Steps of Essential Immediate Care of Newborn After Birth

Steps of Essential Immediate Care of Newborn After Birth

Who is Newborn Baby or Neonate?

A newborn infant, or neonate, is a child under 28 days of age. During these first 28 days of life, the child is at highest risk of dying. Newborn define as a product of conception with signs of life, between birth and 28 days of age.

Steps of Essential Newborn Baby Care after Birth:

Steps of immediate care of a newborn baby are-

• Dry & stimulates,
• Assess breathing, color & heart rate,
• Decision of resuscitation if needed,
• Keep warm,
• Tie & cut the cord,
• Start breast feeding,
• Eye care.

1. Place baby onto mother’s abdomen, if this is not possible keep the baby next to the mother on a clean surface.

2. Wipe the baby immediately with a warm clean towel or piece of cloth. Wipe the mouth and nose with a clean cloth.

• Do not wipe off the white greasy substance covering the baby’s body (vernix).
• This helps to protect the baby’s skin and gets reabsorbed very quickly.

3. Assess (while drying):

• Color,
• Breathing,
• Heart rate.

If all of those are normal, proceed to steps 4 and provide ‘routine care if color is blue, breathing is absent or gasping, start resuscitation at once.

You can read: Nursing Care of Newborn Baby at Birth

4. Clamp and cut the umbilical cord with a sterile instrument. Tie the cord with a clean thread rubber band or a sterile cord clamp.

5. Examine the baby quickly for malformations/ birth injury.

• If there is a major malformation / severe birth injury refer W) the baby to a newborn unit.
• Ensure warmth during examination and transportation.

6. Leave the baby between the mother’s breasts to start skin-to-skin care.

7. Cover the baby’s head with a cap / cloth. Cover both mother and the baby with a warm cloth.

8. Place an identify label on the baby.

9. Help mother to initiate breastfeeding.

Immediate Care Policies for Newborn Baby:

Policies for immediate care for normal newborn baby are:

1. Normal newborn delivered either by normal vaginal delivery (NVD) or LSCS is to be shifted to nursery with identification tag.

2. Nursery is to be kept warm (28-30°c) and cots readied to receive the baby. In the nursery, nurse has to record the baby weight, length, and head circumference. All other instructions of the doctor are to be carried out.

3. Baby is to be clothed and kept adequately warm once the mother is shifted to the room, and baby is stabilized, the baby is to be transferred to mother with all transfer formalities.

4. These arrangements are valid till proper nursing is made available in OT and LR to keep normal newborns.

More questions related to this article:

• What is newborn baby?
• Define newborn.
• Write down the immediate care of a newborn.
• What are the immediate cares of a newborn?
• Mention the immediate care of a newborn after birth.
• Mention the six steps of newborn care.
• Mention the steps of immediate care of a newborn baby.
• What are the policies for immediate normal newborn care?