When you welcome your bundle of joy it’s important that you protect him/her and take precautions so they don’t fall sick as babies aren’t vocal about their feelings and the only sign you get most times is the unending cries.
But while taking precautions to prevent illness in your baby(ies), it is important to note that your baby(ies) don’t need medications at birth, yes they don’t need drugs even the Almighty Vitamin C syrup is unnecessary, the best medication to offer your precious little gift is undiluted breast milk that is why exclusive breastfeeding is highly advisable.
After birthing your baby at the hospital, they observe closely and take proper precautions to ensure your baby is healthy and will remain so. And once medications are not administered to or recommended for the new born by your doctor then congratulations, your baby is healthy and your doctor expect that you take good care of your baby by exclusively breastfeeding and maintaining a good hygiene to make sure he/she stays healthy.
Hence, there is absolutely no need for you to run to the pharmacy to get baby drugs. Yes! You don’t need to get that paracetamol, Vitamin C and multivitamins drops.
As earlier said, breast milk is highly nutritional and its the only medication your baby needs except there is an underlying condition requiring your doctor to prescribe personalized medicines for your baby.
The first breast milk ejected immediately after birth known as colostrum contains immunoglobulins that helps the baby produce antibodies against infection and essential nutrients for proper brain development.
So the fact that your neighbor’s boy had to take Multivitamins drops at birth doesn’t mean your baby needs them too.
Nutritional constituents of breast milk.
Human milk contains about 0.8% protein, high level of immunoglobulin, 4.5% fat, 7.1% carbohydrates mainly lactose.
Composition of human breast milk.
Fat (g/100 ml)
total 4.2
fatty acids – length 8C trace
polyunsaturated fatty acids. 0.6
cholesterol 0.016
Protein (g/100 ml)
total 1.1
casein 0.4
a-lactalbumin 0.3
lactoferrin (apo-lactoferrin) 0.2
IgA 0.1
IgG 0.001
lysozyme 0.05
serum albumin 0.05
β-lactoglobulin –
Carbohydrate (g/100 ml)
lactose 7
oligosaccharides 0.5
Minerals (g/100 ml)
calcium 0.03
phosphorus 0.014
sodium 0.015
potassium 0.055
chlorine 0.043
Table from Wikipedia.
The composition of undiluted breast milk makes it sufficient for the new born to live an healthy live once he/she is adequately fed.
Moreover, babies organ are just developing at birth and aren’t fully matured for proper metabolizing and excreting of drugs, so overloading them with drugs they absolutely don’t need might cause a problem in the long run.
So, It is important to reemphasize to expecting mothers that babies do not need medications unless prescribed by a doctor.
Image credit: think stock
Olajumoke Adeyemo is a Pharmacy student of the University of Ibadan. She is a passionate copy & content writer, nature lover and a public health enthusiast. She is a Christian.
Her hobbies are reading, music, writing and traveling.
