Caring for a Newborn Baby: Understanding Neonatal Growth | NextMamas
A newborn baby undergoes rapid changes after birth. So, the first thing a newborn learns is breathing through the lungs but the heart of a newborn baby fully develops after birth. In the mother’s womb, the baby feeds and excretes through the placenta. The digestive system learns to work independently after birth. These structural and physiological changes make the neonatal phase crucial for a baby’s future well-being.
Parent-Pediatrician Collaboration in Caring for a Newborn Baby:
Taking care of a delicate newborn and adjusting to changes is overwhelming for parents but Pediatric well-child visits help parents with managing stress and anxiety. There are numerous ways a pediatrician can help parents with caring for their newborn. With 24/7 availability and our neonatal care plan makes caring for newborns easy for new parents.
1) Monitoring health issues | Caring for a newborn baby:
- Newborns often get Jaundice after birth. In this condition, skin and eyes turn yellowish. Feeding a baby frequently will cure it. But in some cases, it may get worse. At a well-baby checkup, pediatricians monitor these changes closely.
- Care for the umbilical cord requires keeping it dry and clean. But sometimes it gets infected. Pediatricians catch it instantly and treat it.
- Lungs learn to function independently and supply oxygen-rich blood to the organs. The pediatrician checks the heart and lungs to identify signs of congenital birth defects. Furthermore, a pediatrician monitors for “blue” skin, difficulty breathing, and chest infections such as pneumonia.
2) Feeding issues:
A big concern of a mother is if her child is getting enough.
- A newborn should nurse on demand. If a newborn baby is producing 6 wet diapers and 3 dirty diapers daily in the first month, it is a good sign. At the neonatal well-child visit, express your concerns to the baby’s pediatrician and get counseling on issues i.e. nutrition, newborn constipation, and dehydration.
- Besides, a pediatrician examines and treats newborns for tongue and lip-tie conditions to ensure they can feed and grow well.
3) Measuring growth:
Newborns usually lose a little weight in the first week of birth. But regain it by the second week.
- Pediatric visits navigate if the baby’s weight changes are appropriate. The pediatrician documents height and head measurements to confirm adequate growth but taking necessary measures.
4) Treating physical issues:
Sometimes bones get fractured or deformed during delivery. Newborns can experience collar bone or hip injury, or the head can elongate during a long labor. Pediatricians can identify injuries quickly.
- In physical exams, the pediatrician looks for injuries during the birth, such as tight muscles and limited movements on either side of the body.
Knowing their newborn is healthy and thriving brings utmost satisfaction to the parents. Therefore, a Pediatrician provides resources to help new parents adjust to their new roles and combat anxiety that leads to postpartum depression. Thus, neonatal care assures the newborn a good start in life.
Buy baby health care products from our shop.
