Caring for a newborn in the first days of life
From WikiLectures
This article has been translated from WikiSkripta; ready for the editor's review.
The birth of a live baby is its complete expulsion or removal from the mother's body if it shows at least one of the signs of life (breathing, heartbeat, movement) and has a birth weight ≥ 500 g or < 500 g if it survives 24 hours after birth. Newborns must be treated immediately after birth so that, for example, they do not catch a cold.
Caring for a physiological newborn in the first days of life[edit | edit source]
Newborn Nutrition[edit | edit source]
- breastfeeding support.
Urination[edit | edit source]
- newborns often urinate for the first time after birth, but it is still normal if they urinate within 48 hours after birth (92% of newborns urinate within 24 hours, 99% within 48 hours after birth);
- volume of excreted urine is 50-150 ml/kg/day;[1]
- in the first days diuresis is small, later it increases with food intake.
Emptying[edit | edit source]
- meconium(black, viscous, odorless) leaves in 94% within 24 hours after birth (in 99% within 48 hours);
- the presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid is a sign of fetal hypoxia;
- with the onset of breastfeeding, the so-called transitional stool appears - greenish-black, thinner;
- stools of a fully breastfed baby - yellow, thinner (like "scrambled eggs");
- frequency is highly variable (e.g. 10 times a day to once every 10 days);
- newborns on artificial nutrition have green stools (green indicates the presence of reducing substances), they should have stools daily
- [[meconium ileus] occurs in children with cystic fibrosis.
Belly button treatment[edit | edit source]
- is important in preventing omphalitis and the spread of infection through this route;
- after delivery, the ligated umbilical stump is covered with a sterile mule square;
- the stump is surgically removed either on day 3-4 (depending on the practice of the unit),
- or allowed to dry and fall off spontaneously;
- the umbilical stump or umbilicus is treated with topical desinfectants (alcohol, Framycoin, Cutasept, chlorhexidine, 98% alcohol; iodine preparations are not recommended).
Newborn screening[edit | edit source]
- collection of a dry drop of blood on a screening card;
- screening for hyperphenylalaninemia and phenylketonuria, congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, cystic fibrosis and other inherited metabolic disorders.
Screening for congenital cataracts[edit | edit source]
- Examination of the ocular background reflex (called the red reflex) using an ophthalmoscope as a screening for congenital cataract.
Hearing screening[edit | edit source]
- in some maternity hospitals, newborn hearing is screened by otoacoustic emission testing.
Ultrasound examination of the kidneys[edit | edit source]
- in some clinics, renal and urinary ultrasound is performed as a screening for congenital developmental defects of the uropoietic tract.
Hip examination[edit | edit source]
- the aim is to detect congenital luxation and to initiate treatment early if necessary;
- triple sieve examination (3 consecutive examinations):
- first examination: in the first week of life, i.e. in the delivery room - performed by a paediatrician (clinical examination) or an orthopaedic surgeon (including ultrasound);
- if the first ultrasound examination is not performed immediately in the delivery room, it is postponed until the 2nd-3rd week of age;
- second examination: at 6-9 weeks - ultrasound examination by a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon;
- third examination: at 12-16 weeks - dtto;
- we do not put newborns in swaddles;
- babies born at the pelvic end are more at risk.
Weight curve[edit | edit source]
- the course of the weight curve is typical:
- postpartum weight loss (10-15%) - maximum around day 4 of life;
- the baby reaches birth weight around day 10;
- weekly gain in the first six months of life is about 100-200 g.
Administration of vitamins[edit | edit source]
- vitamin K - given to prevent bleeding disorders of the newborn
- 1 mg i.m. (Kanavit® 1 mg = 0.1 ml) or
- 2 mg p.o. (1 drop = 1 mg), in fully breastfed infants 1 mg p.o. should be repeated once a week until 10-12 weeks of age[2]
- vitamin D (Vigantol ® or Infadin ®) - 1 drop per day for term newborns, 2 drops per day for premature newborns, 1-2 drops per day for infants and children from the 2nd week of life for at least 1 year (for children born in autumn or winter until spring).
- can also be administered parenterally ('Calciferol' ® i.m.)[3]
Links[edit | edit source]
Related articles[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ MUNTAU, Ania Carolina. Pediatrie. 4. vydání. Praha : Grada, 2009. s. 3. ISBN 978-80-247-2525-3.
- ↑ Česká neonatologická společnost České lékařské společnosti J.E.Purkyně. Prevence krvácení z nedostatku vitaminu K (krvácivé nemoci novorozenců) : Doporučené postupy v neonatologii [online]. ©2010. [cit. 2010-10-26]. <http://www.neonatologie.cz/fileadmin/user_upload/Doporuceni_CNEOS/Vitamin_K_2010.pdf>.
- ↑ BENEŠ, Jiří. Studijní materiály [online]. ©2007. [cit. 2009]. <http://www.jirben.wz.cz/>.