Introduction to New Born Baby Care

7/27/2019 Introduction to New Born Baby Care

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Introduction to New Born Baby Care

The most exciting affaire in the lives of a couple is having a newborn baby. Caring for a

newborn, especially your first, is one of life's biggest challenges. You and your partner may feel

overwhelmed at the beginning-after all, there's so much to learn. AS soon as your little darling

arrives, your life will be changed forever. It's a good idea to start preparing for that change early.As you find out you are pregnant, before delivery it is time for you to prepare for facing the

changes.

Cord Care

Many parents wonder when the umbilical cord stump will fall off. The cord stump should fall off

within one to three weeks after birth. Until the umbilical stump heals, keep the area dry byexposing it to air. To prevent infection, clean the stump well with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide,

using a cotton swab. If the area around the navel turns red, swollen, or oozes, call your

pediatrician.

Holding style for your Baby

Good baby care begins with the way you hold your baby. Support the back and head with your

arm and hand. Touch your baby often. Use skin-to-skin contact and hold your baby close to you.

There are too many comfortable ways to carry a baby. Whatever position you choose you have to

keep always in mind that a comfortable support should be provided to your newborn's head andneck, as a baby cannot hold his head up. Laying your baby on his back on your lap and scoop up

with two arms -one to support his bottom while the other rests comfortably against his head.

Your neck can also be a comfortable nestle for your baby. But here your one hand should supportthe head and neck, and the other should support the baby's bottom.

Baby's Food

Breast milk is the optimal form of nutrition for your baby as breastfeeding ensures the best

possible health as well as developmental and psychosocial outcomes for baby. The only

acceptable alternative to breast milk is infant formula. Solid foods can be introduced when thebaby is 4 to 6 months old, but a baby should drink breast milk or formula, not cow's milk, for a

full year. The primary benefit of breast milk is nutritional. Human milk contains just the right

amount of fatty acids, lactose, water, and amino acids for human digestion, brain development,and growth. Cow's milk contains a different type of protein than breast milk. This is good for

calves, but human infants can have difficulty digesting it. Bottle-fed infants tend to be fatter than

breast-fed infants, but not necessarily healthier. Breast-fed babies have fewer illnesses becausehuman milk transfers to the infant a mother's antibodies to disease. About 80 percent of the cellsin breast milk are macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. Breast-fed babies are

protected, in varying degrees, from a number of illnesses, including pneumonia, botulism,

bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza, ear infections, and measles. Furthermore,

mothers produce antibodies to whatever disease is present in their environment, making theirmilk custom-designed to fight the diseases their babies are exposed to as well. Human milk

contains at least 100 ingredients not found in formula. No babies are allergic to mother's milk,


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although they may have a reaction to something the mother eats. If she eliminates it from her

diet, the problem resolves itself.

Newborns usually eat every three to four hours. Breastfed babies feed more frequently than

bottle-fed infants because breast milk is easier to digest. As your baby grows, she will feed less

frequently but her mealtimes will be lengthen.

If you think your baby may be dehydrated, watch for these signs: lethargy; fewer than eight wet

diapers a day; refusal to feed; and dry, sallow skin and mucous. In more serious cases, a sunken

soft spot will appear on the top of the baby's head.

Burping

Babies tend to swallow air during feeding, causing them to spit up or become fussy if they're notburped frequently. Using one arm, hold your baby upright against your shoulder. Gently pat his

back with your other hand. Sit the baby upright on your lap, support his chest and head and pat

his back. Lay the baby on your lap face down, and gently pat your hand on his back.

Crying

Crying is a baby's means of communication. Babies cry when they have to burp or are wet,soiled, tired, bored, or just lonely. As time goes by, you'll learn what your baby's crying means.

If feeding cues accompany crying, it's usually a sign of hunger. You will not spoil your baby by

responding promptly to crying. Your baby only cries if he or she needs something. When yousatisfy his or her needs, your baby is learning to trust people and begins to know that someone

cares for him or her. After taking care of physical needs, there are many things you can do to

calm a crying baby. Try holding your baby over your shoulder, or place your baby on his or her

stomach across your knees or arms. You can also try to rock your baby, swaddle your baby in ablanket, use a carrier, run the vacuum cleaner, or consider using a pacifier. If breastfeeding, you

should try to avoid the use of a pacifier until breastfeeding is well established (usually by three to

four weeks).

Sleeping

Most newborn babies sleep more than they do anything else. Your baby will develop his or her

own sleeping pattern. It is normal for a tiny baby to sleep 16 to 20 hours a day. Take advantage

of your baby's sleep periods to get the rest that you need. During sleep, your baby may make

sucking motions, whimper, smile, or move his or her eyes.

Bathing

A tub bath is off-limits for the first two weeks or so, until baby's umbilical-cord stump has fallenoff and healed. To sponge bathe baby, choose a warm, draft-free room, since newborns get cold

easily. To start, place baby on a waterproof pad, changing mat, or towel. To help him stay warm,

keep his undershirt on or cover him loosely with a towel. Another strategy is to undress each partof his body as you're ready to wash it. To prevent accidents, don't take the diaper off until it's


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time to wash his bottom. Gently wipe baby's face and neck folds, nose, and outer ears with a

washcloth or cotton ball moistened with warm water. Never clean inside baby's ears (even if you

spy some wax), because you could damage his eardrum. Wipe baby's face dry, paying specialattention to his neck creases, where moisture can cause irritation. Carefully wipe baby's eyes

from the inner corner outward with two clean, moistened cotton balls. Use a fresh cotton ball for

each eye to prevent the spread of infection. To wash baby's arms and hands be sure to rinse hishands of soap since they're one of baby's favorite sucking toys. Gently wash his torso and cleanthe umbilical stump. To wash baby's hair holding his head as he's lying back on the towel or by

sitting him up, supporting his back, and reclining his head slightly. With your free hand, rub

lightly to lather, and then rinse with a wet washcloth, gently towel. Baby's hair just needs a dropof shampoo once or twice a week. If you have a girl, wash her genital area from front to back.

Don't use soap there. it can cause irritation or infection. Wash her buttocks with soap, and also

make sure to clean in the creases of her thighs. If your baby boy is circumcised, don't wash his

penis with soap until the wound heals. If he's uncircumcised, use soap, but don't attempt to pullback the foreskin. It will remain attached for several more years. Dry baby well.

Your infant is ready for the baby tub while the umbilical stump and circumcision have healed.For now you'll only need to bathe him every two to three days. In between, daily cleaning of the

face, neck, hands, and diaper area is sufficient. As your baby starts crawling around the house,

he'll need washing more often. Keep bath time short and sweet. Avoid bathing him right after his

meal. Test the temperature by dipping your finger- tip in the water, it should be warm but nothot.

Caring others

A newborn's nails grow like wildfire. To trim baby's nails use blunt edged small scissors or file

with an emery board to prevent scratching. Cut nails straight across. Wrap your finger in a bit of

damp gauze or a washcloth, and then swipe it over baby's gums. You can do this as often astwice a day. No toothpaste is needed at this early stage. Once baby has sprouted a few teeth, it's

time to get him used to a toothbrush. Let him chew on one as he would a teething aid. After his

first birthday he can imitate you brushing your own teeth. Either way, you'll still have to wipebaby's teeth yourself, either with a soft, baby-specific brush or damp gauze. After a bath, gently

clean the outside and back of baby's ears with a moist cotton swab. The important thing to be

avoided pushing the swab into the ear canal as it can damage the eardrum and even cause hearingloss. Removing the wax isn't necessary; earwax protects your child's ear canal by sealing out

moisture, dust, and bacteria. Cut baby's hair after a bath when it's still damp. Wet hair is more

pliable. You can also sprite baby's hair to wet it, but if this upsets , cut it while it's dry. Don't give

a haircut while baby is in the bathtub. Daily massage is a great way to make tight bondage withyour baby. Massage actually promote better sleeping, relieve colic, and perhaps even enhance an

infant's immune system, motor skills, and intellectual development.


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Routine Newborn Baby Care Procedures

Choices for newborn baby care procedures begin immediately at birth. The best preparation is to

have considered them and decided beforehand what procedures you want or would rather decline

for your newborn. For a hospital birth, there are numerous routine procedures which can beadministered, delayed or even refused. Unfortunately, first time parents are often unaware that

many of these routine procedures are not grounded in evidence-based practice, but are rather the

product of ease and access for staff.

Many parents don't realize the impact that these procedures can have on their newborn child.

Once you have decided what procedures you prefer and whether you want them performed

immediately or on a delayed schedule, the best way to communicate them to staff/caregivers is to

include a Newborn Baby Care section in your birth plan. This will ensure that your preferences

are on paper before the birth and remove any doubt as to your wishes for your new child after

birth.

Another critical point to remember is that you can and absolutely have the right to receive

information about each and every procedure that will be performed, as well as the right to either

request the procedure be performed in your room or that a parent/guardian accompany the

newborn for each one. This includes weighing, measuring and the pediatrician's evaluation ofthe baby - in most instances all can be performed right there in the mother's room. Remember,

your first responsibility is to the welfare of your child, not to the comfort of the hospital staff nor

arbitrary hospital policies.

The most commonly performed routine newborn baby care procedures to consider are:

Suctioning Delayed Cord Clamping Vs. Immediate Cord Clamping Newborn Vitamin K Injection PKU Test Silver Nitrate or Antibiotic Eye Ointment
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Hep B Vaccine To Bathe or Not to Bathe Circumcision

SUCTIONING

For most hospital births, it is routine procedure to suction the baby's mouth and nose as soon as

the head emerges on the perineum, in advance of its full birth. Either a deep suction hose or a

bulb syringe will be used to extract any mucus or meconium that may be present.

According to the International Guidelines for Neonatal Resuscitation (2000), only approximately

5-10% of newborns will require some degree of active resuscitation (stimulation to breathe) at

birth, which can vary from simple skin rubbing to suctioning or full resuscitation. This in turn

means that 90-95% of all newborns need no assistance breathing at birth.

While it may seem wise to suction as soon as possible, the reality is that the baby is not at great

risk of breathing difficulties at this point since it will typically not take its first breath until it has

been fully birthed. As long as the cord is pulsating and is not clamped, cut, nor compressed, the

baby will continue to receive oxygen via the placenta until after it has been fully birthed. There is

rarely a clear need to hurry the neonatal transition to breathing room air at this early stage when

only the baby's head has emerged.

Suctioning can be delayed until after the baby has been born. Alternately, suctioning can only be

performed when indicated rather than a routine procedure for those infants who do not need it, as

most infants will be able to clear their own airways with no outside assistance.
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CORD CLAMPING

The next and perhaps most critical newborn baby care decision to be made for your baby's

welfare is cord clamping - immediate or delayed. The benefits ofdelayed cord clamping, which

is defined as waiting until the cord has stopped pulsating until clamping or cutting it, are well-

documented. Once the baby is born, its entire circulatory system undergoes an amazing

transformation to allow the baby to receive oxygen via its lungs rather than through the umbilical

cord - a valve in the heart closes, the lungs perfuse with blood and eventually a first breath is

taken. When this delicate balance is interrupted by prematurely severing the child's lifeline, its

umbilical cord, numerous undesirable side effects can occur.

NEWBORN VITAMIN K INJECTION

All newborns are born with a low level of Vitamin K which is responsible for preventing

hemorrhage by enhancing the blood's clotting ability. In a small percentage of newborns,

cerebral hemorrhage can occur which spurred the universal practice ofnewborn vitamin K

injectionsin the United States. There are, however, some points to ponder when considering

this intervention, especially the alternative of an oral dose.

PKU SCREENING

Certain metabolic disorders, including a PKU test, are routinely screened for at birth through a

heel stick blood sample. These disorders have devastating effects that are best handled with

early detection and treatment to ensure the best possible outcomes. This is the least controversial

newborn baby care procedure since the benefits clearly outweigh the risks.

HEP B VACCINE

TheHep B Vaccine, a disease that is transmitted via infected blood and sexual intercourse, is

given at birth in the hope of catching as many people as possible. It is not required for

administration at birth and may be given at any time in childhood or adulthood. In low-risk

families, it may be advisable to delay the administration to the weeks after birth, rather than

injecting a minutes-old baby, causing pain as one of its first experiences outside the womb.


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SILVER NITRATE OR ANTIBIOTIC EYE OINTMENT

To prevent the chance of blindness due to gonorrhea from an infected mother, hospital-born

babies are givensilver nitrateor other antibiotic drops in their eyes, even if the mother

previously screened negative for this or other STDs in her pregnancy. Silver nitrate causes pain,burning, swelling and blurred vision for the first days of life and in the vast majority of cases, is

not needed when the mother is known to be free from infection.

TO BATHE OR NOT TO BATHE

If there is one newborn baby care procedure that many families never consider, it'sbathing a

newborn. However, this may indeed be something a new family decides to decline. The vernix

which coats the baby's extremely sensitive skin is the best natural moisturizer available and will

protect it from infection when massaged into the skin. Additionally, a bath can cause a baby's

body temperature to drop, thus necessitating further interventions to regulate it.

CIRCUMCISION

Male circumcision, and female circumcision, for that matter, are very controversial subjects.

Some religions require circumcision. However, there are no proven medical benefits to the

procedure and significant drawbacks. It is now considered a cosmetic procedure and its routine

performance is being phased out in many areas. The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer

supports it. In Australia, public hospitals are no longer performing routine circumsions.

Please give due diligence to your decision in this matter. There is little research supporting it as

a routine procedure. If you are uncertain whether or not to circumcise your son, consider

viewing acircumcison videoto understand what the newborn will experience. The majority of

circumcisions are done with no anesthesia as it can cause swelling which makes the surgery

more difficult and can lead to further complications. Some will use topical anesthetic creams;

however, these take 45 minutes to numb the area so most are not yet active when the surgery is

performed, and their use has not been approved or studied in newborns.


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Carefully consider your newborn baby care options, especially if birthing in a hospital. Over 1

million healthy infants each year spent up to 3 days in the NICU for "observation" in the United

States, with many unneeded interventions simply because the technology exists. If at any time

you have questions about a procedure for your newborn, don't hesitate to ask. You are your

child's first and foremost advocate - be the voice they lack.


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IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF AN

RLE 105 REQUIREMENT

SUBMITTED BY:

SUPANGA, GLEN DAVID D.

SUBMITTED TO:

MRS. MARIA TERESA CADUADA


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NEWBORN CARE INSTRUMENTS