Neonatal organs and systems are immature, immune function is poor and easy to get sick. Careful nursing is an important link to prevent neonatal diseases and ensure their healthy growth.
Prevention of infection
Parents should minimize the number of people in the neonatal bedroom and refuse or reduce people, especially for patients, to visit the neonatal bedroom. The indoor air should be kept fresh. Under the condition of guaranteeing room temperature, windows should be opened regularly for ventilation. Hand washing should be done carefully when contacting and nursing newborns. Parents should keep the baby’s skin clean—clean buttocks after stool, bath the baby regularly, and especially pay attention to keep the skin in the axilla, thigh root, elbow bend, and thigh wrinkles clean and dry. The umbilical cord is an important gateway for bacteria to invade the neonatal body, and it must be kept clean. Before the umbilical cord falls off, wipe it with disinfection cotton stick dipped in 75% alcohol every day, and avoid using various powders. Then cover it with sterile gauze and stick it with paste. Attention should be paid to prevent night soil and urine from dampening the umbilical cord and its covered gauze. If the umbilical cord is wet with urine, it should be immediately disinfected and the dressing must be replaced. The umbilical cord usually takes a week or so to fall off. After falling off, it needn’t covered with gauze, but still should be maintained dryness and cleanliness.
Keep body temperature
Neonates have poor adaptability to external temperature changes, and are prone to illness due to both overcooling and overheating. Room temperature for neonatal should be maintained at 22-24 degrees Celsius, while room temperature for premature infants should be maintained at 24-26 degrees Celsius. In addition to room temperature, attention should also be paid to the increase and decrease of clothing and quilt, so that the body (armpit) temperature of the newborn can be maintained between 36 – 37 degrees Celsius. If the neonatal blushes, sweats, and his/her body temperature is more than 37.5 degrees Celsius, it means that the room temperature is too high or the clothing or quilt is excessive, measures should be taken in time. In addition to environmental temperature, newborns also need appropriate humidity. In winter and spring, the living room usually is too dry. Parents can wipe the floor with a wet cloth, place a basin of water on the heating installation or a pot of water (open the lid) on the stove. If an air humidifier can be used, it will be more ideal.
Breast-feeding
Breast-feeding can begin 4-8 hours after birth. Early breastfeeding is not only beneficial to the nutrition of newborns but also can promote the secretion of mother’s milk. If breast milk is insufficient in the first two days, it can be supplemented with sugar water after breast milk. Don’t easily replace breast milk with milk or sugar water. Breastfeeding is encouraged. Colostrum contains a variety of antibodies, so we can’t abandon it. Newborns can be fed regularly, i.e. every three hours; they can also be fed irregular, that is, feed them whenever the newborn wants to eat, which is more in line with the physiological requirements of newborns. Infant formula can be used when there is no breast milk.
Strict medication
After various drugs enter the body, they are usually detoxified through the liver and excreted through the kidney. Neonatal liver and kidney function are poor, medication is extremely difficult. Therefore, the use of drugs must be under the guidance of pediatricians, strictly in accordance with the prescribed dose and course of treatment, otherwise, adverse consequences will easily occur.