Baby Birth

The IVF Progeny has enabled tremendous progress in lactation support. Since its inception over two decades ago, we have seen maternity wards transform from places historically infused with enormous influence from formula companies and maternity care and infant feeding practices that undermined breastfeeding, to environments in which evidenced-based care is provided, education is free from commercial interests, and mothers are supported in reaching their infant feeding goals.

Your First Scan

Your first scan is likely to be at six weeks, if you see your doctor as soon as you miss your period. If you see your doctor a bit later, you are more likely to have your first scan around eight or nine weeks of pregnancy.

Your first scan helps to confirm your pregnancy, see if the embryo sac is embedded inside the uterus, detect your baby's heartbeat, see if you are pregnant with one baby or more find your accurate due date, check your uterus, ovaries and surrounding organs.

Baby Care

More than 70% infant deaths occur within 24 hours of birth so the first "28 days"- known as the neonatal period is the most vulnerable time period for a child's survival. UNICEF figures state that more than 2 million newborns died within first seven days, representing 73% of all neonatal deaths.

Hence, Dr Ruby Sehra, Senior Consultant - Gynecology/Obstetrics, says that the first 7 days of life are the most crucial for baby's survival.

Pregnancy

More than one in seven Indian women did not receive antenatal care during their last pregnancy--nearly half of them because their husband or family did not think it was necessary or did not allow it--according to the latest National Family Health Survey 2015-16 (NFHS-4) data, highlighting the need to sensitise men about women's rights to healthcare.

Only 30.3% Indian women consumed iron and folic acid tablets for the recommended course of 100 days or more. Consequently, 50.3% pregnant women and 58.4% of children aged 6-59 months had iron-deficiency anaemia - a major cause of maternal deaths, preterm births and mortality of infants.

Feeding Baby

Correct Norms for Infant and Young Child Feeding:

a. Initiation of breastfeeding immediately after birth, preferably within one hour.

b. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months i.e., the infants receive only breast milk and nothing else - no other milk, food, drink or water.

c. Appropriate and adequate complementary feeding from six months of age while continuing breastfeeding.

d. Continued breastfeeding upto the age of two years or beyond.