This document discusses postnatal care and provides information on feeding babies, breastfeeding, mental health after birth, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It notes that feeding provides nutrition and bonding for babies and parents can choose how to feed. Breastfeeding is optimal and provides benefits for both mother and baby's health. After birth, hormone changes can impact mental health and cause issues like the baby blues or postpartum depression. SIDS risk is reduced by avoiding smoking, not bed-sharing, and placing babies on their backs to sleep.

1. Postnatal Care
Tuesday March 8th
Oda Sørvik

2. Feeding the baby
 Important for two reasons:
1. Gives the baby the food it needs
2. Provides a perfect opportunity to bond
 Most parents choose how they wish to feed their baby
early in the pregnancy
 Often based on personal experience, knowledge,
culture and comfort with their own body

3. Breastfeeding
 Breastfeeding is the optimal method of feeding infants
 Benefits:
- Strenghtens the bond between mother and child
- Stronger immune system for the baby
- Increased intelligence in the baby
- Less risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
 May continue for up to two years of age and beyond

4. Mental Health
 During a pregnancy the hormone levels in the body
increases
 Those hormones (estrogen and progesterone)
significantly drops after the birth
 The hormone fluctuation can play a significant role in a
new mother`s mental health

5. The Baby Blues
 Mild depression
 Occur three to five days after the birth
 Caused by hormone fluctuation and stress from the
significant life transition
 Can cause feelings of uncertainty, anxiety and loss of
control
 Usually goes away after a few days

6. Postpartum Depression
 Women experiencing Baby Blues for more than two
weeks, may be suffering from Postpartum Depression
(PPD)
 Symptomes: feelings of guilt, uncontrollable sadness,
insomnia, frustration and in serve cases a desire to
harm herself or the baby
 Treatment: psychological treatment, medication,
support system to help take care of the baby and cope
with her mental health

7. Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (SIDS)
 Death of an infant with no apparent cause
 What actually causes these deaths has not yet been
determined
 However, researchers and experts have discovered
factors that can reduce the occurrence of SIDS in
infants:
- eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke
- sharing a room but not a bed
- placing babies on their backs to sleep