Whether you give birth in a hospital or at home, doctors and midwives will take good care of the baby until his breathing is completely normal. Any serious problems of the baby should be solved within a few minutes, so as to ensure that the baby in need can get special care as soon as possible.
Apgar score (neonatal score)
When the baby is born, he will take five tests to evaluate his health. The scores of each test are 0, 1 and 2. A total score of 7 or more indicates that the baby is in good health; If the score is less than 4, it means that the baby needs special care and artificial resuscitation. Babies with lower scores will get higher scores when they are tested again in a few minutes. These five tests include:
Muscle tension of limbs tests the baby's health and muscle tension.
Pulse test heart rate and heartbeat intensity.
Facial expression/crying tests the baby's response to stimuli and facial expressions.
Pink skin indicates that the lungs are in good condition.
Breathing tests the health of the lungs.
Doctors and midwives will give the baby a apgar test immediately after delivery. This series of tests can give doctors a general idea of the baby's overall health. Apgar test was invented by Virginia apgar, a famous anesthesiologist, to judge whether newborns need special care. Then, doctors and midwives will assess the overall condition of the baby, including:
Make sure the baby's facial features and body proportions are normal.
Turn the baby over and check whether the back is normal and whether there is spina bifida.
Check his anus, legs, feet, fingers and toes.
Record the number of blood vessels on the umbilical cord-usually 2 arteries and 1 vein.
Measure the baby's weight.
Measure the baby's head circumference and length.
Take a temperature. If the temperature is too low, keep him warm.
Experienced doctors or midwives should make these preliminary assessments within 1 min. Soon you will know the good news about your baby's health.
the next day
After the initial evaluation is completed, the baby will be wrapped in a blanket and handed over to you. You can hold it for as long as you want at this time. After 24 hours of birth, the baby will undergo a comprehensive examination to ensure that everything is normal. This check will keep the baby warm and relaxed. You can ask the doctor about the examination time so that you can accompany your baby during the examination. If you have any questions or concerns, you can also communicate with the doctor in time.
In the light with moderate brightness, your baby will be placed on a smooth platform with a suitable height, and the doctor may sit to complete the examination process. If you can't get out of bed and walk around, you can ask a doctor to check at your bedside; If you are not at the scene, don't forget to ask the doctor for the test results. Generally speaking, the doctor will start with the head and then go to the toes.
The head and neck doctor will look at the skull and fontanel to ensure that the head will not be squeezed when passing through the birth canal. Then the doctor will look at the eyes, ears, nose and mouth to see if there is cleft lip and palate. Babies' teeth will also be carefully examined. Although the newborn has few teeth, once the teeth are loose or deformed, the doctor will immediately pull out the teeth to prevent the teeth from falling off and being swallowed by the baby. Finally, the doctor will check the baby's neck for cysts or swelling.
The cardiorespiratory doctor will examine the baby's lungs and heart with a stethoscope. The lungs should be dilated and function well. After birth, because there is no maternal protection, the baby's body must independently undertake the whole body blood circulation, so the heart load increases sharply. This change may lead to heart murmurs (audible by stethoscope), but most of them will disappear soon. If the murmur persists, the doctor will conduct a postpartum review.
The arm and hand doctor will measure the baby's heart rate, check the movement ability and strength of the arm, and also check the fingerprints and palm prints. Almost all babies have two main lines in their palms; If the palm has only one main grain, the doctor will continue to check whether there are other physical deformities.
Abdominal and reproductive doctors will gently squeeze the baby's abdomen with their hands to check the shape and size of the stomach and spleen. The newborn's stomach and spleen are slightly swollen. The doctor will also check the baby's genitals to ensure that the testicles of the baby boy have sunk into the scrotum, the labia of the baby girl are separated from each other and the clitoris is normal in size. Doctors will also check whether there are congenital malformations under the spine and anus.
Hip, leg and foot doctors will hold the baby's two thighs and move together to see if the bone at the root of the thigh is firmly engaged with the hip joint and whether there is pelvic dislocation. This test will not cause pain, but the baby may cry during the process. Next, the doctor will check whether the length of the legs and feet is even. If the baby's ankle is still bent inward as it is in the womb, he may have a deformed foot. Deformed feet can be corrected with plaster.
Neurologists and muscle doctors will hold the baby's hands and feet for stretching exercises to ensure that these parts are not too stiff or soft. This test can judge whether the child's nerves and muscles are normal. The doctor will also test the baby's head control ability through a series of reflex tests, such as grip strength reflex, step reflex and Moro reflex.