Measures To Be Taken With Newborn Care
Your wait for the day when you finally meet your baby in the outside world is over and you are looking forward to taking care of your baby. However, like many new parents, you might not know what measures that are to be taken for the care of your new born after delivery. It’s true that in the presence of the doctors you need not worry but then it is always prudent to be aware of what all might be expected. So, here we are mentioning all the important measures that are to be taken for a newborn on the first day of birth.
Drying The Baby
The first step that needs to be taken after baby birth is that the baby should be immediately dried using a warm and soft towel. In case you don’t have any warm and soft towel nearby, don’t delay it instead use the following absorbing clothes:
* Shirts
* Glovers
* Socks
* Jackets
* T-shirts
Replacing Wet Towels
Remember that during the first few hours of life, babies find it difficult to adjust to the outer heat and atmosphere as compared to the temperature in the mother’s womb. So, it is essential to replace the wet towels with dry towels to reduce the heat loss. In a baby’s body temperature is not well maintained he may suffer from hypothermia.
Positioning The Baby
Another important measure to be taken after baby’s birth is to properly position the baby in cot. So, here is some useful information about a baby’s positioning after birth:
* Newborn babies should never be positioned on their stomachs.
* These babies should be made to lie on their backs or slightly tilted on the side.
* Pillows or any kind of support to elevate the baby’s neck is totally wrong.
* Baby’s neck should be kept straight; it should neither be elevated nor bent downwards.
Suctioning The Baby
Right after birth, baby’s lungs need to be cleaned of mucous and amniotic fluids. This is important to enable the baby feed properly. The following natural mechanisms help suctioning the baby:
* Newly borns are often seen crying this is because it helps them clearing the fluid and open air sacs.
* Newborns also cough, sputter and sneeze a lot and this is also to mobilize the additional fluid in their lungs.
* In cases, when the baby doesn’t cry or cough or sneeze, doctors can manually squeeze excess fluid out by using bulb syringes.
Evaluating The Baby
Next important step after baby birth is to evaluate the baby. Doctors check the baby for the proper breathing, heart rate and color. When the baby does not cry or move doctors tend to tickle their feet or soles with a thumb or forefinger. In case, when the baby is not breathing properly, doctors use additional drying with a towel to help the baby recover.
Keeping The Baby Warm
Particular attention needs to be paid on keeping the baby warm on the first few days after birth. Generally, newborns are wrapped in warm and soft blankets. Another way of warming the baby is to place him on the mother’s chest and cover with a blanket, as this will transfer the mother’s warmth to the baby.