Sister Lilian’s Babycare Companion: Complimentary and traditional care. Lilian Paramor

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СКАЧАТЬ in babies

      Most jaundice in babies is of a physiological nature, which means it is not the symptom of a liver disease like hepatitis. Newborns have too many red blood cells for their needs out of the womb, which the still slightly immature liver has to break down after birth. These extra red cells do have many positive effects in the first few days of life but as they break down bilirubin, a yellow pigment responsible for physiological jaundice, is produced. It usually starts from the second or third day of life and continues until it is totally excreted by the body.

      Jaundice straight after birth is related to incompatibility of the Rhesus factor (the positive or negative of the blood group) of mother and baby’s blood groups and is quite rare and treated totally differently.

      At home or even in the clinic one should expose as much as possible of Baby’s body to sunlight daily for two sessions of five to ten minutes each. Take care to avoid sunburn and protect Baby’s eyes. Phototherapy is used in the clinic, and a unit can be used at home too, under the supervision of a nursing sister who will make daily visits.

      Breastfeeding Baby frequently is imperative, as they need more fluids to help flush out the bilirubin. Sometimes it takes longer for jaundice to pass with breast babies, but not scheduling the feeds works more quickly. Babies may become more tired when jaundiced, so they might need to be woken for feeds. Breast babies especially tire quite easily as feeding requires more muscular effort.

      Latest research seems to indicate that high levels of bilirubin are not as dangerous as previously thought, but it remains a good idea to ensure that blood levels are monitored and treatment given.

      Mucus

      Babies are extremely prone to develop mucus and one needs to assess the type of formula given, or the diet of a breastfeeding mom.

      It is also important to analyse the quality of the mucus to be able to treat it correctly with tissue salt therapy – a most cost-effective, safe and effective solution with no adverse side effects:

      •Watery, profuse, frothy, burning mucus, usually associated with sneezing, requires Nat mur.

      •Thick, white-grey, sluggish mucus that blocks the upper airways responds well to Kali mur.

      •Yellow sticky or slimy mucus responds well to Kali sulph.

      •Green/yellow lumpy and slimy mucus is relieved by Calc sulph.

      Thrush in babies

      Oral thrush infections in babies can be triggered by a number of factors. Bottle and dummy babies are more prone to it. The best way of sterilising is to boil all components for ten minutes, as some sterilising solutions still pose a problem in this regard. Newborn babies who have been given bottles in hospital often develop thrush within two weeks of being home. Antibiotics also frequently lead to thrush and it is better to give probiotic therapy simultaneously. If Mom has a thrush infection (vaginal, systemic or on her breasts – sore nipples are often an indication of this), it can be passed on to Baby and both will need treatment. Self-treatment tips include the following:

      •Give Baby 10 ml live culture AB yoghurt 3 times a day.

      •Give the homeopathic remedy Calendula Tablets and the tissue salt remedy Kali mur (crush one tablet and dissolve in a little cooled boiled water) 3 times a day.

      •Breastfeeding mothers should also take these remedies and apply a little Calendula cream or special baby-safe balm to their nipples.

      •One can spread gentian violet on Baby’s tongue but this is quite messy.

      •If thrush recurs frequently, re-evaluate Baby’s formula and refrain from giving cereal at this early stage.

      Undescended testes

      In embryonic formation, a boy’s testicles develop in the abdominal cavity, close to his kidneys. Late in pregnancy, the normal progression is that they move down to take their place in the scrotal sac. Undescended testes are a cause for concern because sperm can only be manufactured by the testes at a temperature slightly lower than normal body temperature. Once they have descended into the scrotum the temperature is slightly lower. In most cases only one remains in the abdomen and fertility would probably not be totally compromised, but it is generally accepted that if the testicle has not descended into the scrotum by three to six months, an operation should be performed to correct this.

      Soon after birth, when your baby has his first physical check, the doctor or midwife will feel if both testicles are in the scrotum. This is important because sometimes a baby boy’s testicles might temporarily disappear back into the abdominal cavity. If they have already descended, however, this will not be a permanent reversal. You could feel for the pea-sized testes occasionally too when bathing your baby, just in case you need to alert your doctor to a continually empty scrotum, albeit on one side only. Do not worry, though, as this condition will not be detrimental to your baby’s health.

      Umbilical hernia

      All human beings have a ‘seam’ running vertically along the midline of the abdomen. This is the result of the way we develop. Our organs develop on the outside of the body after which the abdominal wall folds around them, enclosing all body parts on the inside, while the edges grow together. Sometimes this seam is not united strongly enough by the time of birth, especially around the navel, where the umbilical cord passing through is a potentially weak area. Another potential hernia area is the groin area. This is called an inguinal hernia.

      Signs of an umbilical hernia are a tendency of the navel to pop outwards, or an even more pronounced weakness in the abdominal wall, with the edges visibly separating under the skin and sometimes even some abdominal organs protruding through. This is usually worse when Baby sneezes, cries or coughs, as a result of increased pressure in the abdomen.

      Treatment varies from none for minor hernia symptoms in which the navel just pops out a little, to an operation to unite the abdominal wall for serious hernias, to prevent organs from becoming twisted or obstructed. Applying bandages or plaster to the area might keep the navel from popping out but does nothing to heal the seam, which only occurs with time. The tissue salt remedies Ferrum phos and Calc fluor are excellent for strength and elasticity of body tissues and seem to contribute to a more rapid resolution of this problem. If an operation becomes necessary, it is usually done at about six months, but this depends on the severity of the problem, and would automatically be picked up at the post-birth check done routinely on all babies.

      Purely Practical Issues

      LAYETTE

      Babies actually don’t need much other than love and attention in the early years, apart from a few important pieces of equipment, which are unfortunately quite expensive but should not be compromised on. Here is a basic list of essentials:

      Software (clothes, etc.)

      30 towelling nappies if you are not using disposables

      6 vests of each appropriate size

      5 stretch towelling suits made of cotton

      3 jerseys or jackets

      5 pairs of waterproof pants

      6 bibs

      2 caps

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