Health Promotion of the Newborn and Family

During the first 28 days of life, the infant is considered a newborn. This is a time when newborns undergo dramatic changes as they adjust to the extrauterine environment and are completely reliant on others for their care.

To promote the health of the newborn and their caregivers, the nurse will focus on preventing infection, optimizing nutrition, and promoting attachment.

As the nurse caring for a newborn, preventing infection is one of your most important considerations. This is because the newborn’s immune system is underdeveloped, making them highly susceptible to infections.

So, the most important thing you can do to prevent infection is to perform diligent hand hygiene. You’ll also administer antibiotic eye ointment to prevent an eye infection called ophthalmia neonatorum, and most newborns will get their first hepatitis B vaccine before discharge.

You’ll also teach the newborn’s caregivers how to prevent infection in their newborn once they’re discharged home. For example, since bacteria can easily grow on the umbilical stump while it’s healing, teach them to fold the diaper below the umbilical stump to prevent irritation, to gently cleanse it with warm water if it becomes wet or soiled, and to watch for signs of infection such as redness, swelling, and tenderness.

Another important nursing consideration is providing optimal newborn nutrition. Because of the newborn’s rapid growth and development, they’ll need sufficient intake of calories and nutrients, either through breastmilk or formula.

Depending on the caregiver’s feeding preferences, provide them with the support they need to be successful with breastfeeding or bottle feeding, and talk to them about methods to safely prepare, handle, and store breast milk and formula.

Finally, you can support the development of the newborn’s trust and feelings of safety by promoting bonding, which refers to the emotional ties directed from the caregiver to the newborn, and attachment, which refers to the emotional ties directed from the newborn to the caregiver.

As you provide care, you can promote bonding and attachment by encouraging early skin to skin contact and teaching them about typical newborn behavior, including patterns of sleeping, feeding, and crying.

You can encourage caregivers to engage with their newborn by making eye contact, using physical touch, and talking to their newborn.

You can also point out the unique characteristics of their newborn, and help them to recognize their baby’s cues, which communicate if their baby is wet, cold, hungry, or tired.

Alright, as a quick recap… During the first 28 days of life, the infant is considered a newborn. When caring for the newborn patient, you’ll work to prevent infection, optimize nutrition, and promote bonding and attachment between the newborn and