be dangerous.
The baby gets plenty of water in breast milk and hence even water should not be given to the baby—not even in hot, summer months. Look at baby’s lips and mouth for dryness. Increase the feeds accordingly.
Always wash both your breasts properly before breast feeding. This helps in prevention of infections being transmitted to the child.
It is also advised to use both the breasts for feeding in one sitting . Always sit, hold the baby correctly and then breast-fed. Follow this rule even for night feeds.
Remember, breast milk is the best for your most precious possession, i.e., your baby. Continue breast feeding as long as you can.
3. Get your new-born immunized with BCG if the child has been delivered in a hospital. Also give a dose of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).
4. Don’t apply anything on the umbilical cord stump on the baby’s abdomen. Just keep it clean and dry.
5. In winter months, keep the child sufficiently warm by adequate clothing.
6. If the child becomes blue/develops any other problem/does not suck well, please consult a health worker immediately.
