Desert Storks

New Born Screening Test

The Newborn Screening Test, sometimes called a ‘Guthrie test’ or ‘heel prick’ test, is part of the normal care for newborn babies in Australia. This blood test is used to screen all newborn babies for some rare metabolic and congenital disorders. In Australia, advanced technology allows the testing from a single blood sample for over 30 different health problems.

These include congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria (PKU), cystic fibrosis (CF), galactosaemia, and several conditions affecting the breakdown of fats (fatty acid oxidation defects) and proteins (amino acid metabolism disorders). Many of these conditions are genetic, and inherited from two healthy parents each carrying the abnormal gene. Read more »

SIDS

Many parents worry a lot about the chance that their baby might die from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). SIDS means that babies die suddenly, without warning and for no obvious reason, while they are asleep.

What you can do

Put your baby down on his back to sleep.

Make sure your baby’s head is not covered when sleeping.

Don’t let your baby get overheated.

Keep your baby away from cigarette smoke.

What causes SIDS?

SIDS happens to babies, without warning, while they are asleep. They may be slightly unwell (such as a runny nose), but otherwise they are healthy.

The reasons why SIDS happens are not known, but research has found several things that make the risk of SIDS much lower.

Since parents in Australia and across the rest of the world have changed how they put babies down for sleep, far fewer babies have died from SIDS. Read more »

Vitamin K for Newborn Babies

Vitamin K helps blood to clot. It is essential to prevent serious bleeding. Babies do not get enough vitamin K from their mothers during pregnancy, or when they are breast feeding. Without vitamin K, they are at risk of getting a rare disorder called Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding, or VKDB. It can cause bleeding into the brain, and may result in brain damage or even death. VKDB can be prevented by giving new babies extra vitamin K. By the age of about six months, they have built up their own supply. Read more »

Breastfeeding

Your breast milk provides perfect nutrition to match your baby’s changing needs. Colostrum is the fluid your breasts produce in the first few days after birth. It helps protect your baby from infection. Breastfed babies also enjoy some protection against:

Common infections
Middle-ear infections
Some childhood cancers
Diarrhoeal diseases
Respiratory infections and asthma
Juvenile diabetes
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Childhood obesity. Read more »

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding twins and more.

Because breastmilk supply increases with extra demands, most women can breastfeed twins well. This can mean much less work compared to preparing and giving formula.

Twins can be fed together, but you may prefer to feed them separately while they are very young, either when they wake and demand or one after the other.

Once feeding is established, it is usually best to feed them at the same time and keep them in much the same routine.

Each twin may have her own breast, or it may help your supply to alternate them.

Make sure you eat well to have energy to cope with caring for two babies.

If you have three or four babies you may like to breastfeed two each time and have someone bottle feed the others - then swap next time.

However the babies are fed, parents of twins (or more) need plenty of help and support. You may like to contact your local Multiple Birth Association. Read more »

Breastfeeding-Dealing with Nipple Problems

Your nipples may be sensitive in the first few days after birth. However, nipple pain is not normal. If there is a small amount of blood in your breast milk because of nipple trauma, it will not harm your baby. You can continue to breastfeed unless the pain becomes unbearable. Read more »

Breastfeeding-Dealing with Mastitis

Mastitis means inflammation of the breast. It can be caused by blocked milk ducts (non-infective mastitis) or a bacterial infection (infective mastitis). If a blocked milk duct is not cleared, flu-like symptoms such as fever, aches and pains will probably develop. Milk duct blockages cause milk to pool in the breast. This forms an ideal environment for bacteria growth and can lead to an infection. Read more »

Circumcision

Circumcision is the removal of the flap of skin which naturally covers the tip of the penis. Many people, including some doctors, have very strong feelings about circumcision. There are conflicting points of view about the risks and possible benefits of circumcision. Legal and ethical issues about circumcision are also being widely discussed.
Medical specialists in Australia have concluded that there is no medical reason for routine circumcisions of newborn male infants.
Read more »

I’m Having a Caesarean Birth!!

What is a caesarean?

Caesarean Birth is the surgical technique whereby the baby and placenta are delivered through an incision in the uterus. The operation may be performed electively before the onset of labour or as an emergency once labour has commenced.
Types of incisions

There are 2 types, named in relation to where the uterine incision is made:
The lower uterine incision – the transverse or bikini line incision (most common)
The upper uterine incision or classical incision – the vertical incision.
Anaesthetic

This may be a General Anaesthetic or an Epidural Spinal Block.
Each type has its advantages and disadvantages; your doctor will discuss the type of anaesthetic suited for you. Read more »