Health

Several vaccines can be safely administered during pregnancy. In 2014, the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety conducted a comprehensive assessment of the existing scientific data on the safety of vaccines during pregnancy, concluding that:
- Pregnancy should not prevent pregnant women from receiving a vaccine.
- Although live or attenuated microbial vaccines, such as the MMR vaccine, might pose a theoretical risk to the fetus, no major vaccination-associated adverse outcomes have been reported.

Having a written breastfeeding policy allows to:

- Make the various actors at the facilities agree to comply with practices that favor breastfeeding.
- Make the medical and nursing staff take ownership of the topic.
- Have recommendations applicable to specific environments.
- Monitor, evaluate and obtain data on breastfeeding practices and their effects, e.g., through audits.
- Exchange views within and outside the institution, involving more actors, sharing experiences and facilitating the replication of good practices.

The development of the breastfeeding policy varies broadly; it should include breastfeeding experts and avoid commercial links with products and companies regulated by the International Code of Human Milk Substitutes.

A committee including high-level representation from all stakeholders may be appointed to develop the policy. Once the necessary agreements are reached, the committee should continue to monitor the proper implementation of the policy.

Standards and policies to strengthen breastfeeding at birthing facilities should be written. This feature is important to sustain unanimity of criteria in practices.

Furthermore, the policy should consider the 10 steps set forth by the World Health Organization for successful breastfeeding, i.e.

- available for consultation by all personnel

- visibly displayed in all areas of the hospital

- written in the language(s) most frequently understood by patients and staff.

Early learning is any opportunity for an infant, toddler or older child to interact with a person, place or object in their surroundings. Such interactions contribute to brain development and lay the foundation for later learning.
Activities that support early learning in the newborn period include making eye contact, smiling, talking, singing, and gently massaging the infant. Responding in a timely manner or anticipating the infant's cues also promotes early learning.

Early learning is defined as any opportunity for an infant, toddler, or older child to interact with a person, place or object around them. Such (positive or negative) interactions, or lack thereof, contribute to brain development and lay the foundation for later learning.
Infants and children should engage in early learning activities with their fathers, mothers and other caregivers between 0 and 3 years after birth.
Activities that support early learning in the neonatal period include making eye contact, smiling, talking, singing, and gently massaging the infant.

Banked human milk is the alternative for feeding premature newborns because it allows them to receive a diet consisting of exclusive human milk when the baby’s own mother's milk is unavailable, scarce or contraindicated.

It should be noted that BHM is superior to artificial formula.

Human milk banks should have standards and procedures in place to ensure that they provide sustainability, safety, and appropriate clinical and ethical use.

Universal screening for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia with transcutaneous bilirubinometer (TcB) is recommended at the time of discharge from the health center.
Physicians should ensure that all newborns are systematically monitored to rule out the potential occurrence of jaundice during the stay in the health center.

The postnatal age for universal TcB screening at discharge should be based on when the baby is discharged from the health center.

Gentle full-body massages are recommended for full-term newborns for their potential growth and developmental benefits.

Gentle stroking and massage provide an opportunity to stimulate infants and interact with them.

Reactions to massage should be respected according to the principles of tender and sensitive care.

It is recommended to consider gentle whole body massage for healthy full-term newborns because of its potential benefits for growth and development.

Gentle whole body massage involves the use of the hands for tactile stimulation, slowly rubbing and stroking parts of the body or passive full range movement at the joints of the extremities.