How a Baby Adapts Outside the Womb

The bundle of joy finally arrived! :)

Before birth, a baby leads a somewhat sheltered life but, from the moment he is born, a new phase in his development starts. He has to adjust to a completely new environment. some things like breathing, for example, he can do instantaneously without any help, but in many other ways he is entirely helpless and dependent on his mother's assistance.

FIRST BREATHS

Watching a baby take his first breath is probably the most dramatic and exciting event at birth. some babies howl loudly for several minutes; others emit only one or two cries and immediately settle down to quiet breathing. Nature leaves nothing to chance, and you will not be surprised to hear that babies practice breathing movements in the womb from a very early age. some mothers feel these movements as rapid pulsations over the lower part of the abdomen.

Most babies breath spontaneously and normally at birth, although it is customary for the doctor gently to clear the baby's nose and mouth, and to note the breathing pattern, heart rate, skin color, muscle tone and general activity. Babies are usually blue at the moment of birth, but this is quickly followed by a healthy pink color which spreads over the face, trunk and limbs. It usually takes a little longer for the fingers and toes to become pink.

Occasionally, there might be a slight delay before breathing begins. In this instance, the doctor encourages the baby by gently rubbing or pinching his toes. Sometimes, there is a longer delay before the baby begins to breathe. there are several reasons why a baby may get off to a slow start. The "breathing center" in the brain, for example, is sometimes a little depressed following a difficult labor or delivery. Likewise, large doses of pain-killing drugs given to the mother during labor might also depress a baby's "breathing center" for a short while. Medical staff can often predict when a baby is likely to be slow to breathe, and arrangement can be made for a pediatrician to be present at the birth.

A CHANGE OF TEMPERATURE 

In the womb, a baby is to some extent protected from extremes of temperature because of the warm amniotic fluid (water) which surrounds him. He is, in fact, about 1 degree Celsius warmer than his mother. Immediately after birth a baby's temperature falls a little before becoming stable. We can avoid a baby becoming too chilled by making sure that the delivery room is warm and by drying and wrapping the baby in a soft towel, and sheltering the cot from draughts.

Before leaving the delivery room the doctor usually takes the baby's temperature by placing a thermometer under the baby's armpits or gently into his rectum. The baby's temperature will subsequently remain stable if he is lightly clothed, the cot covered by one or two light blankets, and the room kept at about 20 degrees Celsius to 22 degrees Celsius. After a few weeks, if he wears an extra woolly and has another blanket on the cot, he will tolerate a room temperature of 16 degrees Celsius.

GETTING USED TO GERMS

Although certain maternal infections, such as German measles, can affect the unborn baby, he is to a large extent protected from germs by the membrane which encloses him. As pregnancy advances, special proteins called "antibodies" build up in a baby's blood and, as a result, his white blood cells become skilled at mopping up any dangerous germs that dare to invade his territory. A baby is, therefore, born with the ability to ward off certain types of infection that might threaten him. Not all germs are harmful, however, and by the third day of life, a baby's breathing passages bowel and skin become inhabited by different bacteria, many of which serve a useful purpose. Just the same, it is only common sense not to rely on a very young baby's defenses to ward off every dangerous germ, and you will notice that the staff of the maternity unit, who handle many different babies, wash their hands carefully each time before doing so.

Eye infections, commonly called "sticky eyes", are quite common in newborn babies. If you notice any discharge coming from the eye, mention it to your doctor. It is very easily treated by a short course of eye drops. Not all "sticky eyes" are cause by infection. Sometimes, the eyelashes get stuck together by a temporary accumulation of mucus. This can be removed by gently wiping the eyelid and surrounding area with damp cotton wool.

FIRST FEEDS

Babies do, in fact, swallow in the womb, and ingest large amounts of amniotic fluid. This is not, however, important in helping growth, because all a baby's nutritional needs are met from the mother's blood stream. At birth, when the umbilical cord is cut, this important source of nutrition is also severed. A baby then becomes totally dependent on his mother to feed him. Breast milk takes a few days to come in but, during this time a baby is not concerned with feeding. He is much more interested in sucking and sleeping. 

Nearly all babies lose weight during the first few days of life, and do not regain their birth weight until the second week. Nature usually arranges things according to a well thought-out plan, and feeding is a really good example of this. At birth, a baby's gastro-intestinal tract, for examples is already equipped to digest and absorb the foodstuffs that are present in human milk, but when he cries from time to time before the breast milk has come in, it is not because he is hungry -- he is simply showing an instinctive and overwhelming desire to suck. When you put him to the breast at the these times, you not only relieve his natural urge, but also stimulate the production of milk.

At first, only a small amount of fluid called "colostrum" is formed in the breast. This, however, contains substances that help to protect a baby against infection. Gradually, as you allow your baby to suckle, more milk accumulates until he realizes that sucking can also provide him with a tasty drink.