Ch 5: Birth and the Newborn's Readiness for Life

Braxton Hicks contractions

The first contractions of childbirth which is painless.

Term

The typical period of time between conception and the birth of a baby.

Parturition

Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (Prostaglandins)

Hormones that stimulate uterine contractions.

Oxytocin

A pituitary hormone that stimulates labor contractions.

Neonate

A newborn child.

Efface

To thin

Dilate

To widen or enlarge

Epistomy

A surgical incision in the area between the birth canal and the anus that widens the vaginal opening, preventing random tearing during childbirth.

Transition

The initial movement of the head of the fetus into the birth canal.

Midwife

An individual who helps women in childbirth.

Pitocin

Triggers labor

Vaginal vs. Caesarean

Vaginal: Baby comes through the birth canal and comes out of the vagina.

Caesarean: Doctors cut the mom belly to get the baby out because the vaginal way didn't work.

Medicated vs. Unmedicated

Medicated birth you do not feel the pain as much where as an unmedicated birth you feel all the pain.

Lamaze Method

A childbirth method in which women are educated about childbirth, learn to relax and breathe in patters that conserve energy and lessen pain also has a coach present during the birth.

Cesarean Section

A method of childbirth in which the neonate is delivered through a surgical incision in the abdomen.

General Anesthesia

A method that produces partial or total loss of the sense of pain.

Epidural Block

Takes the pain away from the waist down so you don't feel the baby coming out during birth.

Spinal Block

Natural Childbirth

A method of childbirth in which women use no anesthesia and are educated about childbirth and strategies for coping with discomfort.

Grantly Dick-Read

Bonding

The process of forming bonds of attachment between parent and child.

Second Stage -

Second stage of birth

Crowning

Baby's head can be seen coming out to the vagina.

Episiotomy

Breech Presentation

A position in which the fetus enters the birth canal buttocks first. Head isn't first.

Preterm

Born at or before completion of 37 weeks of gestation.

Third Stage -

Third stage of birth

Anoxia

A condition characterized by lack of oxygen.

Hyoxia

A condition characterized by less oxygen than is required.

Schizophrenia

A severe psychological disorder that is characterized by disturbances in thought and language. The perception and attention, motor activity and mood and by withdrawal and absorption in daydreams or fantasy.

Neonatal jaundice

Liver is premature so the baby is a little yellow looking.

Prematurity

Baby is born before full term.

Lanugo

Fine, downy hair that covers much of the body of the neonates, especially in preterm babies.

Vernix Caesosa

An oily, white substance that coats the skin of neonates especially preterm babies.

Small for Dates

A description of neonates who are unusually small for their age.

Incubator

A heated, protective container in which premature infants are kept.

Postpartum Period

The time that immediately follows childbirth.

Postpartum Depression (PPD)

Severe, prolonged depression that afflicts 10-20% of women after delivery and that is characterized by sadness, apathy, and feelings of worthlessness.

Long term implications

APGAR Scale

A measure of a newborn's health that assesses Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity level and Respiratory effort.

Appearance

What the baby looks like, pink blue, yellow

Pulse

Is the pulse normal, slow, or absent

Grimace Activity

Is the baby kicking moving, crying

Respiration

Can the baby breathe on its own

Reflex

An unlearned, stereotypical responses to a stimulus.

Rooting Reflex

A reflex in which infants turn their mouths and heads in the direction of a stroking of the cheek or the corner of the mouth.

Sucking

Can the baby suck on breast or bottle or thumb

Moro Reflex

A reflex in which infants arch their back, fling out their arms and legs, and draw them back toward the chest in response to sudden change in position.

Stepping Reflex

A reflex in which infants take steps when held under the arms and lean forward so that their feet press against the ground.

Babinski Refelx

A reflex in which infants fan their toes when the undersides of their feet are stroked.

Tonic Neck Reflex

A reflex in which infants turn their heat to one side, extend the arm and leg on that side, and flex the limbs on the opposite side.

Smell, sound, vision

The automatic adjustments made by the lenses of the eyes to bring objects into focus. Can already hear and taste/smell

Brain development

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

The death while sleeping of apparently healthy babies who stop breathing for unknown medical reasons.

Infant Mortality

Sleep/REM

Rapid Eye-movement / Periods of sleep during which we are likely to dream.

prostaglandins

Hormones that stimulate uterine contractions

term

The typical period of time between conception and the birth of a baby.

transition

This is when the cervix is almost fully dilated, the head the fetus begins to move into the vagina. It usually lasts 30 minutes or less.

midwife

A person trained to assist women in childbirth

tranquilizer

A drug that has a sedative or calming effect without inducing sleep

Lamaze method

A childbirth method in which women are educated about childbirth, learn to relax and breathe in patterns that conserve energy and lessen pain, and have a coach present during childbirth.

Cesarean section

A method of childbirth in which the neonate is delivered through a surgical incision in the abdomen.

Breech presentation

A position in which the fetus enters the birth canal buttocks first.

Respiratory Distress syndrome

A cluster of breathing problems, including weak and irregular breathing to which preterm babies are particularly prone.

neural

Of the nervous system

Grasping reflex

A reflex in which infants grasp objects that cause pressure against their palms.

Visual acuity

Keenest or sharpness of vision

hue

color

Convergence

The inward movement of the eyes as they focus on an object that is drawing nearer

Rods

In the eye, rod shaped receptors of light that are sensitive to intensity only. Rods permit black and white vision

Cones

In the eye, cone shaped receptors of light that transmit sensations of color

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep

Periods of sleep during which we are likely to dream, as indicated by rapid eye movements.

Non-rapid eye movement (non-REM)

Periods of sleep during which we are unlikely to dream

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

An instrument that measures electrical activity of the brain