When a baby is born in the hospitals what do the nurses and doctor do to the baby? I know they cut the cord and weigh and measure. I've heard of vitamin K shots and testing the blood. What else do they do?
2007-03-14 10:12:50 · 7 answers · asked by kadan 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
They give an APGAR score right at birth and then 5 minutes later.
They weigh the baby and measure length and head circumference.
If the parents want, they administer vitamin K (can be oral or a shot) and the eye ointment (if you have no STD's, who not decline that?).
They take blood for the PKU test and whatever other newborn blood screenings are done in your state. (If you check out before baby is 48 hours old, decline the PKU test and come back once baby is at least 48 hours old. The test isn't accurate if done prior to that.)
If you want, they will do a hearing screening.
They monitor baby's heartrate and temperature.
They may or may not give the first Hep B vaccination. (Sometimes it isn't given until around 1 month old. Since this is basically something you get by sharing needles or having unsafe sex, why not wait until at least a month, if not longer!?)
2007-03-14 11:05:18 · answer #1 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know that they screen newborns for genetic, metabolic, hormonal and functional disorders. Most of these birth defects have no immediate visible effects on a baby but, unless detected and treated early, can cause physical problems. but its a really simple thing they just take a few drops of blood from the newborn’s heel. They also do a hearing screening ( to test if the babies hearing is okay ). Every state also screens babies for PKU, hypothyroidism and galactosemia.. but all these tests are done by a lil prick on their heel... and of course if your having a baby boy they get circumsized if you want that done!! Thats all I know if ( My dr talks about this stuff with me everytime I go)
2007-03-14 17:22:55 · answer #2 · answered by Fashion Diva 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
They do the Apgar reading where they test all baby's vitals and rate them on a scale of 1-10. They do this at birth and 5 minutes later. They administer the HepB shot.
2007-03-14 17:19:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You'd have to check with the hospital, as they vary.
Where my son was born they did his apgar scores twice, and cut the cord, cleaned him up and handed him to me - well, lay him over my chest because he was C-section and I couldn't move.
When we went to our room, they did the vitamin K shot as I didn't opt out of it. I opted out of 'eye goop' - erythromycin in the eyes. There are a few types of bacteria that may cause blindness; the baby's eyes are exposed during vaginal birth. I opted out due to C-section birth.
The next day they took blood from a heel prick, to test for four different genetic diseases. You may be able to opt out of this one if you want.
The day after that they started bilirubin tests as he was turning a little yellow.
They weighed him daily, checked his spine several times, wanted me to keep track of wet diapers.
I think that's it.
edit: oh my ... they blank out p r i c k. That's a perfectly valid word in this case, I can't think of another to fit in there!
2007-03-14 17:26:55 · answer #4 · answered by melanie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Aside from what you mention above,nurses also give your baby an ointment for the eye.If there assessment includes that the baby is tachypneic then they will give oxygen and if she has many secretions it will be suctioned and if she is meconium stained,gastric lavage is done.
2007-03-14 20:48:35 · answer #5 · answered by sheila l 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do something to their eyes to prevent blindness. It's caused by an std.(syphallis?) and since there's no way to know if a baby has been exposed in the birth canal, they do this to all newborns.
There might be some other stuff, too. You should check with the hospital where you'll deliver.
2007-03-14 17:18:10 · answer #6 · answered by Kat H 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
They also give them hearing tests
2007-03-14 22:23:48 · answer #7 · answered by dawn27055 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋