Danger Signs to Watch for with Newborns - Essay Example

"Danger Signs to Watch for with Newborns" is a wonderful example of a paper on child development. The joy that comes with receiving a new-born baby is indeed undisputable especially when the mother is having the baby for the first time. However, joy may be short-lived if the mother cannot handle the baby properly (Parthasarathy, 2006). Caring for a newly born baby comes with a myriad of challenges and it is only in order that the mother of the kid to be aware of the possible dangers that may befall her baby and erase all the joy that she had when she delivered the baby. The following are guidelines for a first-time mother and how to go about the whole situation properly;

Choking

Choking is one of the major concerns any new mother should be aware of. It is an extremely dangerous situation in babies that if not carefully and skillfully handled then it may lead to the death of a newborn. It is more frequent in the first few weeks of delivery. It is normally caused by the fluid from the mother’s womb that gets its way to the baby’s lungs during delivery. If this is not handled in time, it may be of adverse effects on the health of the baby. It is usually upon the doctors helping you in delivery that should ensure that the fluid is removed from the lungs of the kid before it is too late. Many deaths have been a result of poor management of the situation by the parents especially when the baby suffers such an attack. Such cases are most common with first-time mothers hence the need for information on how to handle such cases. Choking babies may be unable to do such activities as crying, coughing, and breathing.

The following are a few steps to take to curb this kind of danger; Lay the baby facing downwards in your arms or thighs giving support to their heads. Use the heel of your hand to give it about five slaps between the blades of the shoulder. Confirm if the blockage is cleared after every slap. You can look into the baby’s mouth to remove any blockage that seems obvious. However, be careful not to poke your fingers in the kid’s mouth.

Respiratory distress

This is another danger that newborn mothers should be aware of. It is usually caused when pulmonary fluid remains in the lung tissue of the baby after delivery. The circulation of the pulmonary increases with the first breath. Persistence of the fluid can risk the life of the newborn (Todd, 2011). It often results in difficulty in breathing by the infant. The mother should immediately visit a health practitioner to help before the situation worsens. Symptoms of respiratory distress include grunting, nasal flaring, and cyanosis among others.

Colic

Is a condition in babies often associated with uncontrollable cries in newborns (Remington, 2011).  It is not harmful to the baby only that it can easily be confused with other illnesses and that can be harmful to the baby. It has been proven to end a few months after the delivery. It is solved by laying the baby on their belly for a while to quell the pain.

Poor gut health.

If the baby is delivered through vaginal birth, then chances are high that the baby’s digestive tract is easily populated with various bacteria from the vaginal tract of the mother. This can affect the child’smicroflora. The knowledge of this is to help you devise proper strategies for the betterment of the baby’s future health.

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