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The safe setting in the incubator – A special incubator that keeps your baby’s body warm is the first pre-requisite that your baby needs. Don’t worry about your baby; your doctor would assign a dedicated nurse in the NICU, to take care, hold and feed your baby at regular intervals. This nurse will provide 24/7 attention to your kid and also educate you about the correct ways of holding and feeding.

Frequent checks – The functionality of your baby’s vital organs, his heartbeat, breathing, and temperature levels are constantly monitored. Your baby is also given enough nutrient-rich fluids through a nasogastric tube, i.e. through nose to the stomach. Since breastmilk is highly nutritious, the doctors and nurses may even extract your breastmilk and feed the same to your baby for faster recovery. Very soon, he will grow up strong enough to suck on to your breast voluntarily.

One of the most important parts of treating a pre-term baby is having a close check on his fluid levels. A pre-term baby’s fluids, sodium and potassium levels should always be at the correct level. A dedicated NICU nurse ensures that the fluids are correctly passed on to the baby through IV tubes.

Also, the baby is placed under the bilirubin lights to treat if he has jaundice. In some cases, if your baby needs a blood transfusion, then that also forms part of the treatment.

Caring for a Pre-term baby:

Once your baby can breathe without support, has a stable body temperature, is gaining weight slowly, can breastfeed, and is free of infections, he can be taken home. Here are some care tips to follow once you take your baby home:

• Premature babies are more prone to health issues than other newborns. Protect them from infection by avoiding crowded places.
• Your premature baby may need to see the doctor every week or two. Consult your doctor and follow a schedule of checkups to ensure your baby’s health and wellbeing.
• Protect your baby’s health by providing them with immunisations on time.
• Since pre-term babies may eat less, you may have to feed them more often. Also, ask your doctor if your baby needs additional supplements and provide them with the same.

Your care and support along with the doctor’s help will help your pre-term baby recover and develop into a healthy child. In case your baby suffers from any complications or you face any difficulties, your doctor is the best person to connect with.

A good time to begin

It is recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that you should exclusively breastfeed your baby for at least the first six months of his life. If your baby is not breastfed, then infant formula is the next best option. However, once your baby is six months, it’s time to introduce him to an exciting new world of tastes and textures. This is where solids come in.

Let’s get started

To begin with, baby food need not be very complicated. You can start off your baby’s food journey by offering him pureed fruits such as apple and pear, or mashed fruit such as banana. It is wise to introduce a new food at an interval of say three days, to watch the baby closely for any reaction such as an allergy.

Similarly, once your baby responds well, you could offer him vegetables that have been steamed, mashed or pureed. Nutrient-rich vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale,and beetroot are a great place to begin. Your local supermarket is the best place to source fresh, local produce. An added bonus would be to feed your baby seasonal fruit and vegetables because they are known to be a powerhouse of nutrients.

Things to keep in mind

• Be very careful when preparing and handling your baby’s food. Not just the raw food and vegetables, but even the plates and bowls you use should be sanitised.
• Remember to introduce new flavours and textures as your baby progresses on his food journey. It will help him develop a wide flavour palette as he grows, and in all likelihood, a liking for food.
• You don’t need fancy equipment to make your baby’s meals. Invest in a good hand blender so that you can save some precious time preparing the meal (and spend it with your baby instead!). A pressure cooker is also useful to get started with vegetables, rice,and dal.
• Before you season any food with sugar and salt, be sure to set some aside for your baby. Neither in excess is good for your growing baby.
• Preparing fresh food daily is ideal, but it may not always be possible to do so. In such an instance, make sure that the food is prepared and stored in a hygienic manner so that you can offer it later to the baby. If you believe that the food is not fine, don’t serve it up. Offer your baby an alternative instead.
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The bottom line

These tips should help you prepare healthy, fresh and preservative-free meals for your little one. Making meals at home also ensures that your baby gets the best food available, and the best start possible.

How you can make your baby’s first Diwali enjoyable?

Read on for some pointers to celebrate the festival keeping your baby’s happiness and comfort in mind.

• Keep to your baby’s routine: We’re sure that with your baby’s first Diwali approaching, you’d be busy with a host of preparations that include multiple rounds of shopping to get everything just perfect. However, don’t forget that your baby needs the same attention as earlier and that the excitement, noise,and attention he receives may over stimulate him. Make sure, then, that you stick to your baby’s usual routine as far as possible. Ensure that he gets his feeds on time and that his sleep is not disrupted.
• Stay close to your little one: Your baby may get anxious on seeing several new faces in one go. Make sure that he is not cranky or uncomfortable in this new setup, whether at your own home or a relative’s. Do stay close to your baby and cuddle him, reassuring him of your warmth and presence.
• Safety first: Babies are attracted to anything bright and shiny. Be very careful about where diyas and tea lights are placed so that they do not pose a safety hazard to your little one. Keep anything breakable or inflammable well out of your baby’s reach.
• Stay alert: Have your doctor’s number on hand just in case of a medical emergency. Having a first-aid kit handy is a great idea, given that there is the possibility of lighting firecrackers. Of course, to ensure that you don’t light crackers while holding the baby.
• Regulate your baby’s food intake: Often, relatives and friends ten to indulge a baby during festivals. It’s your role as a parent to be vigilant and see that no one overfeeds the baby, whether sweet or savoury. A handy tip is to feed your baby before you leave your house so that you can monitor his food intake.
• Pay attention to your baby’s clothing: Let your baby be comfortable at all times in breathable clothing. Traditional cuts and designs using soft fabric are ideal, minus any embellishments to prevent any potential choking hazards. Similarly, make sure that your baby wears comfortable footwear as well.

It’s celebration time!

While your child’s happiness and safety are paramount, there is no reason why you shouldn’t go all out and celebrate! Diwali is indeed a joyous time and with preparing well in advance, it can be a sparkling and memorable first for your precious little one.

Sometimes breastfeeding may not be possiblefor mothers due to different health problems. In such scenarios – Check with the doctor and chose the next best option for your little angel.

Most new-borns need 8-12 feedings a day. You should feed your baby every 2-3 hours. Some of the signs that your baby is hungry include:

• Opening her mouth
• Sucking her lips
• Puts her hand and fists on the mouth
• Nuzzling against your breast

How do you know your new born is getting enough food and nutrients is a question most mothers have? You know your baby is getting enough to eat if she seems satisfied, sleeps well, is alert when awake, has proper bowel movements and wets 6-8 diapers a day. If your baby is always vomiting after feeding, call your doctor. It could be a sign of allergy.

Water, juices, and other fluids can be given once she is 6 months old. Breast milk provides everything babies need nutritionally until they start eating solid foods.

Early stages (0-6 months)

• When she puts her hands on her mouth
• She is continuously nuzzling your breast
• She is licking or trying to bite her lips
• Makes a fist and puts it on her mouth
• She is awake and alert for a long time
• She is moving her arms and legs
• She is looking restless and cranky

Later (6 months – 2 years)

• Crying – at this stage, crying is the most important sign of hunger. Don’t wait until she starts crying because crying uses up a lot of her energy. If she is crying, she is completely frustrated
• She is pointing out at food items around
• Opens her mouth wide when offered a spoon
• Makes sounds to let you know she is hungry

Like any adult who knows how much food his body needs, kids also understand their appetite. So, let them decide how much they want to eat. If you have filled a bottle full of milk, and she turns away after drinking half the bottle, it means she is full. Do not compare your child’s eating habits with other children. Each baby is different. You should visit a doctor in case you think your child is eating more or eating less.

Signs that your baby is getting enough breastmilk

First things first. Remember that you as a new mother have gone through immense body changes during pregnancy and delivery. Pat yourself on the back and reassure yourself that you’re doing a great job. While you may be anxious about whether you’re producing ‘enough’ milk, remember that it’s pretty much a demand-supply situation.

In the interim, however, picking up cues from your baby is the best way to know whether the baby is feeding well. Here’s what to look out for:

• • Dirty diapers: A baby who is getting enough breastmilk will have to be changed more than 8 times a day. The colour of the baby’s urine would typically be pale showing that your baby is well fed and hydrated.
  • Number of feeds: A baby who is nursing well will feed more than 8 times in 24 hours. When awake, your baby looks alert and ‘demands’ to be fed and doesn’t fall asleep while still being attached to the breast.
  • Audible swallowing: As your baby grows older than 3-4 days, a good latch will be established. Soon as the baby feeds, you will be able to hear rhythmic sucking noises. The baby slowly sucks and audibly swallows and pauses during feeds. Once done, the baby will automatically unlatch from the breast.
  • Absence of crankiness while asleep: If your baby is getting enough breastmilk, it is more likely that your baby sleeps sound and does not have interrupted sleep.
  • Your breasts: When your baby nurses well, you’re free of the heaviness in your breasts after the first few sucks. Once done, your nipples should look the same shape as before you began nursing, or slightly elongated.Your breasts would be softer and lighter (or less full) to the touch, indicating that they have been drained off milk by your nursing.

• Happy baby post feed: While feeding, your baby’s cheeks look full instead of hollow. No crying or squirming happens as you find the baby quite calm and relaxed throughout the feed. The baby un-laches on its own, has moist lips and looks satisfied. Additionally, you feel extremely relaxed and sleepy after each feed.

Pro tips

Until you and your baby have established a good breastfeeding routine, keep feeding the baby on demand. The more your baby nurses, the more milk you produce. Stressing or overthinking whether you’re producing enough milk can in fact hamper your supply, so relax and stay well hydrated. Eventually, your supply will stabilise and it’s likely that all your doubts will be laid to rest.

Wish you a happy breastfeeding journey!