Babies are gifts to both their parents and relatives. The excitement that comes with knowing that a friend or loved one has gone through the birthing process and returned with a whole baby is enough to make us throw parties and offer to babysit. Unfortunately, excitement can blind many people to the point that they take certain actions that can jeopardize the baby’s health without knowing it.
Here are 5 things that you should not do or allow anyone to do to your baby
Touching Baby with Unwashed Hands
A lot of mothers leave the hospital a few days after delivery without taking the immunization that would boost baby’s health status and protect them from infections. They may be asked to return later that week to receive this vaccine. This simply means that extra care must be taken pending the time this baby will receive it. Consequently, whenever you have a reason to visit new mothers, you may want to be proactive enough to ask for the tap so you can wash your hands with soap and water. If you are sweating, it is much better to wave at the baby instead of carrying her with a sweaty body. As a mother, you must always wash your hands before handling your baby and you may have to be firm enough to direct everyone to the tap so that they wash their hands as well to avoid stories that touch.
Covering Baby’s Face with Kisses
Love for babies could get you overly excited and the temptation to cover the baby with kisses should not be allowed to find expression. This is due to the health risks involved. There is the story of a baby that had to be admitted to the hospital after she was diagnosed with Herpes. Further investigations revealed that the kisses of the mother’s friend who had herpes exposed this baby to the same virus which became her reality in no time. Babies are very fragile and should be treated carefully. If you or your friends have cold or other ailments, you must exercise caution and avoid facial skin contact with the little one.
Throwing Baby Up and Around
Africans are very physical people and they don’t hesitate to handle a baby physically. Unfortunately, this act of life can be the beginning of a life of avoidable misery. One of the greatest mistakes anyone can make in this age and time is to throw a young baby up repeatedly or carry the baby and shake the baby to the point that their head bobs back and forth. This action can be detrimental to the baby as the brain is still very fragile and has the capacity to move back and forth with every shake thereby leading to brain damage. Studies have shown that this is not a myth or the figment of anybody’s imagination and anyone who has a baby must be careful enough to let people know that such an act is not welcome.
Administering Herbal Concoction
This is a practice that comes up when superstitions are big issues in a family. Many elderly women have a way of looking at a baby and concluding that she has an ailment due to her shape of the head or the size of her body. Most times, these old wives are quick to offer herbal concoctions as the easy way out of this seemingly worrisome predicament. Out of fear and respect, many mothers listen to these old wives’ tales and end up compromising the health of the said child or losing same to death. The only way to get the best form of care for your child is to consult with a trained medical practitioner. If you have love for your little one, you will not give them herbs. In the case of an anomaly, resist any form of self-medication and speak with a certified doctor who will run tests and administer the required medication.
Force-feeding the Little One
When it comes to feeding, many people are passionate about ensuring that the baby eats well. However, on occasions where the baby seems to be uninterested in eating, many people go out of their way to force the baby to feed. This is usually done by locking one’s legs around the child, pinning him down, pinching his nose which would have him open the mouth to breathe. As the mouth becomes open, the food is forced into the mouth. The intention may be good but the downside of this method is the possibility of cutting off the oxygen supply or having the child struggle until the food goes the wrong way. This act has cut short many lives and left many families in pain.
Ignorance is no longer an excuse to expose your angel to danger. Love your little one and care for them so that your future will be a peaceful one. Now that you know, do better and watch tomorrow reward you for your love and care.
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