Healthy Start For Your Baby Healthier Child, Brighter Future www.hpb.gov.sg 1800 223 1313 Contents 01 CONTENTS For easy reference, the book has been classifi ed into different age groups and a section for dads. Some information apply throughout all age groups. 03 Note from HPB 34 Problems and Conditions 04 Milestones Common infant problems and 06 Acknowledgements conditions 40 Immunisations 0-6 MONTHS Inject to protect 09 After Birth Baby’s here! What’s next? 44 Your Baby’s Growth and Development 11 Dealing with Changes Help your baby develop Baby’s home 46 Safety First for Your Baby 16 Nutrition for Your Baby Up and about safely Nature’s best food – breast milk 48 Oral Hygiene 24 Care of Your Newborn Smile a little smile To have and to hold 50 Going Back to Work 30 Rest and Relax Mummy’s off to work! Time to unwind 02 Contents 6-12 MONTHS 12-24 MONTHS 57 Nutrition for Your Baby 79 Nutrition for Your Toddler Getting ready for solids Nutrition after the fi rst year 66 Allergies 84 Physical Activities for Your Toddler When allergies occur Let’s go, Mummy! 70 Play-based Activities for You and 88 Safety First for Your Toddler Your Baby Keeping your child safe Let's play, Mummy! 90 Alternative Child Care Arrangement 72 Safety First for Your Baby Placing your child in a child care centre Safe home for your baby 93 Hygiene 74 Social and Emotional Skills Washy washy clean Your baby needs soft skills too 95 Coping with Your 2 Year-old When a fi rm hand is needed ALL ABOUT DADS 101 Daddy, You are Important Daddy dearest 106 Raising Healthy and Happy Children Creating a happy home OTHERS 112 Services, Support Groups and Helplines Where to get help 114 Books from National Library Board (NLB) Read a book a day to your child 117 Survey Making it better 121 The First Two Years Note from HPB 03 A Bundle of Joy! Congratulations to you and your spouse! You must be thrilled to welcome this new life into your family. We are sure you want to give your baby the best. You can start by helping him or her cultivate healthy habits and by setting a healthy example. Healthy habits formed from an early age are more likely to persist into adulthood. This Healthy Start For Your Baby guide provides you and your spouse with informative and practical tips to nurture the health and well-being of your baby. It is designed for easy reading and use. Sections are categorised according to your baby’s age. We have included pages for you to create a journal of your baby’s childhood memories. We hope this guide will help both of you ease your journey into parenthood and prepare you in giving your baby the healthiest head start to a brighter future. Have a wonderful and healthy journey. Ang Hak Seng Chief Executive Health Promotion Board Healthy Start For Your Baby is published under the Healthier Child, Brighter Future initiative 04 Milestones MilestonesHere is a quick guide on your baby’s developments • Looks at you • Responds to sounds • Smiles back at you • Make sounds like “UH”, “OO”, “EH”, “AH”… 12 – 24 months • Walks well with • Stands alone for good balance 10 seconds or more • Copies what you • Drinks from a cup are doing such as • Scribbles when without spilling household chores you give him a much pencil • Points to at least 2 parts of his body such as eyes, nose, etc when asked • Uses a spoon to • Says at least • Walks up several feed himself 3 words other steps of the than “papa” and staircase by • Builds a tower “mama” himself with the of 4 blocks or support of wall/ more without rail blocks falling Milestones 05 These are some milestones during your baby’s fi rst 2 years. Remember that babies develop at different rates, and these milestones are just a guide. 0 – 6 months • Holds a rattle in • Holds his head his* hand for a upright steadily in • Holds head and few seconds a sitting position chest up, on outstretched • Follows an object • Bears weight on arms, when from one side to his feet for a few placed on his the other side seconds while stomach being supported • Passes something small from one hand to the other hand • Sits alone for • Responds by • Pulls himself more than 5 waving when you to a standing seconds say bye-bye and position without wave to him help • Picks up a small object such as raisin with fi nger- thumb grasp 6 – 1212 monthsmonths YThe detailed Developmental Checklists can be found in your baby’s Health Booklet (pages 7-21). YIt is important to monitor your baby’s milestones by completing the detailed Developmental Checklists as listed in your baby’s Health Booklet. YTake your baby to the polyclinic, family doctor or paediatrician for the recommended developmental screenings. Y Note that baby will develop along different timelines. If your baby is not achieving the milestones in the Health Booklet, please consult your doctor. * For the sake of simplicity, he/his/him are used to represent both genders. 06 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements The Healthy Start For Your Baby guide was conceptualised by the Health Promotion Board as part of our Healthier Child, Brighter Future initiative. It was developed in collaboration with the following healthcare institutions: • Gleneagles Hospital • KK Women's and Children's Hospital • Mount Alvernia Hospital • Mount Elizabeth Hospital • National University Hospital • Parkway East Hospital • Raffl es Hospital • Singapore General Hospital • Thomson Medical Centre The Health Promotion Board would also like to express our sincere thanks to the following partners for their contributions to the development of the book: • Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy (Singapore) • Centre for Fathering Singapore • Child Care Division, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports • Children’s Services, National Library Board • Dads for Life 0-6 months The journey of discovery continues... 0-months6 After Birth 09 Baby’s here! What’sRead on to fi nd out whatnext? to expect as you welcome your bundle of joy ou have been waiting for your y Your baby will be given a vitamin K baby’s arrival and he is fi nally injection to prevent the possibility here. Here is a guide on what of bleeding. you can expect to happen at y A doctor will give your baby a thorough the hospital and later at home. check-up within the fi rst 24 hours. Baby — what he would go y Your baby will be given his fi rst through immunisations: Hepatitis B (fi rst dose) y Your baby will have his weight, length and BCG. and head circumference measured y He will also have a newborn hearing at birth. screening, usually by day one or day y His temperature, breathing rate and two. heart rate will also be noted. 10 After Birth y It is recommended that newborns y Check the timing for babycare be sent for metabolic screening. workshops provided by the hospitals Do check with your doctor regarding on breastfeeding and bathing your this test. newborn. Attend these sessions with your husband so that he can learn to Mummy — what to expect and help with caring for the baby. what to do y You will have bleeding (lochia) for a y If you and your baby are well with few weeks. This is normal. But if you no medical concerns, you are seem to be bleeding excessively, encouraged to place your baby on alert the doctors or nurses. your chest within fi ve minutes after y If you have diffi culty passing urine or delivery for at least an hour of skin- having pain, get help. to-skin contact. Your baby’s suckling y You can usually go home 1-3 days refl ex is most intense in the fi rst hour after a normal delivery. If you had a after birth. Guide him when he shows caesarean, you may go home after signs of readiness to feed. 3-5 days. y You will be able to rest in the labour y You will see your doctor again ward (or observation ward if you had 4-6 weeks later to check that the a caesarean) before being transferred episiotomy wound has healed well to your room. and that you are coping well with motherhood. A Pap smear will also y If you and your baby’s condition be conducted. Notify the clinic for permit, you can request to room-in a change of appointment if you 24 hours a day with your baby in are having your period. your room to facilitate breastfeeding You may wish to discuss and promote bonding. Let your baby contraception with your suckle on demand. doctor at this time. y Make the most of your time in hospital At home, make sure that to learn how to breastfeed properly. Do y you eat healthy meals and not be afraid to ask for help, especially get proper rest. in latching your baby onto your breast when you have easy access to the nurses and lactation consultants. Provide a totally tobacco-free environment for your baby’s well-being. Opening windows and doors do not protect your baby from secondhand smoke as toxins from tobacco smoke (now known as thirdhand smoke) settle on surfaces such as sofas, curtains, carpets as well as clothing and hair can take a long while to go away. These toxins may get into your baby’s body though contact while he plays or crawls or while he is being carried by a smoker.