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Mother and Baby Health

03/01/2012

  • Take care of your baby by giving positive attention and appropriate stimulation with toys, songs, poems and playing together.
     
  • Before pregnancy, ensure your diet contains a range of fresh food. See your doctor for a health check and to receive appropriate nutrition advice and supplements before becoming pregnant.
     
  • Mothers-to-be: eat well, rest and visit your doctor frequently to check on the progress of your pregnancy as well as your health.
     
  • Mothers-to-be: ensure the doctor checks your weight, blood pressure, urine and blood regularly during your pregnancy.
     
  • See a doctor immediately if you are bleeding during your pregnancy.
     
  • See a doctor immediately if your baby's movement decreases over several days during pregnancy.
     
  • Giving birth in a hospital is best.
     
  • If giving birth in a hospital is absolutely impossible, give birth in a location where trained staff can provide emergency medical help if necessary.
     
  • See a doctor immediately if you have fresh bleeding after you deliver your baby.
     
  • A doctor or nurse must check your baby before you leave the hospital after delivery.
     
  • After you and your baby leave the hospital after delivery, a doctor or nurse must see your baby at least once again in the next few days.
     
  • See a doctor if your newborn baby is excessively sleepy, twitching or shaking, or has a weak suck at the breast.
     
  • Breastmilkis the best food for babies. It protects your baby against disease not only during infancy, but for the rest of his or her life.
     
  • Frequent breastfeeding almost always yields increased production of breastmilk. An insufficient supply of breast milk is extremely rare.
     
  • Breastfeed your baby exclusively for six months. Giving formula, other liquids or food can reduce the flow of breastmilkand the benefits it gives.
     
  •  After six months, continuing to breastfeed your baby for at least the first two years of life is best.
     
  • You can begin feeding your baby healthy semi-solid or solid food from six months. During the first year of your baby's life, see a doctor to check your baby's health at least four times.
     
  • During the second year of your baby's life, see a doctor to check your baby's health at least two times.
     
  • From the time your child is three years old onward, see a doctor to check your child's health at least once a year.
     
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