Basics of Newborn Care

The newborn will have a rolling head, be covered in lanugo and be a bit bruised from the delivery. The obstetrician cuts the umbilical cord, which had up to that time connected the baby’s abdomen with mum’s placenta. The dad can cut it too, if the caregiver is informed in advance. The cord stump will remain for about 15-20 days until it dries and falls off. It’s important to keep this part dry and out of the diaper.

The airways of the newborn will be sucked out by the obstetrician. If not, the baby will draw its first breath of air along with mucus and fluid, making him gag and his temperature drop. If the obstetrician gives a quick slap to the baby, it is to encourage that first gasping breath.

The Apgar score is a judgment of the overall appearance and color, pulse rate, muscle tone, reflexes and respiration of the baby. He is scored twice- one minute and five minutes after birth, respectively. These details are not usually given to parents.

Within about one hour of the birth, the baby’s eyes are treated with an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. It can cause temporary blurry vision. However, if the baby is bright and boisterous after birth, best to give him some bonding time with the parents before the treatment. In the case of mums who have undergone C-section and are not able to nurse babies immediately, the baby will be treated early.

A newborn needs to get a blood test done, not only to check the blood type but to test for

hyperthyroidism, galactosemia, sickle cell anemia, and hypoglycemia. These are not common issues but early detection is vital.

A vitamin K injection is given to the baby to prevent any internal bleeding and to help the blood clotting process. The oral vitamin K option is available in many places but requires multiple doses.

If your baby is drowsy or seemingly subdued in the first few days, remind yourself that it’s been through quite a traumatic time. Birth is difficult for the mother but it’s so much worse for the baby, who has to get used to a completely new environment. He will probably fall into a deep, coma-like sleep. There will be some brief jerks and shivers and mucus will drip out of the tiny mouth.

The sleeping pattern of the newborn is alarming. At that age, they have the highest metabolic rate ever. His breathing and heartbeat occur very fast. He needs to be covered and kept warm at all times.

The baby is born with a food reserve, so he does not need breastfeeding in the first couple of days. On the third day, the baby’s skin and eyes will look slightly yellow or tanned. This jaundice is caused by decomposing ‘extra’ red blood cells which are not needed after birth. Exposing him to sunlight can bring the color down. When the baby drinks milk too, the coloration gets back to normal.