Section 5: Birth and the Newborn Baby

Signs Labour is Near

False labor or prelabor: Brief, unpredictable contractions of upper part of uterus

Lightening: Baby’s head drops low into uterus

Bloody show: Release of mucus plug that seals cervix during pregnancy

Stages of Childbirth

Stage 1: Dilation and effacement of the cervix, culminating in transition

Stage 2: Delivery of the baby

Stage 3: Birth of the placenta

Apgar Scale

Quickly assesses the newborn’s physical condition on five characteristics: Colour (Appearance Heart rate (Pulse) Reflex irritability (Grimacing, sneezing, and coughing) Muscle tone (Activity) Breathing (Respiratory effort),

Natural, or Prepared, Childbirth

Techniques for reducing pain and medical interventions (classes, breathing techniques, relaxation)

Home Birth

The delivery of a baby in a private residence rather than a hospital or a birth center that are often handled by certified nurse-midwives, who have degrees in nursing and training in childbirth managementis,

Fetal Monitoring

Electronic instruments that track baby’s heart rate during labor

Anoxia

A medical emergency that happens when the body or brain has total or near-total absence of oxygen

Analgesics

Drugs used to relieve pain

Anesthetics

Stronger type of painkiller that blocks sensation

Epidural Analgesia

Enables mother to push during second stage of labor, but weakens uterine contractions

Forceps

Metal clamps placed around baby’s head to pull infant from birth canal

Vacuum Extractor

Plastic cup placed on baby’s head and attached to suction tube

Cesarean Delivery

A surgical operation to deliver a baby through cuts in the mother's belly and womb

Breech Position

When a babys buttocks or feet are pointing down toward the birth canal, rather than being head-down

Birth Weight

Best available predictor of infant survival and healthy development

Preterm Infants

Born several weeks or more before due date

Small-for-Date Infants

Below expected weight considering length of pregnancy

Infant mortality

Number of deaths in the first year of life per 1,000 live births

Neonatal mortality

Rate of death within first month of life

Newborn Reflexes

Involuntary, automatic responses to stimuli

Primative Reflexes

Involuntary, automatic motor actions controlled by the brainstem that an infant is born with

Survival Reflexes

Broad category that also includes lifelong reactions (like blinking or coughing) and conscious fight-or-flight behaviors

Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale

More subtle measure than Apgar and administered few days after birth to measure reflexes, responsiveness to stimuli, neurological integrity and can lead to early intervention

Infant States and States of Arousal

5 states and degrees of sleep and wakefulness that newborn infants move in and out of

Regular Sleep/ Deep Sleep

The baby breathes deeply and regularly. They lie quietly with very little movement and are difficult to awaken

Irregular Sleep/ REM Sleep

The baby's eyes flutter behind closed lids, and they may twitch or stretch. Breathing is irregular, and they can be easily startled by loud noises

Non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) Sleep

Body is almost motionless; heart rate, breathing, and brain-wave activity are slow and even

Drowsiness

The baby is transitioning between sleeping and waking. Eyes open and close slowly, often looking glazed

Alert Inactivity/ Quiet Activity

The baby's eyes are wide open and bright. The body is relatively still, and they are highly focused. This is the ideal state for learning and playing

Alert Activity

The baby is awake but restless. They may wiggle, stretch, and make sounds, often becoming fussy

Crying

The baby's limits have been reached due to hunger, tiredness, or overstimulation. They flail, kick, and scream

Autostimulation Theory

This theory explains why fetuses and newborns spend the majority of their time in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep because newborns and fetuses lack external stimuli (e.g., visual or auditory inputs) while sleeping, the brain compensates by generating its own spontaneous internal neural activity.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Unexpected death, usually during the night, of infant younger than 1 year of age that remains unexplained and leading cause of infant mortality in industrialized nations

Bonding

Affection and concern for the infant that may emerge suddenly or gradually

Rooming In

Infant stays in the mother’s hospital room all or most of the time