Page 197 - Health, Population and Environment Education 10

b. The body of newly born baby should be wiped by warm clothes.
c. The baby should be kept below the uterus before umblical cord is cut and tied up so
as to ensure blood flow from mother.
d. Umblical cord should be cut by sterilized equipments about 2 cm above the naval
region.
e. The baby must be kept at the chest of mother immediately after birth by which mother
can have psychological and emotional satisfaction.
f. Baby should be breast fed within few hours of delivery. Once the baby sucks mothers’s
breast milk, it helps to discharge placenta and control bleeding.

g. People should take the baby immediately to hospital or medical centre if the baby
does not cry, has difficulty in breathing, does not move or the baby turns to be blue.

h. The infant should have regular health checkups.
Activity: 5

Vist your locality, find out the mother/s during maternity period. Discuss with them
about care of infants and share youir information with your friends in the class.

A. Breast Feeding and Nutrition
The act of feeding breast milk to the baby is known
as breast feeding. There is production of milk from
the breast after delivery of baby. Mother’s milk is
the best nutrition for a baby. It contains all the
required nutrients for a baby as well as it helps to
protect a baby from various diseases. If the health
of mother is good, she can breast feed her baby
within few hours of delivery. Initially, she needs
to clean her breast properly before feeding the Fig: 25
baby. The first milk produced immediately after
delivery is yellow in colour which is called colustrum. It is highly nutritious. Mother
needs to feed colustrum rather than throwing it. Many illiterate and ignorant mothers
think milk is white in colour and hence throw the yellow milk, colustrum considering it
as impure. She needs to allow her baby to suck her breast even if there is no production of
milk. Once the baby sucks breast, then there is gradual production of milk. Mother needs
to feed her breast milk in every 2 hours interval from both the breasts equally.
Breast feeding increases very harmonious and close relationship between baby and
mother. For early six months, mother should feed only breast milk to the baby. Actually,
only the mother’s breast milk is sufficient enough for early six months, for the proper
growth, development and optimum health of a baby. She should avoid milk of other
animals, powder milk or can milk. Use of those milk can affect the health of baby. After

GREEN Health, Population and Environment Education Book-10 197