Health means not only the absence of disease but also physical and emotional well-being and wellness, so that your infant can be able to enjoy his or her life as a child and take advantage of the many learning experiences that you and others will offer. Our efforts will be directed first to You as a parent and as your child grows, we want to include them in the efforts to ensure wellness.

YOUR NEW BABY

Babies are a marvelous and wondrous addition to your life. They have their own personalities, a unique mixture of their parents which can never be duplicated. They know you from the beginning. They have been hearing your voices from 17 weeks of gestation. They have listened to you talking to them and about them. They have heard the music, the laughter, and the prayer in their home. They have felt the love of their parents for each other and the love you both have for them. They nestle and grow in that love until the time of their birth.

They need for their parents to have thought about them long before the time of conception. They need to be the product of two healthy, stable people who are sure of their feelings for one another and welcome the birth of their child. All things possible must be done to ensure the health, both physical and emotional, of both parents, and great thought must be taken to ensure the proper atmosphere in which to conceive and develop an infant.

An infant in the womb draws from the mother their nutrients and their strength. Dangerous substances should be avoided long before you become pregnant and certainly during pregnancy. They include drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. All of these substances, if taken in by the mother, will cross the placenta and the infant will get 100% of whatever is taken. Alcohol can cause a syndrome called FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME. This syndrome can lead to various degrees of mental retardation and developmental delay. Drugs can cause infants to be born with addictions, which they will never lose. Nicotine can cause your infant to be born with a smaller birth rate than is usual. This may in turn have it’s own ramifications.

During pregnancy, the infant is aware of the mother’s emotional and psychological state, and the mother should be in a serene state, happy at the prospect of creating life. She should eat healthy foods in quantities sufficient to provide nourishment for herself and the infant. She should drink the correct fluids in a correct amount. Rest is important. Listen to your body. When your body tells you to take a nap, or go to bed for the night, or just to sit down and rest, those messages are to be heeded. Put aside worry, decrease the stress in your life, and above all, enjoy this time. Regular visits to your health care provider are essential. It is often a good practice to consult your provider even before you become pregnant. Your health care providers and the parents form a team, working together to ensure the health of the infant.

Where and how to deliver your infant is a personal family choice. There are birthing centers in most communities. Some people opt for a home delivery with the services of a midwife. Hospitals now have birthing rooms which provide the same amenities as a birthing center combined with the high tech atmosphere of the hospital. Then there are the traditional hospital delivery rooms. It is a wise family who thinks about and explores their options well ahead of time and visits in order to have a clear picture of their chosen option. Make all of the necessary preparations for the birth well ahead and then just sit back, relax, and bask in the joy of the pregancy.

There are certain things which should be done in the early days of the infants life. They should have their first PKU-THYROID TESTS done. These tests check for certain metabolic disorders which, if left undetected and untreated, can cause problems related to mental retardation. If detected, they can be treated completely. Your infant should get their St. Hepatitis B injection in the first days of life. It will also be important to find out your baby’s blood type if you have an RH Negative Factor to be able to predict the chance of an ABO Incompatibility. In addition, there may need to be tests made to determine your babies bilirubin level if jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin develops. This is usually a normal condition, related to immaturity of the infant’s liver and it’s breakdown of bilirubin, a waste product, and which may need to be monitored.

Your baby should be seen by a health care provider at regularly scheduled intervals to ensure that he or she is progressing normally in all phases of growth and development. Your infant's first visit should be when he is 2 WEEKS OF AGE. At that time he will see his pediatrician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant for a complete checkup and you will have the opportunity to talk over your early concerns, questions, and experiences. All aspects of the parenting role can be discussed. The PKU and thyroid studies which were initially done will be repeated. These tests are redone at this time because, in order to be accurate, they should be done when an infant has been drinking milk for at least 48 hours. At 4 WEEKS OF AGE your infant will receive his 2nd Hepatitis Vaccine and may receive another checkup at this time, if it is deemed necessary, either by you or your health care provider. The next well baby checkup is usually scheduled for 2 months of age.