Ch. 4 - Birth and the Newborn

New babies distinctive features (6)

- A large head - Red skin - Various temporary skin conditions - Blotches - Permanent birthmarks - A receding chin

Immediate Treatment and Outcomes for low birth weight

- A low-birth-weight or at-risk preterm baby is placed in an isolette, an antiseptic, temperature-controlled crib, and fed through tubes - Kangaroo care is a method of skin-to-skin contact in which a newborn is laid face down between the mother's breasts for an hour or so at a time after birth

The Neworn Baby: Size and Appearance

- A neonate is a newborn, who on average is about 20 inches and weighs about 7.5 pounds -- Neonatal period is the first 4 weeks of life - The vast majority of full-term babies weigh between 5½ and 10 pounds and are between 18 and 22 inches long - Boys tend to be slightly longer and heavier than girls -- Firstborns are more likely to weigh less than later borns - Due to the low calories in colostrum, babies lose about 10% of their body weight in the first few days

Childbirth and Bonding

- An ethological approach considers behaviour in human beings to be biologically influenced - It emphasizes critical or sensitive periods for development of certain behaviour - There is a neurological basis for parental bonding. Fathers, like mothers, form close bonds with their babies

Newborn Body Systems

- Before birth, bodily functions are accomplished through the mother's body. After birth, all systems and functions must operate on their own - If the baby's body system does not function after birth they can suffer from: -- Anoxia, a lack of oxygen which may cause brain damage -- Hypoxia, a reduced oxygen supply -- Neonatal jaundice, a condition in many newborn babies caused by immaturity of the liver and evidenced by a yellowish appearance

Stillbirth

- Fetal death is the sudden death of a fetus at or after the 20th week of gestation - Sometimes it is diagnosed prenatally - Sometimes it is discovered during labor or delivery - There is no clear cause. Stillborn fetuses are small for date, indicating malnourishment in the womb

Newborns also have:

- Fontanels: soft spots on the head covered with a tough membrane, where an infant's skull bones are not yet fused - Lanugo: a fuzzy prenatal hair on the shoulders, back, forehead, and cheeks - Vernix caseosa: a white, oily, cheese-like substance that is formed in the womb by secretions from the fetal oil glands and protects against infection

Birth Complications: Low Birth Weight

- Low-birth-weight babies weigh less than 5½ pounds at birth, they may be preterm or small-for-date - Preterm (premature) infants are born before completing the 37th week of pregnancy - Small-for-date (small-for-gestational-age) infants, who may or may not be preterm, may be small due to inadequate prenatal nutrition, which slows fetal growth - Factors increasing the likelihood a woman will have an underweight baby include: -- Demographic and socioeconomic factors -- Medical factors predating the pregnancy -- Prenatal behavioural and environmental factors -- Medical conditions - Birth weight and length of gestation are the two most important predictors of an infant's survival and health

Long-term Outcomes for low birth weight

- Preterm and small-for-date infants are at increased risk of adult-onset diabetes, high blood pressure, diminished reproductive rates, and death - Small-for-date infants are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease - Environmental factors, such as maternal education, higher socioeconomic status, etc., can make a difference

Newborn Reflexes (5)

- Rooting -- If cheek is brushed, the baby will turn head and prepare for nursing - Sucking - Grasping - Tonic neck reflex -- characteristic position of the infant's arms and head, which resembles that of a classically trained fencer. - Babinski --> occurs after the sole of the foot has been firmly stroked. The big toe then moves upward or toward the top surface of the foot. The other toes fan out.

How Parenthood Affects Marital Satisfaction

- Some studies show that marital satisfaction typically declines during the child-raising years - The more children, the greater the decline - Mothers of young infants tend to feel the effects most strongly - New parents are likely to experience multiple stressors: -- Affect health and state of mind -- Feeling of isolation -- Losing sight of the fact that other parents have similar problems -- Division of household tasks - Parents who participate in professionally led couples discussion groups about parenting issues and relationships report significantly smaller declines in satisfaction - The marital relationships of parents who have secure attachments weather the birth of a child more effectively than those who are anxious or avoidant in their relationships - A good work-life balance, and the reduction in stress is also associated with less of a decline in marital satisfaction following the birth of a child - It is important to remember that the birth of a baby is a momentous achievement - Having a baby marks the start of a challenging but rewarding journey

States of Arousal and Activity Levels

- States of arousal are an infant's physiological and behavioural status at a given moment in the periodic daily cycle of wakefulness, sleep, and activity - They are inborn and highly individual - Youngest babies sleep the most and wake up the most frequently - Babies' sleep schedules vary across cultures

The Father's Role

- The fathering role has different meanings in different cultures -- In some cultures fathers are very involved - others, they are not - The role may be taken or shared by someone other than the biological father - In some societies fathers more involved in their young children's lives and it may change over historical time periods - A father's frequent and positive involvement with his child, from infancy on, is directly related to a child's well-being and physical, cognitive, and social development

The Mother-Infant Bond

More than feeding is involved in the mother-infant bond Mothering includes: - The comfort of close bodily contact - The satisfaction of an innate need to cling

Postmaturity

When women have not gone into labor after 42 or more weeks' gestation: - Postmature babies tend to be long and thin as they continue to grow in the womb - Placenta becomes less efficient as the pregnancy progresses - Doctors induce labor or perform cesarean deliveries