Normal Care of the Newborn after birth

Question 1

What happens to the newborn immediately after birth?

Answer 1

• Skin to skin
• Clamp the umbilical cord
• Dry the baby
• keep the baby warm with hat and blankets
• Vitamin K
• Label the baby
• Measure the weight and length of the baby

Question 2

Why and when is Vitamin K given to the baby?

Answer 2

• Vitamin K is a normal part of clotting and babies are born with a deficiency of Vit K.
• It is standard practice to give all babies an IM injection of Vit K shortly after birth
• This helps the baby cry which helps to expand the lungs
• Vit K helps to prevent bleeding and umbilical stump

Question 3

What is Skin to Skin contact?

Answer 3

• Skin to Skin involves putting the baby against the mothers chest immediately after birth
• This helps warm the baby
• Improves mother and baby interaction
• Calms the baby
• Improves breast feeding

Question 4

What occurs after the birth of the baby?

Answer 4

• initiate breast feeding as soon as baby is alert enough
• first bath is usually delayed until baby is warm and stable
• newborn examiation within 72 hours
• Blood spot test
• Newborn hearing test

Question 5

What is the Blood Spot Screening test?

Answer 5

• A screening blood test which looks at 9 congenital conditions
• It is taken on day 5
• Results take 6-8 weeks to come back

Question 6

What are the congenital condition screened for on the Heel Prick test?

Answer 6

-1. SCD
-2. Cystic Fibrosis
-3. Congenital Hypothyroidism
-4. Phenylketonuria
-5. MCADD (Medium Chain, acyl- CoA dehydrogenase deficiency)
-6. MSUD Maple syrup urine disease
-7. Isovaleric Acidaemia (IVA)
-8. Glutaric Aciduria type 1 (GA1)
-9. Homocystin