WHO IS A NORMAL NEWBORN?

Any newborn who meets the following criteria is a NORMAL newborn

• born between 37-42 weeks
• birth weight -typically 2.5 kg or more
• cries immediately after birth
• establishes independent and spontaneous breathing
• exhibits no signs of major congenital anomalies, birth trauma, respiratory distress or sepsis.

A normal newborn after being delivered is given routine care and is kept at mother’s side.

Now here is a list of common concerns and their solutions faced by the mothers while handling their newborn baby.

1. How to keep the baby warm?

Normal newborn temperature should be between 36.5 C- 37.5 C . To maintain normal temperature,

– cover the baby using caps, mittens and socks and in layers of soft and warm clothe. Any temperature above or below the normal range needs to be addressed.

Altered temperature can be a sign of dehydration , poor feeding and serious infections.

2. What, How and When to feed the baby?

EXCLUSIVE BREAST FEEDING immediately after birth and then every 2-3 hours needs to be established as early as possible.

First milk i.e. colostrum should be given to the baby. Discarding colostrum as Witch’s milk is a myth and must not be practiced. Mothers should be encouraged to initiate and continue exclusive breast feeding for first 6 months.

Breastfeeding not only provides nutrition and immunity to the baby but also prevents many diseases like ear infections, pneumonia, diarrhoea, asthma,etc in future. At the same time, for mothers, it prevents breast and ovarian carcinoma, helps in burning calories and reduces post partum depression.

Breastfeeding is the easiest, cheapest, healthiest and safest way to keep your baby healthy.

3 .How often does a baby pees and poops?

A normal newborn pees within first 24 hours of life– often it is concentrated and high coloured and may stain diapers red. With adequate hydration, it improves and then baby passes urine 6-8 tImes/day.

A normal newborn’s first stools are green in color, thick tarry like and is called meconium. Baby should pass first meconium within 48 hours of life. After 3-4 days, the color changes to golden yellow and frequency increases transiently to 4-6 times/day.

4. How to take care of the Umbilical stump?

The Umbilical Cord- the lifeline which connects mother and baby throughout the nine months is severed at birth by a clean cut and what is left is called umbilical stump. It falls off by 1-2 weeks of life. After fall, there might be slight oozing – bloody or watery discharge from the area which should be kept open for drying and healing.

Keep the umbilical area dry and clean

Watch for any redness, swelling and pus discharge from umbilicus

DO NOT APPLY ANY CREAM , POWDER, OIL, HOME REMEDIES(COW DUNG, TURMERIC, ETC) on the stump.

5. How to take care of baby’s skin?

Baby’s skin are extremely sensitive and had ph 5.5 TO 6.0. At birth it is covered with thick greasy antibacterial film called vernix which protects the skin. It goes off after 24-48 hours.

Newborns show a wide spectrum of rashes and skin conditions which are in majority and benign and resolves spontaneously without intervention.

Normal skin conditions in newborn

• Skin Flaking/ Dryness
• Purple color of hands and feets which resolves if baby is kept warm
• Erythema toxicum- yellow white bumps surrounded by red areas over trunk and extremitiesdisappears spontaneously in 7-10 days
• Milia- white spots on face, upper trunk
• Mongolian spots-green to grey patches on lower back- disappears by 1 to 2 years
• Mottling- when baby is cold or crying
• Salmon patches/ stork bites and Angel’s kiss- red patches over eyelids and nape of neck

6. When can a baby take bathe?

Baby can be given bath after 24 hours of life to avoid hypothermia and hypoglycaemia Daily baths are not necessary, Baby can be bathed 2-3 times a week. Use lukewarm water and give proper support to head and neck while bathing , to prevent drowning. Oil massage can be started after umbilical cord falls off.

Use of non fragrant oil, creams lotions are recommended along with non fragrant soap and detergents.

7. How long should the babies sleep?

A healthy well fed newborn baby takes frequent naps of 2-3 hours throughout the day. It can sleep upto 16-18 hours per day. Sleep patterns are not well established till 1 year and frequent night awakenings are common. To aid in establishing the day and night sleep pattern, follow sleep routine.

Dr. Shweta Kumari Singh
MD Pediatric, Fellowship in Neonatology(CMC)
Consultant – Pediatrician