After Baby Arrives

Ages and Stages Developmental Screening
Breastfeeding
Immunizations
Interconceptual Care
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Lead Poisoning Prevention 

Ages and Stages Developmental Screening

MomsFirst provides free developmental screenings for children of program participants at four and eight months of age to ensure that children are at the level they should be. 

If you have a child under the age of 3 and you are concerned about your child’s development, talk to your MomsFirst Community Health Worker or contact Help Me Grow at (216) 736-4300 or www.ohiohelpmegrow.org.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the best option for your baby.  The benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby are incredible. 

Breastfeeding benefits for baby:

• Baby gets antibodies that protect him from colds, ear infections, allergies, and other illnesses
• It’s easier to digest than formula, so baby will have less constipation, vomiting, and diarrhea
• It’s the ideal food with all the right ingredients
• Holding baby against your skin helps him feel secure

Breastfeeding benefits for mom:

• It’s free and convenient – no shopping, preparation, or bottle washing
• May help mom lose pregnancy weight
• Helps the uterus to return to its normal size
• May prevent breast cancer
• Gives mom a wonderful feeling of accomplishment and helps mom bond with baby

Not all women should breastfeed.  Women who are HIV positive should not breastfeed because the virus can be contracted through breast milk.  If you use drugs or consume a lot of alcohol, you should avoid breastfeeding because those chemicals can pass through the breast milk to the baby.

If you have questions or concerns about breastfeeding, talk to your MomsFirst Community Health Worker or contact the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) office at (216) 778-4932 or go online at www.health.state.ok.us/chds/cleveland/services/wic/wic.html

Immunizations

It is very important that your baby receives all of his/her immunizations.  Contact your doctor to ensure that you are up to date with your baby’s shots. 
Find out more about immunizations 

Interconceptional Care

Once you have given birth, it is important to take care of you. A few things to plan for are:

• Attending your 6 week postpartum check-up
• Finding and practicing family planning method
• Planning for two years between pregnancies

First, be sure to schedule and attend your Six Week Postpartum Check-up appointment.  This visit is the last in the long line of checkups that started with your first prenatal appointment.  Although practices vary, most doctors and midwives will want to see you to make sure you’re recovering well, physically and emotionally.  If you had a c-section, you’ll likely to see your practitioner a few weeks earlier to make sure your incision is healing properly.

What to expect during your postpartum checkup
Your postpartum checkup caregiver will: 

• Check your weight and blood pressure
• Check your abdomen and breasts
• Inspect your perineum and do a speculum and internal exam
• Talk over any concerns
• Ask how you’re feeling
• Order lab tests (if necessary)

Birth spacing is an important maternal and child health intervention. USAID-sponsored studies have helped establish healthy pregnancy timing and spacing as an important intervention to improve infant, child, and maternal health.

Based on Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and other data, these analyses found that:

• Short birth-to-pregnancy intervals are associated with significant increased risk of neonatal, infant, child and under-5 mortality; low birthweight and preterm births; infant/child malnutrition in some populations; and stillbirths, miscarriages, and maternal morbidity
• From a public health perspective, birth-to-pregnancy intervals of at least two years (or three-year birth-to-birth intervals), but not longer than five years, are associated with the healthiest pregnancy outcomes
• Intervals between abortions (spontaneous or induced) and the next pregnancy that are shorter than six months are associated with significant increased risk of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in the next pregnancy, such as low birthweight, preterm births, small-for-gestational age, premature rupture of membranes, and anemia

To ensure appropriate birth spacing, you should explore which birth control method is most appropriate for you.  Contact your medical provider for more information on birth control methods. 

There are family planning services provided by Planned Parenthood www.plannedparenthood.org and the City of Cleveland Health Centers. 

Sudden Infant Death Sudden Syndrome (SIDS)

infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a syndrome marked by the symptoms of sudden and unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant aged one month to one year.

Most deaths due to SIDS occur between 2 and 4 months of age, and incidence increases during cold weather. African-American infants are twice as likely and Native American infants are about three times more likely to die of SIDS than Caucasian infants. More boys than girls fall victim to SIDS.

A lack of answers is part of what makes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) so frightening. SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants who are 1 month to 1 year old and claims the lives of about 2,500 infants each year in the United States. It remains unpredictable despite years of research. Even so, you can take steps to help reduce the risk of SIDS in your infant. First and foremost, put your infant to sleep on his or her back if the baby is younger than one year old.

Other potential risk factors include:

• smoking, drinking, or drug use during pregnancy
• poor prenatal care
• prematurity or low birth-weight
• mothers younger than 20
• smoke exposure following birth
• overheating from excessive sleepwear and bedding
• stomach sleeping
• sleeping with your baby

Sleeping with your baby can be dangerous because:

• Adult beds have soft mattresses and lots of blankets, covers, and pillows
• Young babies cannot turn over yet and cannot get themselves out of danger if their noses and mouths get covered
• Parents of young babies can be exhausted and might not wake up or realize that their baby is in danger if his/her nose or mouth gets covered
• Babies can get wedged between the mattress and wall or mattress and headboard
• Parents or siblings may roll over onto the baby while asleep
• Babies may fall off of the bed

To reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS, here are some tips

• Place your baby on his/her back to sleep at nighttime and naptime
• Place your baby on a firm mattress ALONE, such as in a safety approved crib, pack ‘n’ play, or bassinet
• Remove all fluffy and loose bedding from baby’s sleep area
• Make sure baby’s head and face stay uncovered during sleep
• Don’t smoke before or after baby’s birth
• Don’t let baby get too warm during sleep
• Make sure everyone who watches baby also follows these guidelines

If you have questions regarding safe sleep environments, talk with your MomsFirst Community Health Worker or visit www.sids-network.org/facts.htm 

Lead Poisoning Prevention

Lead poisoning is a serious problem in the City of Cleveland. Lead poisoning prevention applies to all family members, not just children.  Exposure to lead during your pregnancy can affect your baby-to-be.  Lead enters the body through ingestion or inhalation

Ways to be exposed to lead include

• Unsafe home renovations such as sanding or burning paint pre-1970; demolishing ceilings or wall cavities
• Cleaning or entering areas containing lead
• Work clothes or shoes covered in lead dust
• Dry sweeping and dusting

Some affects of lead poisoning in children

• Nervous system (ex cerebral palsy)
• Growth and development (ex delayed neuro-development (sitting up, walking)
• Cognitive development (ex: IQ level decrease, decreased educational performance)
• Behavior (ex: aggression, attention problems, ADD)
• Hearing
• Sight (ex: retinal degeneration)
• Movement (fine motor skills)
• Digestive system (ex: colic)
• Anemia
• Even death

Ways to minimize lead risk include

• Move out during home renovation
• Maintain good hygiene by washing hands before eating or preparing food
• Wash fruits and vegetables
• Wash hands after playing outside or touching animals
• Wet wipe surfaces before preparing food or drinks
• Wet mop rather than sweep
• Wet wipe windowsills, ledges, and flat surfaces at least weekly after vacuuming
• Use a door mat to trap lead dust
• Leave shoes outside of door
• Maintain a healthy diet

Some symptoms of lead poisoning in pregnant women are

• Miscarriage, still born, neonatal death
• Reduced birth weight
• Lead passed via placenta to fetus from mom

Learn more about lead poisoning and programs that provide lead testing for your home and family