Healthy Arkansas

Healthy Baby Tips Prenatal Care Seek prenatal care from your doctor. It is important in monitoring mom and baby. Seek prenatal care during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy This allows the health care provider to better initiate the basic screening processes that are needed for both mom and baby Helps to limit the number of problems down the road Prenatal visits allow the health care provider to learn about the patients medical history and the family's medical history to look for any problems that might arise For more information call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002. Call 1-800-235-0002 for your free Happy Birthday Baby Book or order it online. It has coupons and more tips. Watch your weight when eating for two Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you need to literally eat for two. Avoid alcohol and excessive amounts of caffeine The more pounds you put on during pregnancy means the more pounds you have to lose after the baby is born Avoid soft cheeses that may be unpasturized such as brie or goats cheese Make sure any buffets you attend are properly refrigerated For more information call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002. Call 1-800-235-0002 for your free Happy Birthday Baby Book or order it online. It has coupons and more tips. Taking Baby's Temperature There are several types of thermometers available Glass Mercury thermometers can break and are not recommended. Digital thermometers are easy to use and give accurate read outs in seconds. Temperatures can be checked rectally, orally, under the arm or in the ear, depending on the type of thermometer. Before using any thermometer it should be cleaned with cold soapy water or rubbing alcohol. Use a thermometer carefully and according to its instructions. If your baby's temperature is 100.4 or the oral temperature is 99.6 call your doctor. For questions about taking your baby's temperature, call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002. Call 1-800-235-0002 for your free Happy Birthday Baby Book or order it online. It has coupons and tips to make you feel your best. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) SIDS is the sudden death of a sleeping infant. SIDS is NOT caused by suffocation, chocking or immunization. It occurs in ALL races and socioeconomic levels. A crucial way that SIDS can be prevented is to have your baby sleep on their back. Smoking during pregnancy has been found to be associated with SIDS. Also, make sure your baby is not overheated; this is a risk factor for SIDS. Do NOT sleep in the same bed as your baby; you could suffocate them. For more information call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002. Call 1-800-235-0002 for your free Happy Birthday Baby Book or order it online. It has coupons and more tips. No Drugs! It’s not a new tip. It’s something you heard before. Don’t use alcohol or drugs during your pregnancy. Dr. Stephen Chatelain with Baptist Health says: Alcohol can cause: Multiple birth defects Growth restrictions Small brain size Cocaine can cause: Problems with mom’s blood pressure A baby to have a stroke or even die in utero Problems with methamphetamines are related more to mom’s poor overall health. For more information or to order your free Happy Birthday Baby Book call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002 or order online. Pre-term Labor Know the signs of preterm labor. Premature babies born between 34 and 37 weeks generally do well. Labor before 34 weeks may result in your baby having underdeveloped lungs and other organs. So monitor yourself. Dr. Stephen Chatelain with Baptist Health explains preterm labor as: The onset of regular contractions anytime between 20 and 37 weeks of gestation Preterm labor often times is associated with Some vaginal bleeding, maybe even just spotting Possibly some leaking of amniotic fluid The best thing a patient can do to try to avoid being in this set of circumstances is to make sure she is seeing her doctor early. For more information or to order your free Happy Birthday Baby Book call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002 or order online. Happy Birthday Baby Book Start your pregnancy with the Happy Birthday Baby Book. The goal of the Happy Birthday Baby Book is to reduce the number of low-birth weight babies by encouraging early and continuous prenatal care. More than 200,000 books have been distributed in the last 15 years. Dr. Stephen Chatelain with Baptist Health encourages all expectant mothers to get a book. The Happy Birthday Baby Book Is a planner for pregnancy Gives a month-to-month breakdown of the different highlights during pregnancy Encourages you to see your doctor on a regular basis Provides coupons to be validated and used to obtain different foods and baby care items that are useful in pregnancy and after delivery For more information or to order your free Happy Birthday Baby Book call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002 or order online. Breast-feeding Breast-feeding is good for your baby, but did you know it is good for mother too? Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants. It has the right amount of fat, sugar, water and protein for the baby’s growth and development. Experts also feel that breast-feeding holds many other benefits for both the mother and infant. Dr. Stephen Chatelain with Baptist Health encourages breast-feeding because it: Promotes bonding between mother and baby Allows mom to pass useful antibodies to the baby to prevent allergies Encourages mom to lose weight because it consumes as many as 600 calories a day For more information or to order your free Happy Birthday Baby Book call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002 or order online. Food Safety Know what NOT to eat. While pregnant you may crave certain foods but not all foods are safe for pregnant women. Dr. Stephen Chatelain with Baptist Health encourages expectant mothers to avoid: Alcohol in any form Excessive caffeine consumption Uncooked meat - beef or seafood Unpastuerized soft cheeses like goat cheese and Brie cheese Unpastureized juices and any other unpastureized dairy products If you are exposed to food-borne illnesses it may result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and possibly preterm labor. For more information or to order your free Happy Birthday Baby Book call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002 or order online. Gestational Diabetes It is important to see your doctor regularly in order to monitor your pregnancy and anticipate any problems, such as gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs in pregnant women who have never had diabetes. Dr. Stephen Chatelain with Baptist Health provides the following tips for avoiding gestational diabetes: Maintain your weight at a more ideal level prior to conception Do not gain too much weight during pregnancy Lose the weight you gain in pregnancy after you deliver One effect of gestational diabetes on the baby is: Excessive weight gain, which will lead to an increased risk for a difficult vaginal delivery or even a C-section For more information or to order your free Happy Birthday Baby Book call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002 or order online. Group B Strep Protect your baby from infection even before it’s born. Group B Strep is a bacteria that can pass from mother to baby during pregnancy or delivery. It can cause infections in the mother and even more serious illnesses in the newborn, including meningitis and pneumonia. But early testing can help you both. Dr. Stephen Chatelain with Baptist Health provides the following points in relation to Group B Strep: It is a fairly common bacterial infection that will cause problems particularly for premature babies. It’s typically screened for during the patient’s pregnancy at 34 to 36 weeks. If a patient’s culture is positive she is treated with antibiotics during labor. For more information or to order your free Happy Birthday Baby Book call Baptist Health at 1-888-BAPTIST or the Healthy Baby Program at 1-800-235-0002 or order online.

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