10 healthy practices for expectant mothers and fathers to follow before and after birth

Give your child the best start to life with the best care and support. These times are special, and you need to be careful as an expectant parent. Welcome your child with care, support and professional guidance.

This guide is especially made for parents who are expecting a new start in life with their upcoming child. Take a look at these 10 healthy practices for better care of the child and mother:

1. Regular Checkups

Baby and mother need professional support at every stage of pregnancy. Professionals keep an eye on infants’ and mothers’ health to ensure healthy development. Healthcare providers track fetal development, assess maternal health, and address any concerns or risks that may arise. Regular checkups, including ultrasounds, help monitor the baby’s growth, position, and overall development, ensuring they are progressing as expected.

2. Plan for Baby’s Delivery

A smoother and less stressful delivery will be guaranteed if you plan everything. A more informed experience will be there wth a mother prepared to give birth to a healthy baby. Learning about the stages of labour, pain management options, and potential complications can reduce anxiety and fear associated with childbirth.

A birth plan allows parents to express their preferences for labour and delivery, including pain management, medical interventions, and immediate postpartum care.

3. Taking Care of Mental Health

Parents’ mental and physical health highly influence a baby’s health. If you are stress-free and relieved, the baby will be more comfortable and calm. Expectant parents need to prioritise their mental health because it significantly impacts both their well-being and the health of their child. Mental health issues can lead to complications during pregnancy, affect the parent-child relationship, and even contribute to developmental problems in the child.

4. Taking Care of Newborn

Healthy development and bonding are crucial, and expectant parents need to understand this. Newborns are highly vulnerable, and their immune systems are still developing, making them susceptible to infections. Proper care, including maintaining warmth, ensuring adequate nutrition (breastfeeding is highly recommended), and providing a clean environment, is essential for their survival and healthy growth.

5. Breastfeed your baby immediately after birth.

Mothers who promote breastfeeding, ideally within one hour, are promoting their baby’s health and their own well-being. It provides essential nutrients to your baby, strengthens the immune system, as newborns have a weak immune system, and promotes bonding between mother and child. Early breastfeeding also helps regulate the baby’s temperature and breathing, and reduces the risk of infections.

6. Start introducing soft foods when your baby reaches six months.

Try to introduce your baby to soft foods after six months. This will help in a baby’s development and nutritional needs. At this age, breast milk or formula alone may not be sufficient to meet the rapidly growing infant’s energy and nutrient requirements. Soft foods provide essential nutrients like iron and zinc, and expose the baby to new tastes and textures, aiding in the development of the baby’s eating skills.

7. Right Amount of Malnutrients

Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is crucial for both the mother’s health and the baby’s development, impacting the child’s health and well-being throughout their life. Malnutrition during pregnancy can lead to various complications for the mother and increase the risk of adverse outcomes for the child.

8. Learn When to Seek Medical Advice

Ensuring the health and safety of the mother and developing baby is crucial, which is why expectant parents need to learn when professional advice is needed the most. Certain cases require special care, for example, certain factors like pre-existing health conditions, age, or multiple pregnancies can place a pregnancy in a high-risk category.

Early medical advice can help identify these situations and ensure appropriate monitoring and management.

9. Get a Birth Certificate

Legal identity, citizenship and access to various services and benefits are all given with a birth certificate. Ensure you take the right action at the right time, and ensure your child’s future is secure with the right documents in their hands.

10. Practice Safe Family Planning

Consult with antenatal care near me and ask them about the complete details. They can help you to ensure the health and well-being of both mother and child, as well as to achieve the desired family size and spacing. This involves using contraception to prevent unintended pregnancies, which can lead to various health risks and complications, and also to plan for optimal spacing between pregnancies for the best outcomes.

Prepare your baby and yourself for the future. The well-being and professional advice are a need, and parents need to understand that at a certain point, babies need support, whether physical or mental.