What You Need to Know About Newborn Procedures After Birth
In previous blogs, we’ve talked about creating your birth plan and different hospital interventions you may consider or be offered. In this article, we are sharing information about newborn care procedures and options you have as a parent, which can be elements of your birth preparation and planning.
As you work with your care providers to discuss options and create your intentions for birth and postpartum-- including newborn care, it can be helpful to apply the BRAIN strategy. Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition (checking in with body and heart), Nothing (as in “What if I do nothing?”), Decision.
Discussing Options with Your Provider
It can be very helpful to meet with the pediatrician that will be seeing your baby during your pregnancy. This can help you build a relationship with them, ensure it feels like a good fit for your family, and you can discuss newborn care and medications.
After you do your research and talk to your providers-- both the pediatrician and your midwife or OBGYN-- we recommend that you include your preferences for newborn care in your birth plan. You might like to create a subsection that focuses on your baby and the care and treatment you prefer them to receive in the first few hours after birth.
What Kind of Care Will My Newborn Receive?
Note: The order in which care items below happen will be dependent on various factors, including your place of birth, baby’s health and needs, your health and needs, and your preferences.check baby’s Activity, Pulse, Grimace/Reflex, Appearance, and Respiration.Immediate Care
Check baby’s vitals. This includes heart rate and respiration. Oxygen saturation is also checked but that’s normally done during the newborn exam.
Help the baby breathe. Sometimes providers will suction mucus from baby’s mouth and nose to clear out their airways and help them take their first breath.
Keep the baby warm. If all is well with the baby and birthing person, the baby will typically be placed skin to skin, unless you have a different preference. Care providers will help dry the baby, and will cover the baby in a blanket to keep them warm. If a baby needs immediate support or medical intervention, they will be placed in a warmer.
Facilitate skin to skin. As mentioned above, care providers will typically offer skin to skin as early as possible. Skin to skin is helpful in regulating baby’s temperature since they are unable to do so on their own and helps initiate bonding.
Check Apgar score. This is a quick 5 point check of the baby's overall condition. It is done at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. The care providers check baby’s Activity, Pulse, Grimace/Reflex, Appearance, and Respiration.
Newborn Exam + Medications
Measure and weigh the baby. The provider can do some measurements while the baby is with the parent. You can advocate to delay measurements and weighing if you prefer to prioritize skin to skin for the first hour or two.
Newborn exam. During the newborn exam your medical provider will check the baby's skin and overall physical features and appearance, assess the baby's movement and reflexes. measure the baby's weight and length. This is usually when Vitamin K and Erythromycin ointment is administered.
Administer Vitamin K shot or oral medication. Newborns can’t make their own Vitamin K during the first 7 days of life outside the womb, which is needed to help their blood clot. The Vitamin K shot protects your baby from developing a rare, serious bleeding disorder. Depending where you give birth, you may have the option to choose between preservative free or synthetic Vitamin K. Find out more and read the evidence about Vitamin K here and here.
Administer Erythromycin Eye Ointment (antibiotic eye drops). This ointment is meant to kill bacteria in the eye, primarily gonorrhea which is a sexually transmitted infection that can be passed from parent to baby during birth. Find the evidence about Erythromycin here and here.
Attach medical bracelets and take footprints. Baby will get an identity bracelet that matches yours. The care providers will also take a footprint for the baby's medical record.
Bathing the baby. You can choose if and when you are ready to bathe your baby. Read a bit about delayed bathing here.
PTB is Here for You
We hope that you feel empowered in your decisions as a birthing person and a parent. As you explore your options, please remember that it is always okay to ask for help and/or more information from your care providers and birth team. Please reach out if we can be of support along your journey!
Author: Courtney Harris is a witness, space-holder, supporter, and caregiver for families of all types and in all stages; she has worked with youth and their families since 2008. Currently, Courtney serves as a Life Coach for Teens and a Companion for Birth and Beyond. She is passionate about honoring life’s transitions and believes that all birthing people deserve compassionate, steady, and informed support throughout their unique reproductive journeys. You can connect with Courtney here and across all social media platforms at @companioncourtney.