Is there a need for home healthcare in India?
Motherhood is a beautiful phase in a woman’s life and the whole family cherishes this wonderful experience. From the miracle of birth to the mystery of death, every phase in an individual’s life is important. The phase of infancy is important because it is the stepping stone in the overall development of the individual. It is a complex one, not only because babies may not be able express their needs, but also, because their physiological systems are still developing to adapt to the external environment and they are still vulnerable to many infections and diseases. Nurturing and caring is crucial during this period…
However, the challenges that come along with motherhood can be quite distressing, especially if the mother doesn’t have adequate help. Taking care of a new born is easier said than done. While family members (grandparents, uncles, aunts) and friends are more than willing to help, they can’t do so on a 24/7 basis. It is a well-known fact that the health and wellbeing of the new born, both physical and cognitive, is very closely linked to the health and wellbeing of the mother. The mother, who also goes through many physiological and emotional changes during pregnancy, may be anxious and sometimes overwhelmed, during the first few months after the birth. In some cases, when the baby is born prematurely or when the mother has had complications during pregnancy, help from a trained and experienced care giver ensures the best care for mother and baby.
What new mothers (first time and otherwise) and their new born babies need is the assistance of good home care service. Nowadays there are a plethora of home care institutions for mothers to choose from. Their nurses provide specialized care for premature or low birth weight babies, babies with underlying medical conditions or those who experienced birth trauma.
These establishments offer trained personnel who cater to every medical complication that the new mother or new born could suffer while ensuring that they are taken care of properly. Mothers who go through high-risk pregnancies or who require help with post- caesarean wound care are taken good care of by specialized home care nurses.
Baby-care trained caregivers not only have the skills and experience to provide much-needed care for the baby, such as bathing, massaging, and feeding, but also in guiding the mother on the best positions for breastfeeding, so that both are comfortable. With the caregiver’s help, a new mother can be stress free and less anxious, which helps the mother and baby to bond, in-turn helping in the overall development of the child. With specialised training in infection control and hygiene, the care giver can effectively keep sickness at bay, protecting the new born from infections he or she may be very susceptible to.
Thus, the trained care giver/baby care nurse is not only required for babies with clinical needs, born prematurely and needing extra care, but also, for healthy babies - to help them to grow and develop better, both physically, cognitively and emotionally.
