A newborn is a bundle of mystery. Anything out of the ordinary which is sleeping, perplexes me. the first few days I was dashing to the nurses room every half an hour with a concerned face, "He has hiccups now. He has sneezed more than 4 times. Does he have cold? and such." I was told at the hospital that hiccups, sneezing and burping is quite common among newborns and infants. It is not a cause of concern when your newborn hiccups. My boy hiccups quite frequently through the day and the probability of one occurring after a good session of feeding is high. This I believe is attributed to the intestines not being fully developed.
Though no course of action is required, it can be quite a discomfort for the baby and you. You can make him suck or give him a small feed and this stops the hiccup. water is generally not recommended for newborns. So you might want to check with your doctor before giving water.
What to do when your newborn has hiccups?
4 weeks : My vision is beyond 12 inches now
Pranav would just stare blankly beyond a certain distance. He would not acknowledge one's presence or look at object shown to him within a foot's distance. His vision has improved beyond the 12 inches circumference now and for the first time today he saw eye to eye while I was standing and looked down at him on the bed. This is a feel-good milestone. For once, I can feel him as a real person who can respond to his senses and not someone who just drinks every alternate hours, pees and poops.
Child Immunization : Pulse Polio drive in India
Lil General (as we fondly call our son Pranav) had his first immunization shots for Polio and BCG on the 3rd. These are to be given within 30 days of the bith of the child.
During this visit, the doctor wanted us to take Lil General for the Pulse Polio immunization drops programme held on the 7th as well. This is an initiative undertaken by the Indian Govenment every year to erdicate Polio. I was wondering if this is something that will be harmful for the kid if not given. I found out that these are only additional to what the hospital/paediatrician gives. However, it has been made mandatory. Concerned if it would take a long while to get these drops as these are given to crores of kids across the country in various centers, I went in early this morning at 7:30 a.m.. I was pleased to find that it didn't take more than 5 mins and we were the only ones. Seeing LG they even took a picture of him and myself. This has tobe followed up by another shot on the Feb 11th. This year it is on the 7th Jan and Feb 11th.
Punyajanam / namakaranam - naming the baby
Punyajanam (Punya means purifying and janam means birth) is a function held on the 11th day after a baby is born. It is a commonly followed ritual in Tamilians. O the day of the punyajanam, a sastrigal (pandit) is called who performs a small puja and the sprays omathanner(ajwain water) throughout the house as though to cleanse it. No homam (havan) is performed as smoke is not good for the newborn. It is mainly the after who sits through the 30 minute odd pooja reciting shlokas. After the pooja, the mother and the newborn are called. The official and other names that they have decided for the kid is said 3 times in the new born's year and it is also written 3 times in Sanskrit (Devanagiri script) over rice chaff. If the mother is good health wise, then she can wear a 9 yard sari, else it is not a must these days.This is followed by showering of gifts o the newborn and the maternal uncle repeating the process of writing the name under a cradle in which the newborn s put.
Our son's punyajanam was performed today and he was named "Pranav". The other names were Nishit and Anubhav.
Updated on 30 june 2007
Related article : Found another good article on Namkaran Tradition in India
Post delivery, when will I get discharged from the hospital?
A day after the delivery, after the new mother has recuperated from the anxiety and pain of delivery, there is a sense of relief ad the event she looks forward to most is going back home with the newborn. After all who likes the environs of a hospital. The same was the case with me. It is generally a relief if delivery is normal instead of Cesarean.
The normal practice in India is to discharge the mother and newborn on the third day from the day of delivery, if both of them are doing good. If the mother is weak or if the newborns contracted some infection or jaundice then discharge can get delayed. I the case of Cesarean, both are discharged usually on the 9th or 10th day after the stitches heal. I both cases, there has to be a bowel movement for the mother before she ca get discharged. If it doesn't happen naturally then a tablet is given.
These are under normal circumstances. If there is a complication or emergency it might vary o a case to case basis. Like I got discharged only on the 8th day despite having normal delivery as Pranav was in ICU. Even if the mother is normal they will not discharge her as both the kid and mother will be observed for regular feeding and such for at least 24 hours. A lot of this is also a psychic game and how you conduct yourself. If you complain of too much pain or do not walk or behave normal, the hospital tends to delay your discharge is what I have seen. Good hospitals do not mint moey but there are a lot of them out there who are commercial and one additional day means more income. My only advice is do not panic. If you feel comfortable ad think everything is normal after the stipulated duration, talk to your doctor about your discharge. Cases where there is no inclination or initiative by patients, they tend to lax too.
