TEN HARMFUL BABY CARE PRACTICES THAT YOU SHOULD AVOID

Managing a newborn baby is the toughest job of a parent. You may have heard many traditional customs from your parents, friends, or relatives regarding the care of your newborn baby. Some of them are good for babies. But few of them are potentially harmful to your baby. Here are 10 common practices that you should avoid for your newborn baby(below 1 month of age)

1. Pre-lacteal feeding- The practice of pre-lacteal feeding is still prevalent in many parts of India. Here, the newborn baby is fed with honey, water, ghutti, or cow milk (before starting breastfeeding) based on religious/ cultural beliefs. This is potentially dangerous and can make the baby seriously ill.
2. Discarding colostrum- Colostrum or first milk is the thick yellowish milk secreted in the first 3-4 days of birth. It is rich in antibodies, minerals, protein, white blood cells, etc. Colostrum should not be discarded as it is very important for a baby’s immunity, gut health & nutrition.
3. Head shaving– Head shaving of a newborn baby is a ritual in many parts of India and the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the causes of sepsis (infection of the newborn) and meningitis( infection of the brain). These are severe and life-threatening illnesses in babies. So, no head-shaving in the first month of life, preferably not in the first 6 months. Although, you can cut the hair( without touching the scalp with a razor/ blade).
4. Applying kajal – You are not Indian if you don’t apply kajal in the eye of the baby. Some modern-day kajal contains toxic chemicals which may harm the eye of babies. Better to avoid it.
5. Feeding with cow milk– When there is insufficient milk from the mother, sometimes the baby is fed with cow milk. You should know that cows’ milk is not good for infants below 1 year of age. If the situation demands, You can start a formula, not cow milk.
6. Gripe mixture– It is a household name in both rural and urban areas. A gripe mixture is supposed to be beneficial for a baby’s digestion. But it lacks hard evidence of its effectiveness. Furthermore,  some components of the gripe mixture are not good for babies(when used for a prolonged time ).
7. Mothers’ diet– One of the most common misconceptions I have seen is that mothers should eat only a bland vegetable-based diet for a few months after delivery so that the baby does not get any digestive distress. Stripping milk, fish, or meat from the diet can cause poor maternal health and sometimes lactation failure.
8. Clothing- I have seen many parents tightly wrap their baby with multiple layers of cloth in fear of getting cold. Don’t do that. loose cotton clothes in summer are sufficient. check the foot and hand to see if they are warm or not. if they are warm, your baby is fine. If cold, he/ she needs extra clothing and a session of breastfeeding(skin-to-skin touch with mother).
9. Oil massage-Start oil massage when the baby is at least 1 month of age and weighs 3 kg.
10. Bathing– I advise avoiding full bathing till the baby is 1 month old.