During this pandemic, no extra care is needed for a normal new-born born to a normal mother. Regular precautions such as hand washing and breastfeeding should be enough. Social events such as baby shower before birth or naming ceremony after birth should be performed in a symbolic way only. Crowding of relatives and well-wishers near mother and baby should be avoided till this pandemic is over. Vaccinations should be given as usual; avoiding crowding in hospitals. Parents should not delay visit to hospital if baby develops any medical complication. In summer season, dehydration is common. Please avoid over-wrapping the baby and visit the paediatrician if the baby stops feeding and urine output becomes less. They are treated like any other pregnant women. Full medical and obstetrics care is given by designated hospitals. An attempt is made to postpone the delivery beyond the eighth month of pregnancy. If mother’s health is at risk; then baby is delivered early. So far, Indian perinatal and neonatal outcomes are satisfactory. After birth, mothers must wear a mask and breast-feed the baby on demand. The baby and mother can be kept in the same room or different rooms depending on availability of accommodation and nurses. If in same room, a 2-metre distance should be maintained between mother and baby. The baby is monitored for signs such as fever, difficulty in breathing, lethargy, rash, and diarrhoea.
May 10 is International Mother’s Day. All over the world, mothers have mixed feelings. According to UNICEF, 24 million babies are expected to be born in India during next year. One can be optimistic of better perinatal and neonatal care due to better awareness of hygiene, better health infrastructure.
Even if COVID-19 lingers, good habits such as handwashing and physical distancing can make our world a better place for newborns.
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