Postnatal Period A New Family Member

What is the Apgar score? What do the Apgar scores mean? The one-minute Apgar score This helps your practitioner decide whether your baby needs immediate medical help. If your baby scores between 7 and 10, it usually means he's in good shape and doesn't need more than routine post-delivery care One minute — and again five minutes — after your baby is born, doctors calculate his Apgar score to see how he's doing. It's a simple process that helps determine whether your newborn is ready to meet the world without additional medical assistance.

Premature Infant

How Does the Doctor Score a Baby? Activity (muscle tone) 0 — Limp; no movement 1 — Some flexion of arms and legs 2 — Active motion Pulse (heart rate) 0 — No heart rate 1 — Fewer than 100 beats per minute 2 — At least 100 beats per minute Grimace (reflex response) 0 — No response to airways being suctioned 1 — Grimace during suctioning 2 — Grimace and pull away, cough, or sneeze during suctioning Appearance (color) 0 — The baby's whole body is completely bluish-gray or pale 1 — Good color in body with bluish hands or feet 2 — Good color all over Respiration (breathing) 0 — Not breathing 1 — Weak cry; may sound like whimpering, slow or irregular breathing 2 — Good, strong cry; normal rate and effort of breathing It's easy to remember what's being tested by thinking of the letters in the name "Apgar": Activity Pulse Grimace Appearance Respiration

Process of Bonding Bonding is the forming of lifelong emotional ties between parents and newborn. Bonding can be strengthened by: Placing the baby in the mother’s arms or on her stomach Having parents stroke and talk to the baby Having the baby nurse within minutes of birth

What is Colostrum? It is NOT the milk which transfers immunity, but only a special form of mother's milk, called the 'colostrum'. ONLY the first few days of a mother's milk have the capability of transferring the immune system to the baby. That milk has its own special name: it's called 'colostrum'. Right after birth, the mother’s breasts secrete a fluid called colostrum. It is easy for the newborn to digest and is rich in antibodies to protect against disease.

Rooming-in Rooming-in involves having the baby stay in the same room with the mother, rather than in a central nursery in the hospital. Rooming-in helps the bonding process and lets parents get to know he baby and learn proper care.

Mother’s Postnatal Care Best Care for a Mother’s Postnatal Physical Needs Include: Rest Exercise Good Nutrition Medical Check-up The first few days after the delivery will be tiring and uncomfortable for you especially if are caring for your baby all by yourself. Try and get as much rest as possible and don't use the time when your baby sleeps to catch up on unfinished chores.

Feeling Blue? “Baby Blues” are feelings of disappointment, loneliness, or resentment that sometimes occur after the birth. Moms need to talk over their feelings with someone sympathetic, take some time away from the baby, and take good physical care of herself.

Premature Newborns A baby is considered premature if it is born before 8 ½ months or weighs less than 5 ½ lbs. (2.5 kg). Some problems premature newborns face include immature digestive, breathing and heat regulation systems. They are also prone to infections.

Incubators A special type of crib called an incubator, provides premature babies with a controlled environment. Oxygen supply temperature and humidity can all be controlled.

Infant Reflexes Reflexes are instinctive, automatic responses. The purpose of reflexes are they help the baby’s body function. There are a number of reflexes that we can see in a newborn.

Infant Reflexes Startle or 'Moro' If a loud noise occurs or the baby’s stomach is touched-Throws out her legs and arms and arches her back if her head suddenly drops backwards Rooting If something touches the baby’s lips or cheeks- Turns her head towards your finger, or nipple, stroked across her cheek

Infant Reflexes Stepping Makes walking movements when held upright with her feet touching a flat surface Grasp Reflex / Palmar Closes her fist around anything which touches her palm If something is pressed into the baby’s palm, the fingers will curl and hold tight

Infant Reflexes Blink Blinks when you clap your hands near her face Diving Closes the tract to her lungs, keeps mouth and eyes open and makes swimming movements with arms and legs when submerged in water

Infant Reflexes Sucking Sucks you finger or nipple rhythmically Tracking Follows moving objects with her eyes

Newborn Needs Food- feed the baby immediately when hungry. Babies need feeding during the night for the sake of nutrition, comfort and the closeness they get by being with you. Sleep- let the baby sleep as needed throughout the day. Your newborn baby will sleep through most noise and activity, though a sudden noise might wake her. A baby who seems very sleepy a lot of the time and who doesn't wake to feed may be ill, so don't assume a baby like this is 'being good'

Newborn Needs Warmth- dress for conditions Exercise- let the baby kick while being diapered and splash and wiggle during he bath! Cleanliness- bath and diaper the baby regularly

Newborn Needs Safety- Watch the baby when awake Medical care – provide periodic checkups in the first year Play –Provide things to look at, touch, listen to & play with. Babies do not register soft colors for a year at least. So a good choice is to get baby toys and infant toys which have high contrast colors. Red, black and white are the best colors for stimulating very young babies.

Newborn Needs Love- Provide close contact with baby and show that love is felt!

Medical Care A type of doctor that specializes in the care of babies and young children is called a Pediatrician.

Schedule It takes anywhere from a few weeks to a month for most newborns to settle into a regular routine.

Communication Most newborns communicate their needs through crying! Nature intended for babies to cry. After all, crying is their only means of communication

Infant Temperament One important way to learn about is understanding his personal style--his typical way of approaching the world--which is also known as temperament. Researchers who study infant temperament have identified specific traits that help describe a child's individual way of approaching the world. These include: · how intensely the child responds to things · how active the child is · how the child interacts with others · how the child responds to change · how persistent or easily frustrated the child is

Temperament Temperament is the newborn’s inborn style of reacting to the world and relating to others. Adaptable Alex Cautious Charlie Feisty Frank

A Baby Time Capsule ! Things to include: • A picture of your newborn baby • A picture of your baby nursery • A picture of your home • A picture of your new family • A letter to your future 18-year-old child • A description of your life today