Birth Control and Pandemic Babies
Introduction
Do you still remember watching the babies doing the close-open or singing Twinkle Twinkle? Now that the world has locked down, making the babies learn and develop can be simple. We can make low cost activities to follow the baby’s lead in naming objects, reading, eating and health habits. Speaking of health habits…
Babies’ Health during Pandemic
We need to become aware that the body development takes place at an extraordinary rate during the baby’s first year. This is because the first year is when the baby’s brain double in size. The social and overall experience of the baby is crucial at this time for the purpose of honing, stimulating and tuning the brain’s unfolding architecture.
The pandemic affects the babies’ need for stimulation, social contact and responsive caregiving. There is a study that compares the symptoms of Post-traumatic stress in parents and children confined in quarantine situations compared to the families in normal routines. It was shown that the stress levels are four times higher for children who have been in quarantine.
Sadly, the lack of socialization for pandemic infants is prevalent. There has been the social media trend of parents who film their infant’s reaction when shown to the other babies on digital screen.
Toxic stress of infants can be prevented by means of healthy pregnancy, balanced nutrition, immunity to diseases, restful sleep, a family environment rich in positive stimuli, and a high-quality educational system. These fundamental for optimal child growth and develops to build strong and lasting neural connections in the child’s brain.
Unique Baby Care for Pandemic
There are several factors that affect the mental and physical status of children who experience the pandemic stress. These inherent stress are generally caused by isolation, reduced social life, school shutdown and physical activities. In addition, there are the sleep difficulties, changes in routine, exposure to disharmony at home, unhealthy diet, and excessive screen use.
The mask is not recommended for toddlers due to the fact that:
- Mask is harder to breathe in because of smaller airways.
- Then, if the baby cannot breathe through the mask, they cannot tell anyone about it. They also cannot take the mask off by themselves. So, they can suffocate.
- There are string and elastic, and other pieces on masks that baby could choke on.
- As children, they will try to remove the mask, causing them to touch their face a lot. This will increase their risks of catching and spreading the virus.
Going to the doctors is also a challenging task for parents now, especially if keeping updated with the toddlers’ vaccines is a key to keep their body healthy. You can inquire with your health care provider about regular checkups and vaccines. Some are also comfortable with telemedicine consultation while postponing the in-person visit. If you need a Telehealth consultation, you can contact Mypocketdoctor. The Mypocketdoctor is telehealth platform that operates 24/7/365. You may contact Mypocketdoctor through their Facebook page and/or chat with their agents on their website www.mypocketdoctor.com. Likewise, you may check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) through this link.
If you are not comfortable with telemedicine, you still need good plan for family and children’s health. When it comes to pandemic babies, we also have the choices on birth control: condoms, IUDs, vasectomy and family planning. If you are sure that you never want to have babies in the future again, you can have permanent birth control option. One option for women is tubal ligation, which 99% effective. The tubal ligation, also known as “having your tubes tied”, is a process for closing off the fallopian tubes to prevent eggs from reaching the ovaries. There are male condoms, which are reliable and cheap. Latex condoms are good choice because they are effective and durable against sexually transmitted disease than “lambskin” or “natural” condoms. The male condom is 80-97% effective.
Conclusion
Quarantine during this pandemic helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 disease. However, this created several negative like anxiety and stress on children. Actual socialization of babies are important for their well-being, stimulation of synaptic connections and increasing positive social behaviors. In this uncertain time of pandemic, having a plan for making babies are significant. On May 28, there is a celebration of International Day of Action for Women’s Health. May we be reminded that giving birth are gifts, but watching them grow healthy to improve society is a better gift.
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