Professional Documents
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Neonatal Care
Neonatal Care
Neonatal Care
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Respiration - range 30
to 60 breaths per
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minute
Common variations
Bilateral bronchial breath
sounds
Moist breath sounds may be
present shortly after birth
Babies in distress may be placed in an incubator for
relief and constant monitoring of vital signs.
Muscle tone... We would expect to see well-flexed,
full range of motion, spontaneous
movement
No response to a pinch= a
score of 0 points.
A grimace or feeble cry = a
score of 1 point.
A lusty cry scores 2
points on the APGAR!
To “pinch” baby and encourage crying is in conflict with the Leboyer method of
childbirth. This method is used to minimize trauma to the infant during and after
delivery. The room is dimly lit and quiet, the baby’s head is not pulled. The
infant is massaged or given a warm water bath. This is all in direct contrast to
the outdated method of smacking baby’s bottom to encourage deep breaths!
SKIN COLOR... Expected findings:
Skin reddish in color, smooth and puffy at birth
At 24 - 36 hours of age, skin is flaky, dry and
pink in color; it is excessively flaky in babies that were overdue
Edema (excess fluid causes swelling) around eyes, feet, and genitals
Some vernix caseosa or lanugo may remain
Common variations:
Acrocyanosis – blue colored fingers, toes, hands,
and/or feet are the result of sluggish
peripheral circulation
Mongolian spots – Patches of purple-black or blue-
black color distributed over backside of infants of
African-American or Asian descent. Resolves in
time.
Mottling -
Generalized red
and white
discoloration of
skin of chilled
infants with fair
complexion
Jaundice...
Jaundice is a yellow discoloring of the skin, mucous
membranes, and eyes, caused by too much bilirubin
(a breakdown product of hemoglobin made by the
liver) in the blood. High levels of bilirubin circulating
in the blood stream dissolve in the subcutaneous
fat (the layer of fat just beneath the skin), causing a In newborns, jaundice
yellowish appearance of the skin and the whites of often exists due to an
the eyes. immature liver.
Head circumference - 33 to 35 cm
Expected findings:
Head should be 2 to 3 cms larger than chest
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Palmer Grasp
reflex…put
something
against baby’s
palm and they Plantar Grasp reflex…
grip fingers and put something on sole
hold it of baby’s foot; they
clench their toes in an
effort to hold it
Step Reflex...
The stepping or walking reflex is present at birth. If the infant is held erect
and the feet come in contact with a surface, the infant will make step-like
movements. Some parents incorrectly interpret this movement as a desire to
stand and walk. It is important that this motion is not allowed to be weight-
bearing, as leg muscles are not developed. It is interesting that this reflex
occurs even if the baby is held upside down and the feet come in contact
with a surface.
Crawl Reflex...
As shown in the
The sucking reflex picture above, this
may have been reflex occurs when
present long any nipple-sized
before birth, as object is placed on
shown above in the baby’s lips.
this fetus.
Rooting Reflex...
1. 2.
Rooting reflex When you stroke the corner of your baby's mouth
and move your finger slowly toward his ear you will see his tongue,
mouth, and sometimes even his head follow the direction of your
hand. They also open their mouth. This reflex helps babies to locate
the nipple for feeding. This usually disappears by 3-4 months.
Babinski Reflex... Also known as the Extensor Plantar
Reflex or Toe Sign
When you stroke the bottom of your baby's foot, the big toe flexes
toward the top of the foot, the other toes fan out, and the leg extends
outward. This usually disappears by 9 months to 2 years, when the
toes curl under and the leg is pulled back.
Blink reflex...
Children can exhibit poor peer relations, rage, poor eye contact, limited to no
remorse for destructive or assaultive behaviors, chronic lying, agitating, and
stealing; and preoccupation with morbid topics, destruction or cruelty to animals.
Postpartum Depression...
Postpartum depression (PPD) is quite common after a
baby's birth. It can range from mild "baby blues" which
affect between 50 and 80 percent of all mothers, to
psychosis. In general, over 10 percent of mothers
experience some level of postpartum adjustment
problems. When these problems begin to interfere with
a mother's ability to take care of her baby and her daily
tasks, it is time to seek professional help. Depression
is a very real mental condition, not imagined or
voluntary.
The postpartum period begins after the delivery
of the baby and ends when the mother's body
has returned as closely as possible to its pre-
pregnant state…a period of six weeks to two
years. It involves the mother’s adjustment to
physical, emotional, and hormonal changes, as
well as learning how to care for a newborn and
function in this new family unit. She will need
to rebuild her strength, getting plenty of rest,
good nutrition, exercise, and help during the
The mammary gland of the breast, upon
LACTATION receiving a hormonal signal after the
birth of the baby, begins making
secretions. This process is called
lactation.
THE END