Introduction
It is amazing how a fetus, which is submerged in amniotic fluid and entirely dependent on the placenta for sustenance and oxygen, manages to develop into a wailing, air-breathing newborn. Healthy newborns (from birth to one month old) and infants (from one month to one year old) require proper care to guarantee normal growth and ongoing health.
The doctor or nurse uses a suction bulb to gently remove mucus and other debris from the mouth, nose, and throat right after a healthy birth. The infant can then breathe on its own. The umbilical cord of the newborn is clamped using two devices side by side, and it is then severed between the clamps.
Drying and skin-to skin
The infant is thoroughly dried before being placed on the mother's belly with skin-to-skin contact or on a warm, sterile blanket. Not every delivery follows the same pattern. For instance, some women experience problems during labor and delivery or require a cesarean section. The newborn may occasionally need additional care from the medical team following delivery.
Severing the Cord at the Birth
The umbilical chord is clamped with two instruments shortly after birth, and the cord is then severed. In the first 24 hours following delivery, the clamp is taken off the cord stump. The stump needs to be kept dry and clean. Some medical professionals advise daily application of an alcohol solution on the stump. The stump naturally comes off in 1-2 weeks.
Examination of the infant
In order to spot any evident deformities or indications of discomfort, the doctor checks the infant. A
thorough physical examination follows (typically within 24 hours of birth). The Apgar score is used to determine the newborn's general health at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth.
A infant with a low Apgar score is experiencing trouble and may require more support with breathing or blood circulation. The nurses measure the newborn's length, weight, and head circumference once she is stable (see also Physical Growth of Infants and Children).
Newborns and breathing at birth
It's crucial to keep the baby warm. The newborn should be swaddled as quickly as possible to prevent heat loss and is also covered on the head. To prevent infection from any hazardous organisms that the infant may have come into contact with during delivery, a few drops of an antibiotic, such as erythromycin, tetracycline, silver nitrate, or, in some countries, povidone iodine, are administered into the eyes.
Parents will meet their baby for the first time!
Parents are advised to hold their infant right away following a typical birth. Some professionals think that early physical touch with the newborn fosters bonding. Even if they don't spend the first few hours together, parents and their newborn can form a strong attachment. Usually, both the mother and the newborn recuperate in the delivery room.
Rooming in with the new family member
In a birth center, the mother, father or mother's partner, and the infant all stay in the same room after delivery. Within the first 30 minutes after delivery, breastfeeding mothers place their infant to their breast. Oxytocin, a hormone that aids in the healing of the mother's womb and encourages the growth of the milk supply, is stimulated by breastfeeding.
Newborns are placed in a little crib on their backs and kept warm after being carried to the nursery. A doctor or nurse administers an injection of vitamin K to stop bleeding because all newborns have low vitamin K levels (hemorrhagic disease of the newborn).
Apgar Rating
At 1 and 5 minutes after birth, an infant is given the fast Apgar test. How well the infant tolerated labor is measured by the 1-minute score. The 5-minute score informs the medical professional on the baby's health outside of the mother's womb.
Rarely, the test will be carried out 10 minutes following delivery.
The Apgar score was first created in 1952 by Virginia Apgar, MD (1909-1974).
How the Test is Administered
A doctor, midwife, or nurse performs the Apgar test. The doctor looks at the infant's:
Respiratory effort
- A heartbeat
- Tone of muscles Reflexes
- Skin tone
- Each category receives a score of 0, 1, or 2 depending on the situation that was noticed.
Breath-holding power:
The infant's respiratory score is zero if they are not breathing.
- Skin tone
- Skin tone
- Each category receives a score of 0, 1, or 2 depending on the situation that was noticed.
breath power:
- The infant's respiratory score is zero if they are not breathing.
- The newborn receives a score of 1 for respiratory effort if the breaths are slow or erratic.
- The respiratory score is 2, if the infant screams normally.
- Stethoscope is used to measure heart rate. The most critical evaluation is this one:
- Infants with no heartbeat receive a score of 0 for heart rate.
- Infants receive a score of 1 for heart rate if it is fewer than 100 beats per minute.
- Infants with heart rates over 100 beats per minute receive a score of 2.
- muscle density
The infant receives points for having floppy, lax muscles.
Infants with heart rates over 100 beats per minute receive a score of 2.
muscle density
- Infants with loose, flabby muscles receive a score of 0 for muscle tone.
- The infant receives a 1 if there is any muscular tone.
- The infant receives a 2 for muscle tone if there is vigorous movements.
- Grimace response, also known as reflex irritability, refers to the reaction to stimuli, such as a light pinch:
- The newborn receives a reflex irritability score of 0 if there is no response.
- The newborn receives a reflex irritation score of 1 if there is grimacing.
- The newborn receives a 2 for reflex irritation if they grimace, cough, sneeze, or cry loudly.
Skin tone:
- Infants that have pale blue skin receive a score of 0. The infant receives a color rating of 0 if their skin is a light blue color.
- The baby receives a 1 for color if the body is pink and the extremities are blue.
- Infants receive a 2 for color if their entire bodies are pink.
Infants are bathed after birth
Newborns are bathed 6 hours or longer after birth. The majority of the newborn's skin is covered in a yellowish, greasy substance called vernix caseosa, which the nurse makes an effort to leave alone because it aids in infection prevention. It warms and conditions the skin and acts like a barrier of protection for the baby.
Conclusion
Birth indeed is a serious but beautiful event in the life of mom and dad. Thank God for the birth experience. Now that you are aware of what happens in a normal birth , I hope you are comforted knowing everything that is being done is to help your baby transition safely into the world. I want to wish you a wonderful mom- life.
Please comment and let me know which part of this post inspired you the most. Thanks for stopping by and do come again.
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