Dr. Sunita Dube, MD Radiologist and healthcare entrepreneur for the past 17 years, has been recognized for her work by acclaimed personalities such as His Holiness Dalai Lama and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Along with her MedscapeIndia team, she has constantly been on a mission to empower health and fitness initiated various awareness campaigns such as Save the Girl Child, HIV GO AWAY Campaign, Health Awareness, Preventive Medical Camps and Anokhee Pal among others.
In the current pandemic situation, Dr. Dube has come up with the idea of Mission Wellness 2030 – a vision to make India a healthy nation and the leading country in the medical space. The aim of this movement is to have an exit strategy for COVID 19 and to create health and wellness awareness in masses and provide easy and affordable medical support. The doctor shared some invaluable tips for expectant mothers and new mothers with TMM:
Pregnancy is a special time full of anticipation and excitement. In recent weeks, Covid-19 has rapidly spread throughout India, becoming the second most infected country in the world. As the world battles against the novel coronavirus with a united front, it has given a series of complications to those who are welcoming a baby in their lives. Anxiety, fear and uncertainty are clouding the otherwise happy times of the expectant mothers and as a mother of two children, I believe it is very natural to feel anxious in this situation.
Being a doctor at a private hospital, the doctor visits, routine check-ups or santization is not ordinary anymore and special care needs to be taken at all steps to ensure the mother and baby both stay healthy. To protect yourself from being exposed, interactions with strangers or anyone other than immediate family members have to be reduced, social distancing norms should be followed, unnecessary travel and outings have to be avoided and everyone should stay at home as much as possible. I advise to keep your mind positive and happy during the pregnancy and enjoy the leisure time given due to lockdown and engage yourself into some soothing music or occupying into activities like gardening. This will give your body the positivity it needs, easing the pregnancy period.
There are a lot many things that require special attention during pregnancy as doctor visits are important and so is the well-being of you and your baby. Being a doctor and a mother myself, I aim to clear your doubts and anxiety that the expecting mother has and make the pregnancy phase look a happier space as this time will always be special to a mother.
Dr.Sunita, How do expectant mothers get their tests done?
For routine check-ups, instead of regularly visiting the doctor, you can opt for virtual or teleconsultation. This eliminates unnecessary interaction and saves energy, time and most importantly ensures the right treatment and care is provided at the comfort of your homes.
In case the physical doctor’s visit is required, it is recommended that prior appointment is confirmed with the doctor and the necessary measures are taken from being exposed to contract any kind of disease.
As a safety measure, it is advisable to the expectant mother to get the Covid19 test done. In case of a normal delivery method, the test can be done at term, which means during the 9th month of the pregnancy term. In the case of elective, that is, planned caesarean, the test can be done 48-72 hours before the delivery.
Dr.Sunita, How can they exercise if they are not able to go out?
Staying home during lockdown can be difficult but it’s necessary that the pregnant mama stays active during her pre and post-pregnancy period as exercises can help mentally. Working out at home gives you the much-needed privacy and comfort and through tele-consultation your doctor can recommend a few exercises to be done at home.
Relaxed belly breathing exercises, pelvic floor exercise for low-risk mothers, up to 5 sets of Kegels to prevent the problem of faecal incontinence, lightweight training exercises, yoga and more can be done at home. The workout should be done in a spacious place where the chances of injuries and accidents are minimal. It is necessary to maintain a fixed schedule and perform the exercises under proper supervision. Do not exert too much and go easy on yourself.
It is advised that you keep your doctor informed before doing any kind of activity depending if you have any prior health-related issues.
Dr.Sunita, What is the kind of diet they should have for a healthy baby?
Pregnant mothers need to ensure that a balanced healthy diet with the right balance of protein, nutrients, carbohydrates, fats and energy is consumed for the baby to develop and grow.
In India, the diet also may be influenced based on individual religious and ethical beliefs, so consulting a doctor for the pregnancy diet is advised. The mother should consume a varied, nutritious and balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables, Starchy carbohydrate-rich foods, protein, fats, fiber, calcium, zinc and iron.
A few foods to avoid during the phase are raw eggs, high-calorie food like chips, cookies, soft mould-ripened cheese, undercooked or uncooked meals and meat and fish with mercury in it.
A good amount of water intake should be maintained, preferably 8-12 glasses in a day accounting to 2-3 litres of fluid intake.
Dr.Sunita, How do new mothers take care of their health?
The post-natal care of the mother is an important part as the body needs to return to its pre-pregnancy state. It involves the mother under-going through many changes, both physically and emotionally, with being able to adjust with the changes of being a new mother.
With Covid19, ensuring the new-borns and the mothers receive proper postnatal care and access to support networks is become a challenge. The social distancing guidelines may contribute and elevate the feelings of postpartum depression, isolation and anxiety. As the time is demanding, hand hygiene should be maintained at all times and especially during breast feeding, so both, baby and the mother are safe.
Accept that these are testing times and follow the guidelines issued by the government. It is recommended to stay close to your immediate support system, that is your family. It is necessary to deviate your mind from the ongoing coronavirus updates which can affect mentally, so it’s advised to join online antenatal classes and build a proper routine for yourself with healthy diet and proper exercises.
Dr.Sunita, How do new mothers ensure the safety of their new-born baby?
With all the excitement to show their baby, social distancing is the best strategy for limiting the risk of infection to the new-borns. Social media apps like Skype, FaceTime, Zoom and more can be used to connect with family and friends.
It is advised to breast feed the baby within 1 hour of birth, it protects your baby from infections. While doing so, wear a medical mask and wash your hands with soap and water or use alcohol based santizers before feeding the baby. The surfaces around you should be regularly cleaned and disinfected should be sprayed and good hygiene should be maintained personally and around you.
Unnecessary hospital visits should be avoided. Tele-consultation can be done and in case doctor’s visit is required, a prior appointment should be taken.
Overall, some dos and don’ts for pregnant and new mothers in the times of pandemic
Pregnancy can be disturbing during the pandemic due to the lockdown. There are few measures that can be taken to safeguard the mothers and the babies.
Wash hands frequently with soap and alcohol-based sanitiser
Wear your mask at all times when out of home
Avoid unnecessary contacts and touching your face with unwashed hands
Keep your surface and surrounding santised
Respiratory hygiene must be followed
Carry your own snacks, water when traveling for doctor visits
Maintain at least 6 feet distance while waiting for consultation/ultrasound
Carry all your documents in a digital form
Consult doctor virtually or select tele-consultation. It is necessary to alter the doctor visits.
The post Dr Sunita Dube shares how pregnant women should take care of themselves during the current pandemic appeared first on TMM.