Caring for the Newborn

This book summarizes the state of cognoscibility regarding normal newborn care that has been accumulated over the past centuries, especially the 20th and now 21st century. The preface/introduction details historical concepts that have followed newborns over the millennia of Homo sapiens sapiens' existence, such as infanticide, breast feeding, swaddling, neonatal resuscitation, and principles of caring for newborns. The mortality rate of newborns has been reduced in many parts of the world in the past two centuries, and we have learned much about how to keep increasing numbers of newborns alive and healthy. This is especially seen when healthcare providers and society collaborate in this important endeavor that includes emphasizing known preventive principles. Current modern pediatric and perinatal treatments allow newborns in the current 21st century America to have a start on an overall life expectancy of 78.5 years (up to 76 years in males and 80.9 years in females) if they receive meticulous medical care, and even if they are born into a penurious state. Such deserved care and inevitable medical discoveries will only lengthen these life trajectories. This second edition updates principles of caring for the newborn that were identified in the first edition. It considers the newborn examination, newborn screening, safe-sleep concepts, mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact, effects of prenatal drug use, mental health issues in the newborn, maternal mood disorders, infant feeding, circumcision, anticipatory guidance, and concepts of surgery in the newborn. Also considered are selective disorders found in some newborns that includes newborn neurology, cardiology, pulmonology, nephrology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and dermatology.