Transcription:
A Parents Guide to Taking Care of Baby -When They Arrive Home and Beyond

Amanda Wilde (Host): Hello everyone. I am pleased to welcome you to another episode of Duly Noted, the official podcast of Duly Health and Care. I'm Amanda Wilde, and today I am delighted to be joined by Dr. Penny Mathews, a board certified pediatrician and chair of the pediatric department at Duly Health. And. While there are always things to learn as a new parent or caregiver today, we're going to tackle the most critical things to know for first time parents and caregivers so we can support getting children off to a healthy start in life. Thanks for being here, Dr. Mathews.

Dr Panorea Mathews-Kukla: Thanks for having me, Amanda. I'm glad to be here.

Amanda Wilde (Host): Glad to have you here to answer these critical questions. Presumably all goes as expected at the hospital, Baby comes home. And now what? What should parents and caregivers be thinking about and looking for in those first few days?

Dr Panorea Mathews-Kukla: The first thing that always comes to mind like, this is a extremely joyful and happy time for parents. And it's also very anxiety provoking. So, definitely once that baby comes home and then there's no doctors and nurses and all that and you're just home with your baby, it is kind of like a now what moment? I think the most important thing when I think about, infants and families and babies, just for parents to really focus on that, this is just a wonderful gift they've been given and just focus on being with their baby and being close to their baby.

Sometimes it's really, easy for parents to get wrapped up in, counting the diapers and measuring formula and counting, breastfeeding and counting minutes and hours between and all these things. And I think those are great things to do because that shows a lot of care on the parent's part. But it's also very important to just take a minute and, bond with the baby, look at the baby, hold the baby, all those things. So I think that for me is the most important thing, just to take a moment and just, soak it all. that's my number one thing.

And then in addition, I would say, the basic needs of the baby, which are gonna be met by the parents. Number one is feeding the baby. which. Your pediatrician should go over in the hospital, so there's definitely support at the hospital for that. So parents should be pretty well prepared to provide the feedings and basic diaper changes as well. Now also keep in mind that. Every baby that's born, should have a follow up with a pediatrician, a family medicine doctor, or some sort of licensed healthcare provider, within about one to three days is what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend.

So one to three days after you leave the hospital with your baby is when you're going to have that first follow up visit. Which is a great time to connect with your primary care provider, ask those questions and kind of see where you're at because definitely different parents have different challenges, different questions. Obviously every baby's different, so, count on that you will have a contact with a provider within one to three days after you do go home.

Amanda Wilde (Host): Well, I was just gonna ask when should a child see a pediatrician and why, and for how long? But it sounds like you're saying you should have a pediatrician on board before you're even leaving the hospital?

Dr Panorea Mathews-Kukla: Yes. So most hospitals definitely will ensure that there is provider that is, linked to you that you're will be following up with. And a lot of parents have that first appointment set up, on the day of discharge. So they know that they'll be going in, to see their doctor soon after they leave the hospital. So that visit, will of include the baby's weight, seeing how the feedings are going. Checking all those things. Checking that the baby is safe at home, everything that the parents have questions about will be answered.

All those things, jaundice will be checked. Babies tend to get a little bit yellow after they're born sometimes. So we do follow up on those types of things, and really just see how both the parents are doing as well.

Amanda Wilde (Host): I was gonna say, it's great you have this check-in because parents need support.

Dr Panorea Mathews-Kukla: They absolutely do. It is kind of like a time where there's just a lot of emotions, as I mentioned. lots of highs and also lows. Lots of worry, lots of joy, lots of family wanting to come over. lots of opinions, right? Being thrown at you as a new parent. and definitely first time parents. It's a little overwhelming. Absolutely. So we are there to help organize all those things and really help guide parents, we said, focus on what's kind of most important.

Amanda Wilde (Host): So, is your pediatrician really your partner in all this? When I ask, for how long should a child see a pediatrician? I mean, I know the answer can be up to adulthood usually, is that person your primary partner in your child's healthcare?

Dr Panorea Mathews-Kukla: Absolutely. And that's a great question. So pediatricians, are trained to see kids or you said early adults until they're about 18 to 21. So depends on the practice, but definitely through 18. And partnership is kind of like the cornerstone of everything we do. So it is a partnership. As pediatricians, we are a unique breed of doctors, where we're very much partnering with the parents in their vision of their parenthood and guiding them along that definitely not, dictating how things should be or, following a certain mold.

I think parents really put pressure on themselves to do things a certain way or do things perfectly or how they see things in social media. But, just honoring the parents, cultural backgrounds, social background, all those things, and bringing us all together and helping those kids grow and thrive.

Amanda Wilde (Host): So we were talking about this partnership and we also focused in on the first few days, but as we expand that to look at the first few years, what are some overarching themes, that parents should look for or look forward to?

Dr Panorea Mathews-Kukla: The first few years are definitely a lot of work, but definitely a lot of fun watching kids with their development. Which again, we partner with that kind of watching those basic, verbal development, motor development, emotional development. We're Gonna see kids developing their little personalities, having days where they're, having tantrums and they're hard to, bring to the grocery store and then having days when they just kind of like, Give you the biggest smile or the biggest hug, or draw you the most beautiful picture.

So just, so much fun. I think so much to explore in those first few years as their personality develops. I think that's the greatest thing because that's just the most rewarding part of parenthood. And again, your pediatrician's always there to pick up on red flags help parents, identifying if there are issues, we're able to help parents navigate through those.

Amanda Wilde (Host): Now as we jump to the present, especially right now, given Covid and the rise in RSV and the fact that it's flu season, what should parents and caregivers be thinking about right now?

Dr Panorea Mathews-Kukla: This has been a challenging, season already for parents, caregivers, and the little ones that are, dealing with these illnesses. I think the most important thing to me is just. Staying as patient as we can. We live in a time now where our medical care is highly advanced. So I mean, most of these kids do weather these pretty well. I think the biggest thing is the basics, like make sure children are washing their hands. Make sure you're washing your hands. don't slack back on all those things we were doing. Covid definitely taught us that, so we can apply that to now with flu and rsv. good hand washing. Make sure kids are eating nutritritiously.

Make sure that their bodies are healthy that way. Make sure they're sleeping, make sure they're hydrated. all those things. Talk to your kids and make sure that you're touching base with them, because this is also an emotionally challenging time. For especially school age kids that have, weathered the pandemic as well. So I think all those things will keep us as healthy as possible.

Amanda Wilde (Host): Those are all great tips. Thank you so much for your time today, Dr. Mathews. This will help us get through those first few days and years a little more smoothly.

Dr Panorea Mathews-Kukla: Thank you Amanda.

Amanda Wilde (Host): As we close, I want to again thank Dr. Mathews and all the providers and team members focused on delivering extraordinary care to people facing cancer in our communities. To learn more about all we are doing to help humans flourish, visit us on the web at www.dulyhealthandcare.com. Thanks for listening.