THE

NEWBORN’S
CONDITION

ALYSSA DUPAN
PHYSICAL STATE

HEAD
• Head may be elongated or misshapen as a result of his
journey through the birth canal.
• Forceps sometimes leave depressions or bruises.
• If he has a lump at the crown of his head from pushing
against the cervix, it should disappear within days.
• Fontanels : The two soft spots on your baby's head are
areas where the bones of the skull have not yet fused
together, which made it possible for baby's head to
squeeze through the birth canal.
• Your baby's eyes may be swollen and puffy, his nose
squashed, and he may even have bruises on his face.
PHYSICAL STATE

HAIR
• Some babies are born bald; others arrive with a full
head of hair.
• Most newborn hair will fall out, and the hair that
replaces it may be totally different in texture and color.
• If your baby doesn't have much hair, you may see a
pulse beating under the soft spot at the back of his
head.
PHYSICAL STATE

EYES
• Most Caucasian babies are born with blue eyes that
may go through several color changes in the first few
months. They usually darken to their final color
between 6 and 12 months.
• Darker-skinned babies are usually born with brown
eyes, which tend to stay brown or turn another dark
color, such as a deep green.
PHYSICAL STATE

SKIN
• Underlying blood vessels show through the new
delicate skin, giving it a pinkish or reddish tone.
• Wrinkly because she's just spent nine months in fluid
and now she's exposed to dry air, plus she's a little
dehydrated right after birth.
• Her circulatory system isn't quite up to speed yet, so
when she sleeps, her hands and feet may look bluish
• Also expect a few breakouts on your baby's skin during
the first few months.
PHYSICAL STATE

UMBILICAL CORD
• Sticky material will collect at the base of your baby's
cord stump.
• Fold the top of your baby's diaper so that it falls below
the cord to keep the area exposed to air.
FEET
• Don't worry if his feet look pigeon-toed.
• They've rotated inward because he was curled up
snugly in the womb for nine months.
• After about 6 months, they'll relax into a straighter
position.
• He may also appear to have flat feet, but his arch is
there -- it's just hidden by a pad of fat.
APGAR
SCALE
APGAR SCALE

• Developed in 1952 by anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar

• The Apgar Scale rates a baby's appearance, pulse,
responsiveness, muscle activity, and breathing with a
number from 0 to 2 (2 being the strongest rating). The
five numbers are then totaled.
• It helps determine whether your newborn is ready to
meet the world without additional medical assistance
• Your practitioner will do this quick evaluation one
minute and five minutes after your baby is born.
APGAR SCALE

• It's easy to remember what's being tested by

thinking of the letters in the name "Apgar":

▫ Activity
▫ Pulse
▫ Grimace
▫ Appearance
▫ Respiration.
APGAR SCALE
BRAZELTON
NEONATAL
ASSESSMENT
SCALE
BRAZELTON NEONATAL ASSESSMENT SCALE

• Dr. T. Berry Brazelton & Dr. Kevin

Nugent published The Brazelton Scale in
1973.
• Designed to reveal an infant’s strengths and
preferences, so that parents may have a
better understanding of their newborn’s
capabilities.
• The scale contains 28 behavioral and 18 reflex
items
• The result is not a score, but an
understanding of how infants integrate these
areas as they adapt to their new environment.
BRAZELTON NEONATAL ASSESSMENT SCALE

The Brazelton Scale uses both behavioral and reflex

measurements to assess a baby’s
capabilities across all four developmental areas.

Breathing: This is a basic yet fundamental challenge. It is

only after a baby’s breathing and body temperature are
self-regulating that a baby can focus on additional
areas of development.

Motor control: Once breathing is mastered, infants move

on to controlling their movements.
BRAZELTON NEONATAL ASSESSMENT SCALE

Response, or “state” regulation: The next level of

development is an infant’s ability to process
and respond to stimulation from the environment. A
baby’s response to stimulation, as well as his ability to
tune it out, provides key caregiving information.

Social interaction: Once an infant’s breathing, motor, and

“state” systems are balanced, she is ready to interact
as a social being. Most babies are social from their very
first moments of life. 
 PROBLEMS
AND
COMPLICATIONS
PREMATURITY

• A premature birth is one that occurs before

the start of the 37th week of pregnancy.
• Normally, a pregnancy usually lasts about 40
weeks.
• Premature birth gives the baby less time to
develop in the womb.
• Premature babies, especially those born
earliest, often have complicated medical
problems.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PREMATURE BABIES

1. Small size, with a disproportionately large

head
2. Sharper looking, less rounded features than a
full-term baby's features, due to a lack of fat
stores
3. Fine hair (lanugo) covering much of the body
4. Low body temperature, especially
immediately after birth in the delivery room,
due to a lack of stored body fat
5. Labored breathing or respiratory distress
6. Lack of reflexes for sucking and swallowing,
leading to feeding difficulties
CAUSES OF PREMATURITY

1. Having a previous premature birth

2. Pregnancy with twins, triplets or other
multiples
3. An interval of less than six months
between pregnancies
4. Conceiving through in vitro fertilization
5. Problems with the uterus, cervix or
placenta
6. Smoking cigarettes or using illicit drugs
7. Poor nutrition
CAUSES OF PREMATURITY

8. Not gaining enough weight during

pregnancy
9. Some infections, particularly of the
amniotic fluid and lower genital tract
10. Some chronic conditions, such as high
blood pressure and diabetes
11. Being underweight or overweight before
pregnancy
12. Stressful life events, such as the death of
a loved one or domestic violence
13. Multiple miscarriages or abortions
14. Physical injury or trauma
LOW BIRTH WEIGHT

• LBW
• is defined as a birth weight of a liveborn
infant of less than 2,500 grams (5 pounds 8
ounces) regardless of gestational age.
CAUSES OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT

1. If your baby was born prematurely, and didn't have

enough time to grow.
2. If you had twins or more, because they are often born
early, and don't have as much room to grow in the
uterus (womb) as single babies.
3. If your baby has an inherited medical condition.
4. If there were problems with the placenta, such as pre-
eclampsia, which reduces blood flow to your baby. This
can restrict your baby's growth, because not enough
oxygen and nutrients can get through.
5. If you had high blood pressure in pregnancy, which
can also affect the flow of blood through the placenta
to your baby.
EFFECTS OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT

1. Breathing problems, called respiratory

distress syndrome (RDS).
2. An increased risk of infection.
3. Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), and
problems with feeding.
4. Difficulty with keeping warm.
5. Too many red blood cells, which can make
her blood too thick (polycythaemia).