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After your baby arrives, there’s a lot to think about.
Do You Know…
Jaundice can
sometimes lead to
brain damage in newborns. |
Follow these links to learn more about how to help keep you
and your
baby healthy and safe, as well as learn about certain birth defects
and medical conditions.
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Health
Breastfeeding: You and your baby gain
many benefits from breastfeeding. Breast milk is easy to digest and
has antibodies that can protect your baby from bacterial and viral
infections.
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Proper Handling and Storage of Breast Milk: Safely prepare
and store your expressed breast milk to maintain its high
quality and keep your baby healthy. Make sure your baby’s
caregivers know how to safely prepare and store the breast milk,
too.
- Breastfeeding and
Medication: If you’re breastfeeding, you might worry about
whether to take medications, including prescription and
over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary or herbal
supplements. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any
medications you are taking.
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Breastfeeding and Travel: Travel need not be a reason to
stop breastfeeding. A mother traveling with a nursing infant may
find breastfeeding makes travel easier than it would be if
traveling with a bottle-fed infant. Find helpful tips for
traveling while breastfeeding, and learn about vaccinations for
international travel. You can also find information about
breastfeeding and travel in the
Traveler's Health Yellow Book.
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Breastfeeding and HIV: If you have HIV, don't breastfeed.
The virus is in breastmilk, and you can give HIV to your baby by
breastfeeding.
Jaundice and Kernicterus: Jaundice
can sometimes lead to brain damage in newborns. Before leaving the
hospital, ask your doctor or nurse about a jaundice bilirubin test.
If you think your baby has jaundice, call and visit your baby’s
doctor right away.
Vaccinations: Vaccines are very important to your baby’s
health. Follow the schedule found at this link to be sure your baby
gets his or her shots on time. And if you miss any, check with your
doctor about getting back on track
Newborn Screening: Within 48 hours of your baby’s birth, a
sample of blood is taken from a "heel stick," and the blood is
tested for treatable diseases. More than 98% of all children born in
the United States are tested for these disorders.
Hearing
Screening: Your baby should be screened for hearing loss before
1 month of age, preferably before leaving the birth hospital. Learn
more about newborn hearing screening and what happens if your baby
doesn’t pass the screening test.
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Safety
Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): SIDS is the sudden death of
an infant younger than 1 year of age that cannot be explained. Learn
how to help your baby stay safe.
Child Safety Seats: Motor vehicle crashes are the leading
cause of death among children in the United States. But many of
these deaths can be prevented. Placing your baby in age- and
size-appropriate restraint system lowers the risk of serious and
fatal injuries by more than half.
Travel:
An estimated 1.9 million children travel
overseas each year. Learn how to travel
safely with your baby within the country and
internationally.
Fire Safety: Find tips to help prevent
injury or death from a fire in your home.
Child maltreatment is a serious problem
that can have lasting harmful effects on a
child’s life. Find some strategies to help
prevent child maltreatment.
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Development
Child
Development: The early years of a child's life are crucial
for learning, social, and emotional development. Learn what you can
do to ensure that your child grows up in an environment that meets
his or her needs.
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Positive Parenting Tips for Babies: Learn how to give
your baby a healthy and safe start in the first year of life.
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Learn the Signs. Act Early. Measuring your baby’s growth
involves more than tracking height and weight. Learn about
milestones to watch for in how your baby plays, learns, speaks,
and acts.
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Positive Actions
for Parents: Good parenting is a skill that takes time,
commitment, and support. By caring and nurturing, parents can
teach children and other parents strategies to give our children
a safer and more healthful environment.
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Medical Conditions
Birth Defects: A birth defect is a
problem that happens while the baby is
developing in the mother’s body. Most birth
defects happen during the first 3 months of
pregnancy.
Developmental Disabilities:
Developmental disabilities are a diverse
group of severe, lasting conditions that are
caused by mental or physical problems, or
both. Find out more about autism spectrum
disorders, cerebral palsy, hearing loss,
intellectual disability (i.e., mental
retardation), and vision impairment.
Genetics:If your baby was born with a
genetic condition, you might want to find a
genetic counselor in your area to help with
information, resources, and support.
Blood Disorders: CDC works to prevent
and reduce complications among people with
certain blood disorders (bleeding disorders,
hemophilia, von Willebrand disease,
thrombophilia, and thalassemia).
If you are a healthcare professional or researcher
looking for more technical information,
click here. |
Date:
November 01, 2007
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
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