Baby Diaries, A Guide for New Mothers 1: Your Brand New Baby
April 21, 2009 by Anne Lyken Garner
Published in Motherhood
This is a guide for new mothers which is not written from a medical point of view because you will have all the help you need from that aspect of things. In this series you will find information about what to expect from your new baby and advice on how to cope with all the novel factors that invariably arise with having a baby for the very first time. This particular article tells you what to expect when your first little bundle of joy arrives on the scene at the hospital. This series is not meant to be a medical journal, so please see your doctor or health professional if you have reason to be concerned about your or your baby’s health.
Most people aren’t too absorbed with the gender of the child and who she/he looks like. The most important factor of all is if the child is healthy and is going to be just fine. Right after baby’s arrival, your health professionals will make sure of this by using a system known as the Apgar score. This test is used to measure the overall well-being of your baby and is done one minute, five minutes, and ten minutes after birth. The acronym stands for; A – Appearance (skin colour), P – Pulse (heart rate), G – Grimace (reflex irritability), A – Activity (muscle tone), and R – Respiration.
The medical staff will also weigh your baby and measure her/his length and head circumference. A record of these measurements will be kept so that baby’s subsequent development and growth can be closely monitored and compared.
Your baby may more likely than not look nothing like you envisioned. However, because babies from the same family can vary in size, colouring and weight, there is nothing to worry about . If you are concerned, there will always be a doctor or midwife nearby who will be willing to answer your questions. Before you’re discharged from the hospital your baby will be checked for the following.
Examination by a Paediatrician
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Before leaving the hospital, your baby will be fully checked by a paediatrician (a doctor who specialises in treating children). He/she will pay attention to the general health of your individual child, but also to any hidden defects which generally affect young children. Your baby’s hips will be checked for dislocation, the lungs and other major organs will be looked at, also the spine, genitals, belly, eyes, reflexes and ears.
Shape of Head
Many babies are born with unusually shaped heads. The back of my daughter’s head was completely flat when she was a baby. Many times ‘moulding’ can be the origin of misshapen heads in new babies. This is caused by pressure on your baby’s head as it moves through the birth canal. Usually, their heads go back to normal shape in a few days’ time. Occasionally, there can be a large bruise on one or both sides of your baby’s head after birth, but this does not need treatment and may take a few months to fade away.
Liked it
April 21st, 2009 at 9:15 am
This article takes me back to some great memory, with so much more information than my handbook back then. I wish I had this guide for new mothers..
April 21st, 2009 at 9:52 am
Thanks,anne
April 21st, 2009 at 9:58 am
Wonderful article!..That was great read and very informative article about new baby..must read..well done and thnx for sharing
April 21st, 2009 at 11:38 am
Too long ago for me to remember!
April 21st, 2009 at 12:25 pm
This is great article, Anne! You have answered many questions that new mothers often have shortly after baby is born. I hope it gets good exposure. It deserves to be out there where new mothers to be can find it. It will ease a lot of needless worry.
April 21st, 2009 at 12:46 pm
a very nice and educational article.
April 21st, 2009 at 2:03 pm
This should be published and given to all new mothers, like BC Doan, I wish this had been around when I was a new mother, you tell it like it is. Excellent article, nice to see you back here Anne.
April 21st, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Anne,
Glad to see you back in action!
As always, you never fail to amaze. This was a wonderful article. I will rec. to all my friends that are new moms.
April 21st, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Great guide!
April 21st, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Wow! I still learning… this is great for all new mothers… I hope that their taking care of their notes! Great Work!
April 21st, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Very interesting information
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:42 am
I had my first baby 3 days after my 19th birthday and even though I had help from my husband, mom & mother in law, I always wondered why there were no books telling us things like this. Great info Anne.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:44 am
P.S.
I would think this should be a health related article??
April 22nd, 2009 at 4:30 am
Excellent article Anne wish you would have been around when my daughter was born (many years ago) I remember feeling so lost and not knowing what to do. There wasn’t much help back then. Great tips Anne for someone with their first baby
April 22nd, 2009 at 4:56 am
Thanks for all your comments, everyone.
April 22nd, 2009 at 6:26 am
This takes me back, Anne, to the most wondrous time of my life – giving birth. This will be very helpful to new parents.