Postnatal - Newborn care by Dr Lavanya, A4 Fertility Centre, Chennai **Content** -Postnatal environment -Everyday care -Breastfeeding - Cradle hold -Burping baby -Cord care -Eye care -Everyday care - Hygiene -Stools in baby -Danger signs -Preparing for discharge

1. Newborn care
Dr. Lavanya
DNB Paediatrics, MRCPCH Paediatrician
A4 Hospital and Fertility Centre

2. Postnatal environment
Keep the room warm
• Ensure that the mother
and baby are in a warm
room
(>25degree centigrade)

3. Postnatal Environment
Rooming In
Let the baby be in the
same room as the
mother ideally in her
bed

4. Everyday
care
• Breast feeding
• Ensure warmth
• Cord care
• Hygiene
Four key elements

5. • Exclusive on demand
breastfeeding day and
night
• Breastfeeding -
attachment and
positioning should be
learnt before discharge
Breast feeding

6. Breastfeeding - Cradle hold
• Sit as straight as possible
• Cradle the baby in the arm
• The ear shoulders and hip should
be in a straight line
• Tuck the baby ‘s lower arm out of
the way with her mouth close to
the breast
• Support the breast with the free
hand

7. Breastfeeding latching

8. Breastfeeding - Proper
Attachment
• Pain free
• Sucks swallows and pauses
• Chin close to the breast tissue
• Areola- more visible above
baby top lip
• Rounded cheeks
• Mouth open wide
• Stays on the breast and is
contended

9. Burping baby
• Burp your baby when
feeding time is over to help
prevent milk from coming
back up
• Keep your baby upright for
10-15min or longer
• Don’t worry if your baby
spits sometimes

10. Ensure warmth
• Dress the baby
• Wrap in soft clean cloth,
cover head with cap
• Assessment of warmth every
4 hours by touching baby feet
• Keep the room warm. If room
not warm cover baby with
blanket or use skin to skin

11. Ensure warmth

12. Cord care
• Put nothing on the
stump
• Fold the diaper below
the stump
• visit health care facility
if umbilicus is red or
draining pus/ blood or
adjoining skin is red

13. Eye care
• Eye discharge is common in new
born
• It is due to blocked tear duct
• However if there is redness in
eye with swelling infection needs
to be ruled out
• Lightly press the tip of index or
little finger against inner nasal
bridge and direct it down wards

14. Every day care - Hygeine
• Sanitise hand before touching
baby
• Wipe face neck and underarms
daily
• Wipe buttocks when soiled
• Give bath when necessary- dry
the baby thoroughly dress and
cover after bath
• Use leukewarm water for bath
• Do not put anything on baby
eyes and ears

15. Stools in baby
Breast feed stoolsMemeconium
forFormula fed stools

16. • Floppy or stiff
• Temp >37.5 ˚c /less
than 35.5 ˚C
• Umbilicus draining pus
or umbilical redness
extending to skin
Danger signs
Require early recognition
and treatment
• Not feeding well
• Less active than before
• Fast breating (>60/min)
• Moderate or severe
chest indrawing
• Abnormal movements

18. Preparing for
discharge
• Ensure immunisation as per national
schedule
• Feeding well-Sucking effectively 8
times in 24 hours a day
• Passing urine and meconium well
• No danger signs
• Mother confident of taking care of
baby

19. Summary for
baby care
1. Every day care of the
baby:
○ Breast feeding
○ Warmth
○ Cord care
○ Hygeine
2. Looking for danger signs

21. Thank You