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Pregnancy Week To Week Pregnancy Symptoms Giving Birth C Sections NewBorn |
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Newborn or New BabyWrinkled and often with a head that is molded from the trip down the birth canal, this newborn is not exactly the beauty depicted in newborn books. The time from conception to birth may seem an eternity to prospective parents, although the process is completed in about 40 weeks. Babies born anywhere from 38 to 42 weeks after the last menstrual period are considered full-term. Sometime within that 4-week period, most women go into labor, the climax of which is the delivery of an infant. The average full-term newborn weighs 5.5 to 10 pounds; boys weigh slightly more than girls. Most full-term babies are between 18 and 22 inches in length. Immediately after delivery, suction is applied to your newborn’s mouth and nose to remove mucus and blood that could interfere with breathing. The umbilical cord, the former lifeline between mother and child, is cut. Your newborn receives its first examination in the delivery room to ensure that there are no serious problems. The infant may be quiet, or it may be screaming at the top of its lungs and flailing its arms and legs. Its skin may be discolored or mottled. Immediately after birth, the newborn’s color will be rather blue. This is the normal color for a newborn before birth. During the first 5 to 10 minutes after birth, the newborn becomes increasingly pink. Some infants have wrinkled and loose skin that gathers in body crevices. Others have pads of flesh that make them look fat. Many babies are born covered with vernix, a greasy white material that helps them slide through the birth canal. Your newborn may be totally bald or have a full head of hair, much of which will fall out by the fourth or fifth month. Fine, dark body hair (lanugo) may cover the infant’s back, shoulders, and even parts of its face. You may notice that your newborn’s eyes are slightly swollen. This swelling is due to the erythromycin ointment that is placed in the infant’s eyes to protect them from possible infection from the birth canal. It is temporary and nothing to be concerned about. The head looks large in relation to the body. When the infant is the mother’s first born, the head is often pointed or swollen; this shape is caused by molding of the head to adjust to the size and shape of the birth canal. Although the sight of a misshapen head may be alarming to parents, the newborn’s skull bones are pliable and made to overlap so the head can pass through the mother’s narrow pelvis without injury. Molding does not result in any head or brain injury, and the infant’s head returns to its normal shape in a few days. The top of the newborn’s head contains a soft spot, which will remain until the bones close, usually between 9 and 18 months. By the time your newborn is 1 minute old, the infant will have been evaluated with the Apgar test, which is an assessment of the newborn’s apparent health. This test is repeated after 5 minutes. Babies with low Apgar scores require close observation . An injection of vitamin K, which is a clotting agent, also is given shortly after birth to prevent internal bleeding. If the newborn is breathing well and appears healthy, he or she probably will be given to the mother wrapped in a warm blanket (to prevent heat loss). Many mothers opt to nurse their infants immediately. Even though the mother’s body has not yet begun to produce milk, the breasts contain colostrum, a thin liquid that contains antibodies beneficial to the infant. The act of nursing itself helps develop a closeness or bond between mother and child. For the first hour or two after birth, your newborn is likely to be awake, alert, and quiet. This is a perfect time to begin to get to know your newborn. Many parents like to unwrap the tight swaddling and examine the newborn. All of us count fingers and toes to assure ourselves about our new child. Babies are born with hearing, and parents may observe the startle or jerk when the infant hears a loud noise in the delivery room. Newborns also can see and are able to focus on objects within 8 to 12 inches from them. Parents often are surprised to observe the infant staring intently at an object or face. Birth is hard work, and the newborn’s response to that stress is to sink into a deep sleep a couple of hours later. Usually this occurs after the infant has been taken to the hospital nursery. The newborn then is tightly swaddled and placed in a bassinet. During the first couple of days, most newborns rarely awaken fully. Occasionally, your newborn may erupt into the crying fits that most people associate with newborns. Newborns usually are brought to their mothers every 3 or 4 hours for bottle or breast feeding (some mothers elect to "room in" with the newborn), but your newborn may not be interested in the breast or bottle for the first few days after birth. A newborn generally leaves the hospital weighing 6 to 10 percent less than at delivery. Usually by the third day—about the same time the mother’s breasts fill with milk—the infant develops an appetite. Now you are at home and despite the elation that comes with knowing they have a healthy newborn, first-time parents in particular may find themselves a bit overwhelmed—yesterday they were a couple, today they are a family. The newborn has needs that must take precedence over your own, and the newborn depends on you for virtually everything. The responsibility may seem awesome at first, and you may feel as though you can do nothing right. The newborn period—the first month of life—can be a trial for even the most experienced parents because every newborn is different. Maybe you have given birth to three children, all of whom nursed well from the beginning, did not cry unless they were hungry, wet, or tired, and slept a good part of the day. Then comes the fourth child. This child refuses to nurse half of the time, spends 3 hours crying every night for no apparent reason, and takes no more than two 1—hour catnaps during the day. You are at the end of your rope. And you secretly wonder whether something is wrong with the child. Most likely, nothing is wrong. The first month of life is a period of adjustment for everyone closely involved in the newborn’s life. For the parents, the adjustment can be equally difficult. The father may feel some jealousy toward the newborn, who is taking his wife’s attention from him. Exhausted from lack of sleep and still recovering from the ordeal of giving birth, a new mother has many concerns. Physicians who specialize in the care of children offer this bit of advice: relax. If newborn naps, a mother should too. Let a few dust balls accumulate. Forget about preparing gourmet meals. Do not feel duty bound to entertain all visitors who come for a peek at the newborn. As you and your newborn begin to adjust to being home together, you may find that life gets easier. Although most newborns (not all) spend a good part of the day sleeping and are alert only a small portion of the time they appear to be awake, you will discover how social the baby is during these brief but important moments. Holding and cuddling, cooing, establishing eye contact, and talking to your baby are all crucial to building a close relationship between the two of you. Do not underestimate your newborn. Even at 1 month, the infant knows family and recognizes their voices, particularly his or her mother’s. A newborn’s abilities are limited, but not as much as you may think. Your baby was born with all the basic senses. He or she can see, hear, smell, and communicate by crying. The newborn also is able to protect itself to some degree, thanks to some powerful reflexes. For several days after birth, the gag reflex allows the infant to clear its airway of mucus in order to breathe. Its eyes are protected from bright light by a strong blink reflex. If one part of the infant’s body becomes cold, the whole body changes color and temperature; the newborn pulls its limbs toward the trunk to reduce the exposure and begins to shiver to generate heat. Your baby will try to avoid pain by drawing away from the source and batting with both arms or legs. Your newborn also can avoid smothering if a blanket or something is placed over its head or face. First, the infant will mouth the object and then try to remove it by shaking its head violently from side to side. If that does not work, the newborn will cross each arm over its face. Most new parents have many questions during their newborn’s first month. Your physician is an excellent source of information. Although you may be reluctant to "bother" the physician, most are accustomed to fielding questions over the telephone. Many have pediatric nurse practitioners or other experienced nurses who can be of help. When in doubt, do not be afraid to ask. If you suspect the infant may be ill, call immediately. Your newborn is particularly vulnerable during the first month of life. A fever or cough that would be harmless for a 3-month-old may be serious enough to require hospitalization for a 3-week-old. Baby Health And Care
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