During the newborn hospital exam, your Pediatrician ensures your little one is healthy from the start by examining his/her body in detail. Have you ever wondered, “What is the Pediatrician looking for? Is my baby really okay? This is Part 1 of my series, “Newborn Hospital Exam” where I review the examination of the heart, lungs & abdomen after delivery.
Prefer to watch instead of read? Want extra details too? Click here to watch the full video on my YouTube channel!
01. Newborn Hospital Exam – Heart
Healthy Skin Color
Hands & feet develop better circulation over time. It shows your baby’s overall circulation is good. They are typically purple for a while. And need to be kept warm until your baby’s circulation matures.
Heart Murmurs
The most common kind are usually due to circulation changes from in utero to birth. Patent Foramen Ovale & Atrial Septal Defects usually self- resolve. An Echocardiogram test will help with the diagnosis. Cardiologist follow up is recommended.
Newborn Oxygen Saturation Test
This will help diagnose hidden critical cardiac defects. A pulse oximeter is placed on a finger & a toe. Your baby needs to be at least 24 hours old for the test to be accurate. And is done before your baby is discharged. It’s simple, painless, & saves lives!
02. Newborn Hospital Exam – Lungs
Respiratory Rate
A newborn’s respiratory rate is 40-60 breaths per minute. Some signs of a respiratory problem are: Rapid Breathing, Grunting & Retractions (belly breathing).
Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn
This is the most common respiratory problem in newborns. It’s due to fluids that don’t completely clear the lungs after birth. Close monitoring & Oxygen may be needed. This resolves in a few days.
Meconium Aspiration Syndrome
Meconium is the baby’s first poop. If a stressed baby poops in utero & has respiratory problems, an x-ray is needed for diagnosis, treatment, and to rule out rare cases of Meconium Aspiration Pneumonia.
03. Newborn Hospital Exam – Abdomen
Belly Button
A newborn’s belly button is an “outie” at birth. It’s loose for a reason. Your baby moves a lot in utero. As a result, the belly button has to be flexible.
Umbilical & Ventral Hernia
This is at midline of the abdomen. Typically, there is a soft belly button, without discoloration & can be easily reduced back down, but pops out when the baby cries. It also extends up the midline because your baby hasn’t had a chance to develop strong abdominal muscles yet. This self-resolves. It may takes months to years until it does.
Omphalocele
This is when the opening at the belly button is large enough that the abdominal organs (such as intestines) are protruding through & covered by a thin sac. The diagnosis is made ono examination. An ultrasound may be needed to asses the full extent of it. This requires surgery to correct.
What’s Next?
Stay tuned next week for “Newborn Hospital Exam – Part 2 – Hands, Feet & Arms.” Don’t forget to check out the video for more in-depth information on this topic! Click here to watch the full video on my YouTube channel!
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