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Symptoms of Rubella in newborns

Contingent upon while during the pregnancy the embryo is contaminated, it might have no indications or might be stillborn. Babies who endure may have various birth deserts. These birth absconds are alluded to as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).  The most well-known indications of innate rubella disorder in infants incorporate: Low birth weight  Small head/ Microcephaly   Brain inflammation Cataracts Damage to the retina Hearing loss Heart defects Enlarged liver and spleen Bruises or other skin spots Enlarged lymph nodes
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Infant Feeding

  • Purely milk feeding for the first 6 months.
  • Then solid food gradually introduced (weaning).

Breastfeeding

This unsurprisingly is the best option for many reasons, though sometimes mothers have difficulty and prefer to bottle feed.

Initial establishment

  • This is critical in the first few days after birth.
  • It is new to both mother (if the first baby) and infant, does not just 'happen' perfectly at once, and requires preservance. It is important therefore that the mother is given as much help and encouragement as possible (without being didactic), and that time is taken by the midwives and breastfeeding specialists to help establish breastfeeding.
  • Use cup feeds of formula milk if additional feeding is necessary whilst trying to establish breastfeeding (the bottle can be easier and therefore the baby may stop trying to breastfeed if tired).
    Formula feeding

Continuation

  • Breastfeeding continued for the first 6 months has proven beneficial to the baby.
  • Many women commence breastfeeding well but then stop after only a few weeks.
  • Higher social classes have higher rates of breastfeeding.
  • Help is available from breastfeeding counselors and health visitors in particular

Advantages

  1. Nutrition optimum, e.g.fatty acids, arachidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid needed for an infant's brain development.

  2. Immunological protection transferred ( IgA especially). In the developing world, it gives very significant protection against respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases.
  3. Uterine involution (oxytocin release) and maternal weight loss expedited.
  4. Contraceptive (lactation amenorrhea).
  5. Convenient and cheap.
  6. Decrease the risk of breast cancer (4.7%/year of breastfeeding).
  7. Reduced incidence of atopy throughout childhood and adolescence.
  8. Helps to establish maternal-infant bonding.

There are no real disadvantages to breastfeeding:

  • It is becoming socially acceptable (and politically correct) to breastfeed infants in public places, including restaurants.
  • Mothers need not do all the feeding as expressed breast milk can be given by other carers.
  • Mother cannot go back to work while fully breastfeeding (through some milk may be expressed at work, depending on the type of employment).

Components of breast milk

  • For the primary few days, composed of colostrum (thick bright yellow-orange) with high protein, phospholipid, cholesterol, and immunoglobulin content.
  • Major differences from formula milk:
  1. Casein: whey ratio-high whey in breast milk.
  2. Fat: higher in breast milk.
  3. Na, Ca, K, vitamin K, Iron -lower in breast milk.
  4. Cows milk is vastly different and should not be used as a substitute. 

Weaning

  • This is the introduction of solid food and is done gradually from around 4-6 months. Different pureed foods are introduced, e.g.mashed banana, once a week initially. Babies generally like sweet things (as breast milk is very sweet), but it is important to introduce a wide variety of flavors early.
    Weaning food for babies

  • Normal cow's milk should not be introduced before 1 year of age.



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