5 Mistakes You Must Not Make With a Newborn — Kajal, Oil, Ghutti and More

Dr. Sandip Gupta

This video covers five mistakes parents should not make with their newborn. Mistake 1 — Applying kajal in the eyes. Do not put kajal in the child's eyes. It can cause allergy in the eyes; when you apply it with your hands, infection can pass from your hands into the baby's eye; and kajal particles block the child's tear ducts, which causes more watering from the child's eyes. Mistake 2 — Massaging with mustard oil or ghee. Do not massage the child with sarson ka tel or ghee. Always massage children with coconut oil. Mistake 3 — Giving sugar water, honey or ghutti at birth. In India there is often a practice of giving babies sugar solution, honey or ghutti right after birth, before the first feed. This should not be done — this practice is wrong and we should not follow it. Mistake 4 — Applying oil, ghee or kajal on the umbilical cord. People often apply oil, ghee or kajal on the baby's navel/umbilical cord stump. This should not be done either, as it can cause infection there. Leave the umbilical cord dry — it dries and falls off on its own, and after that it becomes normal. Mistake 5 — Not giving vitamin D drops. Many parents do not give children vitamin D drops, and this is a very big mistake. From birth up to 1 year of age, children should be given 400 international units of vitamin D daily. Discuss with your pediatrician and take a vitamin D drop that has 400 international units of vitamin D in 1 ml, and give that to the child daily. Relevant for: parents of newborns asking whether kajal is safe for a baby's eyes; parents asking which oil to use for baby massage and whether mustard oil or ghee is suitable; parents being told to give sugar water, honey or ghutti to a newborn; parents caring for the umbilical cord stump and asking what to apply on it; parents whose baby has watery eyes; and parents asking about vitamin D dose for babies from birth to 1 year. Disclaimer: This video is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every child is different — please consult your pediatrician for the correct vitamin D brand and dose for your child, and seek medical attention if there is redness, discharge, swelling or foul smell at the umbilical stump or in the eyes.