Tips for New Mothers

Dr. Jeanette Hoenig: Hi! Ms. Williams, I’m Dr. Hoenig. I’ll be your baby’s doctor. How are you? Dominique Williams: Fine. Dr. Jeanette Hoenig: Good. How are you feeling? Dominique Williams: Alright. Dr. Jeanette Hoenig: It’s only been just a few hours. Dominique Williams: Yeah. Dr. Jeanette Hoenig: As the pediatrician, I will examine the baby and care for the baby while the mom is here and the baby is here and make sure that the health of the baby is intact and there are certain things that occur in the first few days of life that we watch for in terms of substance called Bilirubin going up, which causes jaundice. We watch for that and make sure the babies are okay. If you press on their hand, they squeeze real tight and actually they do the same thing with their feet. These are normal reflexes that show that their nervous system is developed. So if you put your finger here, they’ll grab you with their toes. Have you ever heard of that, the soft spot on head before? And do you know where it is? Dominique Williams: In the middle? Dr. Jeanette Hoenig: Yeah. Go ahead and show me. Dominique Williams: Good. Yeah, there are actually and that’s the smaller one that you’re pointing out right here in the back of the head. And the bigger one is going to be here in the front. There are very basic things that you won’t even think of as an adult but we just make sure that they have normal voids and stools. They’re urinating and having bowel movements. Some babies will not do that in the first couple of days of life and then we’d worry. Other things are basic things like feeding. Some babies have a very hard time with the suck or getting enough nutrients in and they lose lot of weight the first couple of days. Take a look here at the cord. And you’re familiar with this here. Do you know what this is? Dominique Williams: A clamp. Dr. Jeanette Hoenig: Yes and then this. Dominique Williams: Umbilical cord. Dr. Jeanette Hoenig: Good. Do you know why it looks like this? Dominique Williams: While the partition the antibiotics are used. Dr. Jeanette Hoenig: Good. Oh, great. So you already know this. Sometimes the first time moms and they need lot more information about breastfeeding or how to properly care for a baby and other more experience moms may have their own particular questions but we’ll just guide the mothers through parenting.