What to do for the baby
Heartbeat
A new baby’s heart should beat between 120 and 160 times a minute. It may beat
as slow as 100 beats a minute or as fast as 180 beats a minute.
If the baby’s heartbeat is too fast, she may have an
infection (see page 256).
If the heartbeat is too slow, give rescue breathing
(page 242). If the heart rate does not get back to
normal, get medical help.
Temperature
Keep the baby warm
Babies must stay warm to stay healthy. But they
cannot keep themselves warm as easily as adults
can. The easiest way to keep a baby warm is
to put her next to her mother’s skin. The
mother is exactly the right temperature for
the baby. Cover them both with blankets
and be sure to cover the baby’s head.
If the mother cannot hold her baby for a bit (for example, if she gets up to
urinate), someone else can hold the baby. This person should wash their hands
well before handling the baby.
Temperature and health
A healthy baby’s temperature is around 37°C (98.6°F).
To check the baby’s temperature, gently put the silver end of the thermometer
into her armpit. Then hold the baby’s arm against
her body for 3 minutes. If you do not have a
thermometer, feel the back of the baby’s neck while
you touch a healthy person. If the baby does not
feel as warm as the healthy person, her temperature
is too low.
A baby whose temperature is 36.5°C (97.7°F) or less
should be warmed quickly. Do not wait. She should
warm up if she is placed skin to skin, between her
breasts (see page 257), wearing nothing but a diaper
and hat. If she will not warm, try using hot water
bottles.
Fill hot water bottles (or jars) with hot water, wrap
them in cloths so you do not burn the baby, and put
the bottles next to the baby’s body.
If the baby does not get warmer after 1 or 2 hours, she may need medical
attention.
A Book for Midwives (2010)
255