Essential Healthy Practices for Expectant Parents: Ensuring a Robust Start for Your Baby

Here are the top ten healthy practices that expectant mothers and fathers can adopt before and after birth to ensure the best possible start for their child:

1. Regular Antenatal Care Visits:

   • Ensure you receive at least four antenatal care visits from a healthcare professional.

   • Plan these appointments with your healthcare provider, ensuring coverage across all phases of pregnancy.

   • Learn about potential danger signs such as bleeding, fever, swollen hands and feet, or blurred vision.

2. Planning for Safe Delivery:

   • m to have your baby delivered at a health facility by a skilled birth attant who can ensure safe delivery, recognize complications early, guide you on actions in case of health issues, and provide timely referral or treatment if needed.

3. Supporting Mental Health and Well-being:

   • Understand that emotional, physical, and psychological changes are common during pregnancy and post-delivery.

   • Share your feelings with family members, fris, join support groups for new mothers, or seek guidance from healthcare professionals such as skilled birth attants or counselors.

4. Iron and Folate Supplementation:

   • Iron intake is crucial for brn development in the baby, can reduce fatigue and anemia in mothers, and helps prevent low birth weight.

   • Take iron folate during breastfeeding's first months to support your baby’s health.

   • Ensure you have access to multi-micronutrient powders for infants between 6-23 months old.

5. Recognizing Danger Signs:

   • Learn the early warning signs such as poor feeding, blue or purple skin color, convulsions, difficulty breathing, lethargy, abnormal body temperature, and high numbers of pustules on the skin.

   • Seek immediate medical attention if you notice these signs in your newborn.

6. Registering Your Baby's Birth:

   • Register your baby immediately after birth to obtn a birth certificate that serves as legal proof of citizenship, identity, and access to essential services like healthcare, education, and employment rights later on.

7. Practicing Safe Family Planning:

   • Ensure at least three years between pregnancies for optimal maternal health recovery.

   • Avoid unplanned pregnancies by using suitable contraceptive methods. Consult your local healthcare provider for advice.

These practices encompass the key aspects of prenatal care, newborn health, and family planning that support both mother's and baby's well-being during this critical period in their lives.

: The above information is a synthesized version of common recommations based on the original text provided by UNICEF. It may not cover specific local or regional guidelines, which should be obtned from certified healthcare professionals or official resources for the most accurate advice tlored to your specific situation.
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