What happens if there’s problems with bonding and attachment? Many mothers-to-be imagine there will be an instant sense of ‘cosmic connection’ between them and their baby when they finally meet. …
To help us understand the importance of the relationship between parents and their newborn babies, we draw on John Bowlby’s theory of attachment. John Bowlby was a British psychologist and …
Two of the most common challenges relating to hip and foot abnormalities in newborns are developmental hip dysplasia and congenital talipes equinovarus. Developmental hip dysplasia or congenital hip dysplasia is …
In this step, we touch upon common head and face challenges – dysmorphic features and congenital cleft lip and/or palate. Dysmorphic features are abnormal features that may indicate a congenital …
Heart problems in the newborn baby can be structural or non-structural. Let’s explore further. If the newborn you are assessing has a heart condition, you would expect to observe the …
Respiratory distress is common in newborn babies – particularly premature babies. Let’s begin by reviewing the normal pattern of a baby’s breathing in this first video. This is an additional …
Skincare for the newborn focuses on two main areas, bathing considerations and care of the umbilical cord. Immature thermoregulation The newborn has immature thermoregulation. For this reason, only perform the …
What words come to mind when you think of the texture of newborn skin? Soft? Smooth? Perfect? We all love the feel of a newborn baby’s skin. Have you ever …
The colour of the newborn’s skin gives clues about the health of the baby and there will also be obvious differences in natural skin colour, due to pigment levels in …
You now know the steps to conduct a newborn assessment. What’s next? Week 2 begins with an investigation into key characteristics of newborn skin. We’ll look at colouring and also …
As paediatric nurses, with many years of experience, we know the difference we can make in the lives of newborns and their families. Although we witness the joy of new …
There are a few methods for determining the gestational age of the infant. Let’s explore the options. The gestational age is often manually calculated from the first day of the …
A baby born at term and a baby born preterm, will look and behave very differently. Let’s learn how. A few definitions before we get started. The gestational age refers …
To understand the newborn, we need to consider the experience in the womb and their sometimes dramatic entry into the world. Surrounded by amniotic fluid and cushioned against the external …