The First Hour

Pregnant Mother — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

What to expect in the first hour of your new baby's life.

Immediately after the birth, your doctor or midwife will check your newborn thoroughly to see that all is well. Your baby will be weighed and the Apgar Test will be carried out to determine vitality. Named after the American doctor Virginia Apgar, this test is now used worldwide to assess the health of a newborn baby as accurately as possible.
A routine Apgar examination of a baby only takes a few minutes and involves simple assessment of the following:

heart rate
breathing
skin colour
muscle tone
reflex response

A first test is done at one minute and is repeated five minutes later. Sometimes a third test is carried out at ten minutes. The highest score is ten and most babies usually score seven or higher. Some babies score low the first time and make up points in the second test as systems begin to function more efficiently.

Further assessment may include:

checking the abdomen for the positioning of the liver, stomach and intestines
assessing physical proportions, symmetry and any obvious oddity or floppiness
examining the umbilical cord
examining the genital area and anus
examining the hips and flexibility
checking ears, eyes, nose, lips and mouth
checking fontanelles, skull and head size
measuring head size

At the same time, a blood sample is taken from the umbilical cord artery to assess acidity (pH) levels. This indicates the level of oxygen that is being supplied to your newborn’s tissues. Blood sufficiently rich in oxygen has a pH value of more than 7.20. A lack of oxygen is considered the most dangerous complication at birth.

In Australia a single dose of vitamin K is routinely given to newborns. Vitamin K is essential to blood clotting and is naturally low in newborns. There are mixed thoughts about whether or not Vitamin K injections are necessary.

In the past, some babies have been prone to haemorrhaging around the brain and administering vitamin K has been seen to reduce this incidence. This type of bleeding could occur any time up until the 26th week of life but is most likely between the fourth and sixth weeks in a baby deficient in vitamin K. Recent studies have raised the possibility of vitamin K injections being linked adversely with childhood cancers, however, this has not been scientifically proven. Most doctors and health professionals consider this a media scare and advise administering Vitamin K to negate a possible risk of a newborn haemorrhaging. As an alternative, a series of oral doses of Vitamin K is available. If you are concerned it would be wise to discuss the issue with your doctor or health professional before your baby is born.

You

Routine checks may be made on your blood pressure, pulse and temperature. Your doctor or midwife may check that your uterus remains hard and firm, and that there is only minimal bleeding, by feeling your abdomen from time to time. You may be encouraged to go to the toilet and pass urine. It is common to pass a lot of urine immediately after birth. A full bladder will relax the uterus and may cause your uterus to start bleeding again. Unless there have been any complications, you will probably be left alone so as you and your baby can get to know one another.

The First Feed

Most babies will need nourishing within 3-4 hours of birth. Whether you plan to breast feed or bottle feed your baby will benefit from the colostrum, the first feed produced within the breast. This thick liquid contains several essential minerals, vitamins, antibodies and is especially rich in zinc. Antibodies are complex protein substances that help protect your baby against infection in the first few weeks of life.

Breastfeeding is the easiest way for your baby to get the colostrum. If this isn’t possible, you can gently express the colostrum and bottle feed.
Some babies suck strongly immediately though others have to be coaxed.

Newborn Reflexes

Babies are born with reflexes to enable them to adjust to life outside the uterus. Breathing, sucking and swallowing are the most important newborn reflexes.

Others Include:

Rooting

The baby opens its mouth and turns its head, “rooting” for the nipple.

Startle Reflex

Also called the “Moro” reflex, the baby may throw up its arms and tremble.

Hand Gripping

Babies are born with a strong grasping reflex.

Stepping

If you support a newborn in a standing position, it will make stepping movements.

About to crawl

When you place a newborn on its tummy, it will assume what appears to be a crawling position.

Giving your Baby the BBB’s!

What Your Baby May Look Like

Pregnant Mother — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:19:59 +0000

Your baby’s appearance may be a shock.

Your baby’s appearance may be a shock. Your baby has just been through the most hazardous journey it is likely to have in its life. It’s realistic to expect a few bruises and blotches underneath the smearing of blood and vernix caseosa.

A newborn immediately after a Caesarean delivery.

The Head

Pressure exerted during delivery can temporarily distort the shape of your baby’s head. If it was a forceps or vonteuse vacuum extraction assisted delivery, your baby’s head is likely to be bruised or misshapen. The bones on top of its skull have not yet knitted together and this will not occur for another 18 months. In some cases cranial sacral therapy may be advised during this time as a form of aftercare for your baby. Although your newborn is likely to have hair this is likely to be congealed with a combination of blood and vernix, a creamy substance coating your baby’s skin that acts as protection in the womb. The hair on its head is often a different shade to that which will grow to replace the original hair.

The Skin

Often covered in a mixture of blood and the thick, protective creamy substance called vernix caseosa, the skin may be a dull bluish-grey in the first few minutes following birth before oxygen is taken in. As blood begins to circulate, the skin tone will become pink. Many babies are born with a yellow tone, a sign of jaundice as a result of a build up of bile in the blood. This usually disappears within a few days but if it does not, ultraviolet light treatment is often recommended. The vernix, considered an ultimate massage lotion, is easily absorbed and is highly nourishing for your baby’s skin.

Often the skin is wrinkled and takes a while to smooth out. Some babies have harmless patches of slate-blue skin on their tummies and back known as Mongolian spots. There may be tiny white or yellowish spots under the skin, particularly around the bridge of the nose. These are called milia and are caused by skin glands unblocking themselves. Red spots, blotches and rashes are also common. Most blemishes will disappear by the time your baby is two weeks old. If your baby is born premature, it is likely to be covered in lanugo, a dark hair that drops out in the first few weeks.

Shape

The brow is usually sloped back and rather low in a newborn. A baby born in a posterior position will have a high dome-shaped head. A newborn’s skull, however, is flexible enough to regain shape after birth.

The Eyes

Pressure in the birth canal often causes swollen, puffy eyelids and squinting eyes. It is common for your baby to appear cross-eyed during the first few months as the eyes adjust to life outside the womb. True eye colour does not develop until up to six months.

Umbilical Stump

After the umbilical cord is cut and clamped, your baby will be left with a stub with a peg-like clip on it. The stump, often long and bloodied, will fall off in a week or so. Diluted essential oil of teatree or lavender on a soft muslin facecloth can be used to wipe clean the stump.

Hands & Feet

If your baby’s circulation is slow to start, its hands and feet may be bluish at first but will turn pink. Tiny fingernails are often long at birth.

The Breasts

These are often swollen at birth and leak milk. This is perfectly normal in both sexes as a result of hormonal levelling in the mother and baby. The swelling will subside within a couple of days.

The Genitals

A boy is often born with his testicles pulled up into his groin. These will descend later but may be seem worryingly small at first. More commonly the genitals of both sexes seem disproportionately large and swollen and sometimes a girl has vaginal discharge that will soon disappear. Some baby girls also have a menstrual-like discharge in response to the withdrawal of maternal oestrogen levels. All this is normal and has no cause for alarm.

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