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Prep for Baby

💡 Common myths, cleared up

Elders mean well, but some traditions do real harm. Here is what the evidence actually says about the beliefs you will hear most.

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The first yellow milk (colostrum) is dirty and should be thrown away

This is false and harmful. Colostrum is the most protective milk your baby will ever receive, rich in antibodies. Discarding it robs the baby of its first natural defence. Feed every drop.

🚫 Avoid
  • Do not squeeze out or discard the first milk
Ghutti is necessary for the baby

Ghutti is absolutely not necessary and is often harmful. Home mixtures of honey, herbs or gripe water can carry infection, upset the stomach, and reduce breastfeeding by filling the baby stomach. A newborn needs only and only breast milk.

✅ Do
  • Get help from your family in the first golden hour to latch on to the breast and take the first yellow water feed as full of antibodies and nourishment
🚫 Avoid
  • Do not give ghutti, gripe water or home mixtures , sugar drips or 25% dextrose ampoules by mouth.
Honey should be given right after birth

Never give honey to a baby under one year. Honey can contain spores that cause infant botulism, a serious illness. This is one tradition that must stop.

🚫 Avoid
  • Do not give honey to a baby under 12 months
Surma or kajal improves eyesight and wards off nazar.

Surma and kajal do not improve eyesight and are dangerous. Many contain lead, which is toxic to babies, and putting anything in the eyes risks infection. Keep the eyes clean with plain water and nothing else.

✅ Do
  • If eyes are mild wet and pusy just clean them clean water soaked cotton balls.
🚫 Avoid
  • Do not apply surma or kajal to a baby's eyes. Do not use antibuotic eye drops with out doctor advice.
Tight binding or langot or gundok makes the legs straight

This is a myth, and tight binding of the legs is harmful; it can damage the developing hips. If you swaddle, keep it firm around the arms but loose at the hips so the legs can bend freely.

✅ Do
  • Mild swaddle is acceptable. done with cotton cloth
🚫 Avoid
  • Do not bind or tightly wrap the legs straight . No fancy binding with beads etc
Formula is stronger than mother's milk

Not true. Breast milk is the ideal food, changing to meet your baby's needs and protecting against infection. Formula is a safe alternative when needed, but it is not stronger or better than your milk.

✅ Do
  • Trust that your milk is made perfectly for your baby. Human milk for Human baby.
🚫 Avoid
  • Cow , goat milk is not allowed
Keep the room very hot and wrap the baby heavily

Overheating is dangerous and raises the risk of cot death, and in our summers it also causes heat rash and dehydration. The baby needs a comfortable room and light clothing, not a hot room and heavy wrapping.

✅ Do
  • keep check of room temperature and dress the baby according to season. Light cotton clothes in summer and twolayers clothes in winter. keep room temperature 29 to 30 in all weathers.
🚫 Avoid
  • Do not keep the room hot or bundle the baby in heavy layers of clothing . pakistan have very hot weather and layering baby like western countries in summer is not advisable
Newborns should not be bathed for many days

It is fine and good to keep a newborn clean. Once the baby is stable, a short warm bath or a gentle top-and-toe wash is safe, keeping the cord area clean and dry. Long periods without washing are not necessary.

✅ Do
  • Keep the baby clean with gentle, warm washing. wash eyes with cotton balls, then behind ear and head and then proceeds to body . use milder soaps and baths with minimal perfumes addes
🚫 Avoid
  • Dipping in full water tubs. Never full babybath tub the water should be only few inches in the tub.
A breastfeeding mother must avoid many foods

A breastfeeding mother should eat well, not starve herself of nutritious food. She needs a varied diet and plenty of fluids to recover and feed her baby. Cutting out healthy foods on old beliefs only weakens the mother.

✅ Do
  • Eat a varied, nourishing diet and drink plenty of fluids . Eat eggs , poultry , yoghurts , poultry . baby need healthy proteins. too much sugary drinks not helpful, healthy fats and vegetables.
🚫 Avoid
  • Do not cut out healthy foods based on tradition. as baby will not be satisfied from watery mother milk and will not gain weight. Never Start Formula feed without discussing with your baby Doctor.
Putting oil or ghee, haldi on the cord helps it heal

No. Applying oil, ghee, ash, surma or any substance to the cord is a common cause of dangerous cord infection. The cord needs only to be kept clean and dry, and it will drop off on its own.

✅ Do
  • Use good antiseptic to clean and always keep the cord outside the pamper so it air dry and fall
🚫 Avoid
  • Do not apply oil, ghee, ash or any substance to the cord. No iodine containing liquids be used as effects the thyroid harmones

Your before-labour checklist

Do not forget the one thing that ties it all together, our printable checklist to tick off before the big day.

Open the checklist

More to prepare

🏠 Preparing your home🧺 Essential equipment🤱 Preparing for breastfeeding🧳 Before going to hospital🌅 The first hour after birth🛡️ Keeping baby safe👨‍🍼 How fathers can help

Questions before your baby arrives?

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