So far, the whole country is dealing with coronavirus. However, it has been seen that COVID-19 also affected various babies too. But a sigh of relief is that its effect on the baby is less severe. But yes, I understand being a parent in every situation you put your baby first and that’s fine.
I just thought to share how you can take care of your baby during this pandemic. And I guess, you really want to know about what precaution you can take to keep your baby safe?
Let’s start with the gist of what COVID-19 is, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 7 distinct types of coronaviruses that influence humans. Out of these, viruses like MERS – CoV, SARS- CoV and COVID19 can lead to a serious outcome. Other viruses are mild and result in the cold.
Officially, on March 11, COVID-19 is declared as the global pandemic, by the World Health Organization.
I don’t think I really have to explain how dangerous it could be. Finally, let’s get back to how the coronavirus is affecting babies.
How COVID-19 is affecting babies?
According to the CDC, coronavirus, including COVID-19, is dissipated by an infected person with respiratory drops. That spread in the air due to coughing or sneezing. However, the CDC believes that touching an infected person or surface then touching nose, eyes, face, etc, that might not be the main cause of how COVID-19 is spreading.
So, in short, experts and scientists are still dealing with the major cause of the spread of COVID-19.
Let’s move to some of the symptoms so that you can take instant steps if you find any of these in your baby or kid.
Symptoms of COVID-19 in Baby/Children
- Fever
- Cough
- Headache
- Fast breathing
- Pain in muscle
- Lack of taste and smell
In contrast, your kid can face severe symptoms like Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children.
Other symptoms that children have been facing are:
- Fever, last for a few days
- Vomiting
- Broken and red lips
- Jutting of hands and feet
- Pain in joints
- Headache
- Stomach pain
- Red eyes
- Dizziness
- Pale look
If you see these symptoms then you should rush to the hospital soon and just go to an Emergency Room.
Till now, I’m sure you have got a pretty good idea about the symptoms, types and more of COVID-19. Assuming we should head to how to take care of the baby during COVID-19.
Certainly, parents are facing extra crisis while taking care of the newborn, especially if you are a new parent. Everything is new for you including in pandemic because you can not go out, you can not meet your friends and what you have to do is to sit at home taking care of the baby.
Well, you do not have to feel disheartened, because I will discuss what you can do to keep your baby safe and secure during this time. Being sacred is normal, after all, it is a global crisis and trusts me it will affect your life for years.
But what you can do is to take care of the baby perfectly without affecting the growth of your little one. Some parents are like, really it is the pandemic man! To be honest, yes, it is easy to keep your baby healthy and secure at home because the early development of the baby depends on the interaction with parents in the outside world.
How to take care of your baby during pandemic COVID-19?
I must say that this is the most often searched question on Google, what do you think? Usually, the postpartum phase is filled with happiness for nearly all the parents, but because of this pandemic going on everyone is living a completely different life, that enhances the depression and tension.
I completely agree on this, that lots of things are altering but one thing that is constant is your love for the baby. Happy and good news is that will make you jump off your bed is that you can still keep your baby healthy. Ready for some digging?
1. Visit the doctor after being discharged from the hospital
Due to the fear of exposure to the COVID 19, new parents are discharged from the hospital earlier. Later, your baby still has to follow up on the process that includes newborn lap work, cardiac and hearing screening and more, to ensure that baby is completely fine.
So understand that your appointment with your doctor is important because issues like jaundice, heart defects, etc might not be discovered before the discharge of the baby. You understand how it is essential for your baby to have a proper check-up as prescribed.
Further, choose a hospital that has changed its procedure of the office accordingly to maintain the safety of the baby. Also, arrange your meeting with a paediatrician before discharging from the hospital.
2. Meet your doctor at home
Before you think that I’m insane, I would like to clarify that I’m here talking about virtual meetings. This is the best time, you can actually use the technology for your best, I’m sure you have heard of Skype, Zoom and other apps that facilitate online video calls. According to the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics, many doctors are switching to the video call platform.
Yes, for some check-up, you really need to meet the doctor in the flesh but according to the circumstances right now, this is the best option you have. Along with this, you can fix a meeting with the doctor if it is essential.
3. Vaccine appointments
It’s pandemic going on and trust me holding up vaccines usually is not instructed because these vaccines protect the baby from diseases such as meningitis and whooping cough.
Although you can postpone some of the vaccines, I would advise you to consult it with your doctor and fix the best schedule.
4. Stay safe when you go out
Of course, you can not lock yourself in the room, you can enjoy a small walk with the baby alone, but ensure to maintain the 6 feet distance from others. Along with this, the baby is safe because in the stroller he does not have to touch anything and any person.
Do not take your baby to grocery stores and drugstores because it might be tough to keep the distance. Here, if you want to interact with other parents, you can avail the one more amazing benefit of technology, that is you can check out if someone from your locality is using an online meeting platform, especially a new parent. Above all, you can use Facebook that allows you to join groups like Fuss Baby Support Group, that enables you to chat with various parents.
If you do not trust these online groups then I would advise you to seek out your doctor whether they are providing any virtual support to the new parents or not.
5. Get rations that you need
Having a long long list of your baby’s products is fine, but in the situation finding everything that you need is difficult. Especially new parents are facing the issues in getting essential things such as diapers, wipes, nasal aspirators, and so on.
And its effect is more on the family who uses a unique allergen-friendly formula and who can not have the money for buying the thing in abundance.
However, to get essential things, you can directly contact the manufacturer or supplier, as they might have more in stocks and can send it to you. If not, then you can contact your paediatric as they might also have additional samples and can even suggest an alternate brand.
Most importantly, you do not have to store things at your house in order to use it in future, because you are making it hard for other parents to find the same thing for their baby. On the contrary, if you can maintain the stock for a few weeks.
As I said, do not carry your baby to the grocery store and drugstore, if you do not have anyone to take care of the baby in that case you can go for online shopping. Like here at Baby’s Amazon Store.
6. Split responsibilities
Pandemic means your whole family is at home, that means you have to take care of them. Above all, you have to take care of the baby, to lessen a bit of your burden you can ask your husband or another family member to help you out there.
Although, if it’s you and your husband then you can divide the responsibilities. For this, you can simply make a list of things that each of you will do, while others will take rest.
Hopefully, you have understood that still, you can take care of your baby. Now, come, what should you do at home to be safe?
7. Breastfeeding
Of course, breastfeeding the baby is essential especially when your baby is under 6 months. According to the World Health Organization and CDC, COVID-19 is not found in breastmilk. However, it is still unclear how babies are being infected by the virus, whether it is transmitted from the infected mother, before or during pregnancy. Hence, it is inconclusive.
While it might be transmitted through the spread of respiratory droplets that pass to the baby from the mother during breastfeeding. Therefore, for the mothers who are COVID-19 positive, should wear a mask and use meticulous hand hygiene.
If the mother is too ill, in that case, the baby has kept away from the mother and to feed the baby you should seek out the consultation of the lactation specialist. As a substitute mother can use breast pumps to express milk. But you have to sanitize the pump and is suggested to store the milk routinely.
8. Initial development of the baby
Baby’s initial development depends on the interaction and attachment with the parents, not other people. Therefore, you do not have to worry about the baby’s social interaction.
Small walks, playing, singing and all with the baby is allowed and enough to make your baby happy and healthy at home.
What you should do at home?
To keep your baby safe, you need to be safe, here I’m mentioning some of the things, that you should consider, let’s start,
- Maintain social distance, even from pets
- If you have to go out or remain around people, you should wear a mask or cover your face with a cloth
- Do not cover the face of the baby of under 2 years and the baby who have breathing issues
- Always be with your child, when he’s wearing a mask
- If you want to make a mask on your own, you can check out the guidelines given by CDC
- Ensure to throw the tissue right after sneezing and coughing. And wash hands with soap and water minimum for 20 seconds or an alcohol-based sanitizer is also good
- Use different dishes, glasses and other eating utensils, to have food
- Wash the eating utensils with hot water
- Do not share towels, clothes, bedding and more
- Prevent the entrance of people in the go, etc
At last, maternal stress is very normal after giving birth to a baby. I know you have been facing this stress even before delivery when your baby was in your uterus. To lessen your before delivery stress, you should engage yourself in something good. That might be exercise, therapist, connecting to the virtual group, and try out distinct sleep practices.
Moreover, for the postpartum mental health assistance, for this, talk to your partner about the expectations for assistant and baby’s care. Simply contact your paediatric or other people to know. If there is any doctor offering online appointments and classes, to assist you.
What you need to do now?
During this situation, what you need to do is to think positive because right now that’s all we can do. Anxiety and depression would not be of any help but maintaining social distance would keep you, your baby and your family safe!
At last, I would advise you to check all the information related to COVID 19 on CDC and World Health Organization. #IndiaFightsCorona mygov.in/covid-19/ guidelines. If you like this article, please share it with your friends and family members. Most importantly, #staysafe and maintain the #socialdistancing.
#All the information shared above might not be accurate. This is advised to follow up with the official source also before taking any further step, if required.
