ESSENTIAL NEWBORN CARE PROTOCOL

Millennium Development Goals

1. Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
2. Achieve Universal Primary Education
3. Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
4. Reduce child mortality
 The Philippines is one of the 42 countries for 90% of mortality rates in children under 5
years old
 70% of newborn deaths may be averted during labor, delivery and immediately postpartum


5. Improve maternal health

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

Preparation
1. Layout 3 pairs of surgical gloves (obstetrician, pediatrician)
2. 2 warm blankets
3. 1 bonnet
4. Cord care set
5. Erythromycin – eyecare
6. Vitamin K and Hepa B shot
7. Surgical handwashing (1,2,3,4,5 pattern)
8. Put on both sets of gloves (double gloving)

During 1st 3 mins of birth

1. Once baby is out from the perineum, call out the time of birth
2. Use first linen to towel-dry the body of the newborn
3. Dry baby for at least 30 secs – this will stimulate the baby to breath
4. Do not wipe off vernix – this natural protective cover for the baby
5. Do not wash the baby within the first 6 hours – washing could lead to hypothermia and infection
6. Do a rapid assessment of baby’s breathing while drying the baby
7. Remove the wet cloth
8. Initiate skin-to-skin contact by placing the baby prone on the mother’s abdomen or between the
breasts
9. Place bonnet to newborn’s head
10. Use 2nd linen to cover baby’s back to keep the infant warm
11. Remove 1st set of gloves prior to handling of cord
12. Do not cut cord immediately – allow the cord pulsations to stop without milking the cord
13. Clamp the cord at 2cm from the umbilicus base
14. Apply 2nd clamp at 5 cm from the base of the umbilicus – then cut the cord
15. Inject 10 IU of oxytocin in the mother’s arm to prevent uterine atony
16. While maintaining the skin-to-skin contact, check the mother’s condition and deliver the
placenta
17. Examine perineum, lower vagina and vulva for tears
18. Clean the mother and keep her comfortable
 19. 30mins-1hr after birth, the baby start licking movements, signs that he is ready to breastfeed
20. Encourage the crawling reflex – nodge newborn into her breast to seek out the nipple
21. Carry out eyecare procedures and administer vaccines
22. Keep the child in the mother’s arms after she recovers from giving birth
23. Newborn stays with the mother until brought to the room or ward
24. Wash baby after 6 hours

Benefits of Proper Cord Clamping

 Prevents anemia
 Lower rate of intraventricular hemorrhages

Benefits of skin-to-skin contact

 Promotes bonding between mother and child
 Overall success of breastfeeding/ colostrum feeding
 Allows colonization with maternal skin flora
 Protects baby from hypoglycemia

Exclusive breastfeeding starts at birth with colostrum feeding and continues for six months

After six months, appropriate complementary solids are started while breastfeeding continues until two
years or beyond.

Summarized methods
1. Immediate and thorough drying
2. Early skin-to-skin contact
3. Properly timed cord clamping
4. Non-separation for early breastfeeding
a. Carry out eyecare and immunization procedures
b. Rooming in