Keeping your baby healthy is easy

Breastfeed. The longer you do it, the more the benefits. Breast milk is packed with antibodies that will strengthen your baby’s immune system and help protect against allergies and infections.

Quit smoking. Letting your baby breathe tobacco smoke greatly increases the risk of cot death and development of serious respiratory illnesses, including asthma.

Wash your hands. Get into the habit of washing your hands thoroughly before and after handling your baby. This will reduce chances of transferring infections such as bacterial infections that cause food poisoning, from you, his nappies or food.

Give him water. Encourage your baby to drink water to quench his thirst as soon as he is ready. Once young children develop a taste for other drinks, such as juice it’s hard to get them to drink anything else – and too much juice and other sweetened drinks can cause tooth decay.

Protect his ears. Reduce the risk of ear infections by keeping your baby’s ears as dry as possible. Always dry his ears thoroughly after a bath.

Have him vaccinated. To keep your child healthy, stay up to date with all of his immunisations. Ensure he gets all the needed immunisations and at the right time. Follow all immunisation instructions from your doctor or the baby clinic.