Essential Care of Newborn Baby

Subject: Midwifery II (Theory)

Overview

Cleanliness, thermal protection, early and exclusive breastfeeding, initiation of breathing, resuscitation, eye care, immunization, management of newborn disease, and care of the preterm and or low birth weight newborn are all crucial newborn care interventions. Policies and practices for the prevention, identification and control of nosocomial infections can promote clean delivery and clean cord care across health care facilities. Simple steps such as a warm birth room, quick drying of the infant, and skin-to-skin contact with the women can all help to reduce loss of body heat. Breastfeeding should begin within an hour of the baby's birth. Feeding should be as regularly as the baby requires, without the use of pre-lacteal meals or other fluids and food. Birth asphyxia should be identified and treated as soon as possible.
  1. Cleanliness: 
    Clean delivery and clean cord care can be ensured everywhere in health institutions through policies and practices for the prevention, identification, and treatment of nosocomial infections; and in-home deliveries through the use of disposal delivery kits to increase cleanliness standards.
     
  2. Thermal protection:
    Neonatal hypothermia and hyperthermia prevention and management Simple steps such as a warm birth room, quick drying of the infant, and skin-to-skin contact with the women can all help to reduce loss of body heat. Birth attendants and families must be taught how to re-warm hypothermic newborns.
     
  3. Early and exclusive breastfeeding
    Breastfeeding should begin within an hour of the baby's birth. Feeding should be as often as the baby requires, with no pre-lacteal meals or other fluids or food. Breastfeeding knowledge should be promoted among families and communities, as well as health workers and management.
     
  4. Initiation of breathing, resuscitation
    Birth asphyxia should be treated as soon as possible, and the basic principles of resuscitation should be followed: aspiration of the mouth and nose, termination ventilation with positive pressure.
     
  5. Eye care:
    Ophthalmia neonatorum prevention and management. Cleaning the eyes soon after birth and administering either silver nitrate drops or tetracycline ointment within the first hour after birth constitutes eye prophylaxis. Ophthalmia must be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
     
  6. Immunization
    WHO recommends BCG, OPV, and hepatitis B vaccines before birth.
     
  7. Management of newborn illness
    Major infant illnesses should be detected early, both at home and at the healthcare center, so that the baby can be referred to the hospital for treatment.
     
  8. Care of the preterm and or low birth weight newborn
    Additional warmth, cleanliness, and nutrition, as well as early illness detection and management

References

Things to remember
  • Cleanliness, thermal protection, early and exclusive breastfeeding, initiation of breathing, resuscitation, eye care, immunization, management of newborn disease, and care of the preterm and or low birth weight newborn are all crucial newborn care interventions.
  • Policies and practices for the prevention, identification and control of nosocomial infections can promote clean delivery and clean cord care across health care facilities.
  • Simple steps such as a warm birth room, quick drying of the infant, and skin-to-skin contact with the women can all help to reduce loss of body heat.
  • Breastfeeding should begin within an hour of the baby's birth.
  • Feeding should be as regularly as the baby requires, without the use of pre-lacteal meals or other fluids and food.
  • Birth asphyxia should be identified and treated as soon as possible.
  • Major infant illnesses should be detected early, both at home and at the healthcare center, so that the baby can be referred to the hospital for treatment.
  • Additional warmth, cleanliness, and nutrition, as well as early illness detection and management.
Questions and Answers

The essential newborn care interventions are:

  • Cleanliness : Clean delivery and clean cord for the prevention of infection.

Clean delivery and clean cord care can be ensured everywhere in health facilities by policies and practice for prevention, detection, and control of nosocomial infections ; in home deliveries by strengthening standards of cleanliness by using disposal delivery kits.

  • Thermal Protection:  Prevention and or management of neonatal hypothermia and hyperthermia.

Simple measures such as a warm room for delivery, immediate drying of the baby and skin to skin contact with the women can prevent loss of body warmth. Birth attendant and families need instruction on how to re-warm babies that become hypothermic.

  • Early and Exclusive Breast: Feeding

Within one hour of delivery, breastfeeding should begin. Without pre-lacteal feeds or other fluids and food, feedings should occur as frequently as the baby requires. Families, communities, health professionals, and managers all need to be made aware of the value of breastfeeding.

  • Initiation of breathing, resuscitation

Birth asphyxia should be recognized promptly and management should follow the basic principles of resuscitation; aspiration of mouth and nostrils , end ventilation with positive pressure.

  • Eye Care : Prevention and management of ophthalmia neonatorum

Eye prophylaxis involves cleaning the eyes immediately after birth and applying either silver nitrate drops or tetracycline ointment within the first hour of birth. There must be early diagnosis and management of ophthalmia.

  • Immunization

At birth BCG,OPV and hepatitis B vaccine recommended by WHO.

  • Management of newborn illness

Major newborn illness should be recognized early both at home and at healthcare center so that the baby can be referred to hospital for management.

  • Care of the preterm and or low birth weight newborn

Additional warmth, cleanliness and nutrition, early recognition and management of a disease.

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