The last week of the pregnancy and the first week after your child arrives are very hectic. The emotions transition from anxiety about the delivery, to the joy of holding your newborn, coming back to anxiety on whether you are doing everything right! You are not alone, though. Every parent goes through this phase! Thankfully, you are surrounded by people who are willing to help.
To ensure that the next few weeks become easy, remember to do these 5 things!
#1 Make sure that you have adequate help
This cannot be stressed enough. If you already have a child, you would know what I mean. If this is your first, get ready for sleepless nights and clueless frustrations! Luckily, experienced nannies who specialise in taking care of newborns are easily available in Singapore. What’s more, most Asian parents are willing to help out in the family.
#2 Consult experts for taking care of the baby
Lactation consultants are a boon for the new mums and dads. Newborns rarely start suckling expertly. In many cases, the babies start to fuss and the mums start to feel guilty. Well, this is where the lactation consultants step in.
A lactation consultant is generally a trained nurse with years of working with new mums, helping them find the correct position to feed the baby. They educate the mums about a good latch, how to feed and burp the baby and answer all the questions about lactation. Get training before your baby is born. Repeat a live session after he is in your hands. The consultant will tell you about different positions to feed the baby, and which one is perfect for you. She can potentially save you a lot of agony!
Other experts would teach you how to swaddle the baby, do’s and don’ts concerning the baby’s sleeping habitat and how to bathe the baby. These are very important lessons and should not be missed!
#3 Get the paperwork in order and open a CDA account
Most of our big hospitals have facilities to register the birth of the baby. This comes handy as you do not have to go to any other place. Do not forget to carry a set of your documents when you go to the hospital for delivery.
There are other formalities that you need to do before your discharge. There would be some vaccines given right after birth and it will be documented in a book. Don’t forget to ask for it if you don’t already have one.
Also, don’t forget to open a Child Development Account (CDA) for your baby. POSB offers 2% p.a. rate of interest on its Smiley CDA. Activate the POSBkids Account that comes with the CDA and avail a host of other privileges. The POSB Smiley CDA also comes with a POSB Baby Bonus NETS Card that will give you discounts at more than 50 merchants.
Find out more about the POSB Smiley CDA account here
#4 Choose the right doctor for your baby
Before you discharge from the hospital, you would have a choice to register your kid for a paediatrician follow-up at the hospital. Research a few before the baby is born. You can request for an appointment before you leave the hospital.
One of the most important things you should do at the paediatrician clinic is to understand the immunisation schedule. The doctor will tell you about the compulsory and optional vaccines. Don’t forget to get your child vaccinated before you leave the hospital too.
Alternatively, you can have your newborn registered at polyclinics. Here, you can use the savings in the CDA to pay for medical expenses. Click here for the list of approved institutions where you can use the CDA account.
#5 Sign up for cord blood bank at Cordlife
The cord blood cells have a potential to cure a few ailments as the child grows up. However, that is not all. It is also a hope for siblings and immediate family for whom these cells could be used. Currently, there are many trials going on for the potential uses of this technology.
Cord Life is one of the leading cord blood banks in Singapore. You can pay the fees through your CDA account! Find more info about cord blood banking here. Don’t forget to invest in this for a worry-free future for your child.
This article is sponsored by POSB. Visit www.posb.com.sg/cda to learn more about POSB Smiley CDA.
Deposit Insurance Scheme: Singapore dollar deposits of non-bank depositors and monies and deposits denominated in Singapore dollars under the Supplementary Retirement Scheme are insured by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation, for up to S$50,000 in aggregate per depositor per Scheme member by law.