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Post-Delivery Considerations for Baby
Taking baby home is an exciting moment in every mother’s life. Whether it’s baby number one or three, there is overflowing excitement and anticipation. Before a mother can enjoy the moment of bringing home baby there are pre-delivery preparations that have to be made, like setting up a nursery and taking classes, as well as post-delivery decisions for a mother to plan for as well.
Post-delivery choices to consider are procedures like circumcision and cord blood banking. For a son, circumcision is not required but does provide health benefits. Speak to the doctor about these benefits and how he or she performs the procedure, as there are a few ways it can be done. Cord blood banking is an investment in the future of the family’s health. This process collects the blood from the umbilical cord and stores it for the family. Should the baby, or possibly a sibling be affected by a medical condition that can be treated using cord blood stem cells, the cord blood will be available to the family as a potential medical resource.
Most mothers decide before the baby is born whether they will bottle feed, breastfeed, or a combination of the two. For the bottle-feeding mom, it is important to get quality bottles and a variety of nipples to try out with the baby. Have plenty of formula on hand, but be careful not to stock up too much because an infant’s digestive system is extremely sensitive, it may take testing different formulas to find the one that settles best with baby. It is also necessary to boil or sterilize any other equipment associated with bottle feeding. This includes: bottles, nipples, rings, or other things associated with feeding baby.
For the breastfeeding mom, most babies will nurse naturally by instinct. However, it may not be smooth sailing for every mom. Those who have health or other obstacles, breastfeeding may not come without its challenges. There is no need to despair; most mothers who desire to breastfeed are able to, either with
time or with coaching from a lactation specialist.
It is a wise decision to choose a pediatrician before delivery too. Ask your ob/gyn and other mothers for recommendations. It is important for an expecting mother to speak with a few pediatricians in advance to be sure that she will be working with someone she is comfortable with. Ask pediatricians questions about immunizations and other tests and screenings that they recommend. Questions like this will help a mother get a sense for the pediatricians mannerisms and will help in the decision making process.
Understandably an expecting mom may feel overwhelmed by the seemingly endless checklist of preparations and decisions that need to be made, but it’s important for her to keep in mind that everything she does before the baby arrives is all for the moment when she opens the door and brings her baby into
her home for the first time.
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