III. Postpartum Period (for the infant)
A. Physical Care
1) Health
(a) Resting: The
baby will get much stimulation from new relatives and friends and will
need plenty of rest. You can tell the baby needs a break from stimulation
when she looks away from you when you attempt to play, is irritable, etc.
2) Breathing
(a) The baby should
normally breathe 30 to 60 times per minute. This breathing will have an
irregular pattern (slow then fast), so count respirations for a full minute
to assess if the breathing is out of range.
(b) Babies breathe much of
the time through their noses, so keep the nares as uncongested as possible
with bulb syringe.
(c) Babies may have short
periods when they are breathing very slowly. If this pause lasts longer
than 15 seconds, let clinician know.
(d) Respiratory distress
(baby is not getting enough oxygen) has many symptoms: blueness around
the mouth, faster breathing, grunting sound to breathing, nostrils flaring,
baby agitated or less responsive. Call 911 immediately.
(e) A cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) class (often held frequently in many locations) will teach what to
do if baby stops breathing, chokes, or heart stops beating. CPR classes
are offered frequently in many locations.
3) Temperature
(a) Monitor temperature
at home (normal, 97 to 99 F) to get to know baby's normal temperature.
(b) Dress baby appropriately
for weather (same number of layers or one more layer of clothing than you
are wearing). Overdressing can cause an increased body temperature.
(c) Keep baby well covered
during bathing to prevent excessive heat loss.
4) Hydration-Nutrition
(a) Provide the
recommended formula (unless breastfeeding) and amount (often this is based
on infant demand).
(b) If breastfeeding, be
sure to have infant on each breast for an equal amount of time, to ensure
breast stimulation by infant is adequate for milk production.
(c) Baby will lose some weight
the first week. Babies are born with extra fluid that they use while waiting
for milk supply, which appears usually around the third day. This is nature's
protection for them.
(d) Monitor for symptoms
of dehydration, especially if infant is experiencing decreased intake,
vomiting, or diarrhea (dry mouth, decreased urination, stronger-smelling
and darker urine, increased temperature) and notify clinician immediately.
5) Safety
(a) Always use a
carseat. Make sure it fits in your car correctly and fits the size of the
baby.
(b) Frequent hand washing
by all persons near baby is very helpful in preventing infection. Those
who are sick should limit contact with the baby. Appropriate cleaning of
all baby equipment is important.
(c) Signs of general illness
in baby include vomiting, diarrhea, elevated temperature, congestion, coughing,
dehydration, and continued irritability.
(d) Appropriate cord care
is important. Use alcohol to clean around the cord until it comes off,
monitor for any signs of redness, swelling, drainage, or foul odor at cord
site. This could be an infection.
6) Health supervision
(a) The baby should
be taken to all scheduled medical appointments to ensure normal health,
growth, and development. These appointments should include the regular
immunizations, which prevent serious illness.
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