"Your Baby's First Year" Taya Altmann

Question 1

How many hours per day do newborns typically sleep?

Answer 1

16 hours - divided into 3-4 hour naps between feeds

Question 2

What is the difference between the newbown sleep cycle and that of adults

Answer 2

Newborns: drowsiness, REM, light sleep, deep sleep and then very deep sleep

Adults: drowsiness, light sleep, deep sleep and then very deep sleep and REM

Question 3

Biggest cause of death in the first year of life?

Answer 3

SIDS - yes, more than ANY OTHER cause! And is preventable!

Question 4

When can a baby sleep in any position she’d like?

Answer 4

When she can roll from back to front and vice versa

Question 5

Side sleeping?

Answer 5

No, just as dangerous as on the stomach, leading to SIDS

Question 6

Framework Question:

Explain to new parents why stomach sleeping leads to SIDS

Answer 6

Infant brains underdeveloped to respond under certain situations

Stomach sleeping leads to deep sleep

In combination, baby’s unable to respond to asphyxiation

Question 7

Aside from “back to sleep” what other interventions have demonstrated to decrease SIDS?

Answer 7

Pacifier

Question 8

What is the key factor behind why newborns sleep few hours compared to older infants?

Answer 8

• Stomach size
• The larger the stomach, the more nutrients, the longer time between feeds, the longer time baby’s can sleep without food

Question 9

To train babies to sleep on their own, at what mental state should baby’s put to bed?

Answer 9

Drowsy - NOT fully asleep.

TIP: Don’t rock your baby until she is in deep sleep in your arms. Rock until she is drowsy and place her down.

Question 10

What area of the lower body, if present with a rash, would argue AGAINST yeast infection?

Answer 10

BUTTOCKS - diaper rashes from yeast NEVER appear on the buttocks

Question 11

Diaper rash - prevalence in formula fed vs breastfed infants?

Answer 11

Breastfed infants have LOWER incidence of diaper rash

Question 12

Description of meconium?

Answer 12

Dark, sticky, black or green substance present in the first week of life

Question 13

What is the range of normal consistency for a newborn’s stool?

Answer 13

Soft to runny

Question 14

How may the frequency of stooling differ between a breastfed baby and a formula fed baby?

Answer 14

Past 3 weeks of age, breastfed babies may stool only once a week since there is little waste in breast milk

LESS risk for diaper rash!

In comparison, formula fed babies should have at least 1 stool/day for the first year

Question 15

How often to bath newborn?

Answer 15

3 times/week up to 1x/day

Question 16

What are ways to bathe newborns?

Answer 16

Baths or sponge baths

Question 17

What is the rule of thumb in regards to how many layers a baby needs?

Answer 17

1 more layer than what I am wearing

Question 18

When does it become unsafe to swaddle babies?

Answer 18

Around 2-3 months since babies are starting to turn. If they turn onto their stomachs while swaddled, they are at risk of suffocation

Question 19

What are the expected weight changes in newborns in the first 2 weeks of life?

Answer 19

Weight loss in the first 5 days, up to 10% of BW

Regain birthweight at 2 weeks of life

Question 20

Time period for the umbilical cord to fall off?

Answer 20

Between 10 days to 3 weeks

Question 21

Baby acne - what’s the other name? What’s the treatment?

Answer 21

Neonatal cephalic pustulosis; daily face wash with low baby soap

Question 22

What are the neonatal reflexes? And in what order do they disappear?

Answer 22

Mnemonic:

Some: Stepping Reflex
Reflexes: Rooting Reflex 
Persist: Palmar Reflex
More: Moro Reflex 
Than: Tonic Reflex
Others: 0 
Persist: Plantar Reflex - last to go at 12 most

Question 23

Can babies be too spoiled by responding promptly to their cries?

Answer 23

No

Question 24

At what age does fussiness/crying peak? And how long does fussiness/crying last for (in regards to hours)?

Answer 24

6 weeks

3 hours

Question 25

At what month does colic last until?

Answer 25

3-4 months, but can last up to 6 months

Question 26

Framework Question:

What is the cause of colic?

Answer 26

Baby’s excessive sensitivity to stimulation and inability to cope, possibly from an immature nervous system

Question 27

What are some helpful ways to comfort your baby that has colic?

Answer 27

• Elimination diet if breastfed: soy, dairy, eggs, onion cabbage
  
  • TIP: eliminate 1 item at a time
• Walk the baby in a stroller (rumbling is soothing)
• Provide white noise: laundry, vacuum, etc
• Pacifier
• Place baby on your knees, tummy down and rub her back
• Swaddle

Question 28

How long do you need to be conscious in supporting your baby’s head?

Answer 28

3 months

That is when he/she will have enough strength to support his/her own head independently

Question 29

1 month milestones

Answer 29

Gross:

Visual:

• 1 foot away (aka sees objects best at 1 foot away)
• 1 color at a time (black/white)
• 1 pattern it recognizes - faces

Question 30

What to expect in regards to the frequency of bowel movements in breastfed infants?

Answer 30

In the first month of life: at least 4 BM/day

After 1 month of life: can have a BM 1x/week and that is normal

Question 31

When should pacifiers be introduced to breastfed infants?

Answer 31

Only after breastfeeding is well established, or simply at 1 month of age because that is when BF should be established

Question 32

What precaution should be given to parents in regards to newborns and sun exposure?

Answer 32

Skin is sensitive to sunlight and can burn easily, so in the first 6 months, make sure body is covered adequately and not directly exposed to sunlight

Question 33

How to check if you baby is too cold?

Answer 33

Feel the hands and feet, which should be cooler than the chest

Feel the chest and make sure it is warm

If hands, feet and chest are cold, he is too cold

Question 34

Explain how an obstructed tear duct can lead to tearing as its presentation?

Answer 34

Obstructed tear ducts will lead to a back flow and instead of draining in the nose, will drain over the eyelids