Baby Health

Baby Health

Bringing you everything you need to know about keeping your baby healthy.

We know that for you, nothing is more important than your baby's well-being. This segment covers carefully picked topics on baby health, from birth to toddlerhood.

Baby health is one of the key areas of concern for parents, especially for first-time parents. Care for the baby begins right from birth, with the baby receiving the vitamin K shot at birth. Your baby is constantly growing and changing, requiring regular visits to the pediatrician for assessments as per the doctor’s recommendation. Early checkups are vital to catch any neonatal illnesses, such as newborn jaundice, at a primitive stage. The doctor can also check for primitive reflexes that are a vital indicator of a baby’s overall health.

As your baby grows, you will likely have questions and concerns about general well-being. Questions related to breastfeeding and the baby’s diet are likely to be on top of the chart. First-time parents are also likely to have fundamental queries about everyday tasks, such as how to burp the baby and ways to handle the baby’s bout of crying, also known as colic. In this collection of articles, we have posts that address these queries and satiate your curiosity about the various underlying causes of such situations.

Once your baby is about half a year old, your inquisitiveness will step into the realm of general questions, ranging from topics related to your baby’s smile to ways to wash your baby’s clothes. You also will need to be watchful for vital aspects of the baby’s upbringing, such as staying alert to hunger cues, so that the baby has healthy growth. Our posts cover various intricacies of this stage, including teaching your baby to chew and swallow their food. It helps you stay one step ahead of any conditions or situations that can affect your baby's growth or cause them to miss their developmental milestones.

Besides feeding and general care, parents also need to keep their babies in their best health. Good health during infancy lays the foundation for wellness throughout toddlerhood, leading even to childhood. Explore the posts in this category to check out various resources that can help you in parenting. If you know someone who has just been blessed with an angel, share the page with them so that they have a virtual helping hand in their parenting journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the three most common illnesses in newborns?
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    Blue baby syndrome, jaundice, and respiratory distress are the most common ones often seen in newborns (1). It is crucial to quickly identify and treat these ailments to ensure proper care and successful recovery.

  • What is good for a baby’s health?
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    Promoting a baby's well-being involves nourishing meals, regular naps, and playtime. Breastfeeding is considered to be the best method to provide them with nourishment and guard against illnesses. Additionally, engaging in active play assists in building strong bones and muscles, contributing to improved sleep for them (2).

  • When should I worry about my baby’s health?
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    Persistent crying or irritability, fever, lethargy, poor appetite, vomiting, and irregular stools are some warning signs that you should look out for (3). Talk to a doctor to figure out what is wrong and help your baby get better.

  • What are some common congenital illnesses in newborns?
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    Common congenital diseases in babies include bone growth abnormalities, congenital heart conditions, and chromosomal abnormalities (4). Some conditions may be diagnosed before birth, while the rest are noted at birth. A few conditions present symptoms as the baby grows.

  • What kind of infections can babies get?
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    Several types of infection in the ear, eye, skin, and gastrointestinal regions are commonly seen in babies. They could be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or even parasites (5).

References

  1. 11 Common Conditions in Newborns https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Common-Conditions-in-Newborns.aspx
  2. Healthy Habits to Master in Your Baby’s First Two Years https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Healthy-Habits-to-Master-in-Your-Babys-First-Two-Years.aspx
  3. Babies' Warning Signs https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/family-resources-library/babies-warning-signs
  4. Birth Defects https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12230-birth-defects
  5. Overview of Infections in Newborns https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-in/home/children-s-health-issues/infections-in-newborns/overview-of-infections-in-newborns
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