Baby Gold
Baby Gold
The Need
More than one-quarter of the world’s neonatal deaths happen in India.
In 2018, an estimated 882,000 children under five died in India, the highest in the world. Many of the deaths occur before children turn one. As many as 33 of 1,000 children died within one year of birth in 2017, according to data from the government’s Sample Registration System (2019).
The neonatal period—the first 28 days of life—carries the highest risk of mortality per day than any other period during childhood. The first 24 hours account for more than one-third (36.9%) of the deaths that occur in the entire neonatal period.
A report from UNICEF (2019), noted that since almost half of all under-five deaths are among newborns, many can be prevented by reaching higher coverage of good quality antenatal care, skilled care at birth, postnatal care for the mother and the baby, and care of small and sick newborns. Newborns have better chances of survival if breastfed within the first hour of birth, as this UNICEF report says: “When breastfeeding is delayed after birth, the consequences can be life-threatening and the longer newborns are left waiting, the greater the risk.”
The BBN Solution
Keeping in mind the alarming statistics, Bangalore Birth Network (BBN) conceptualised its innovative Baby Gold program. This program focuses on Birth Hour care–helping women and babies thrive in the first hour after birth. The program gives the necessary care and support to ensure that new mothers and their babies have the best possible start to life together. Some of the best practices that we encourage:
- Drying the baby gently, preserving the natural white cream (vernix)
- Optimal cord clamping: Clamp when the umbilical cord turns white (when all the blood from the placenta is finished transferring to the baby – up to one-third of the baby’s blood)
- Placing the baby immediately on the mother skin-to-skin; not forcing the baby to the nipple
- Supporting early initiation of breastfeeding to ensure the baby benefits from colostrum
- Maternal Microbiome Seeding, i.e., transfer of beneficial maternal bacteria to the newborn that occurs through First Hour practices.
These practices are even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic to help every woman and her baby stay safe at a time when maternal and child health is facing grave challenges and barriers to care.
BBN has integrated Baby Gold into our Mother-Child Helpline to provide additional support to help women and their babies during this pandemic.
To learn more visit www.babygold.in or give us a missed call on 7412900045
The Need
More than one-quarter of the world’s neonatal deaths happen in India.
In 2018, an estimated 882,000 children under five died in India, the highest in the world. Many of the deaths occur before children turn one. As many as 33 of 1,000 children died within one year of birth in 2017, according to data from the government’s Sample Registration System (2019).
The neonatal period—the first 28 days of life—carries the highest risk of mortality per day than any other period during childhood. The first 24 hours account for more than one-third (36.9%) of the deaths that occur in the entire neonatal period.
A report from UNICEF (2019), noted that since almost half of all under-five deaths are among newborns, many can be prevented by reaching higher coverage of good quality antenatal care, skilled care at birth, postnatal care for the mother and the baby, and care of small and sick newborns. Newborns have better chances of survival if breastfed within the first hour of birth, as this UNICEF report says: “When breastfeeding is delayed after birth, the consequences can be life-threatening and the longer newborns are left waiting, the greater the risk.”
The BBN Solution
Keeping in mind the alarming statistics, Bangalore Birth Network (BBN) conceptualised its innovative Baby Gold program. This program focuses on Birth Hour care–helping women and babies thrive in the first hour after birth. The program gives the necessary care and support to ensure that new mothers and their babies have the best possible start to life together. Some of the best practices that we encourage:
- Drying the baby gently, preserving the natural white cream (vernix)
- Optimal cord clamping: Clamp when the umbilical cord turns white (when all the blood from the placenta is finished transferring to the baby – up to one-third of the baby’s blood)
- Placing the baby immediately on the mother skin-to-skin; not forcing the baby to the nipple
- Supporting early initiation of breastfeeding to ensure the baby benefits from colostrum
- Maternal Microbiome Seeding, i.e., transfer of beneficial maternal bacteria to the newborn that occurs through First Hour practices.
These practices are even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic to help every woman and her baby stay safe at a time when maternal and child health is facing grave challenges and barriers to care.
BBN has integrated Baby Gold into our Mother-Child Helpline to provide additional support to help women and their babies during this pandemic.
To learn more visit wwwbabygold.in or give us a missed call on 7412900045
