Newborn Routine Care with Skin-to-Skin Contact

Rationale and Assessment Criteria

• The American Heart Association recommends routine care for newborns who meet certain criteria, including term gestation, good tone, and breathing or crying, as outlined in the 2015 guidelines 1, 2
• Newborns with term gestation, good muscle tone, and breathing or crying can stay with their mothers for routine care rather than being moved to a radiant warmer for resuscitation interventions 1, 2

Appropriate Routine Care Protocol

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends drying the infant to prevent hypothermia and provide tactile stimulation, placing the infant skin-to-skin with the mother on her chest, covering with dry linen to maintain normal temperature, and ongoing observation of breathing, activity, and color 1, 5
• The correct management includes drying the infant, placing skin-to-skin with the mother, covering with dry linen, and ongoing observation, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 1, 5

Critical Monitoring During Skin-to-Skin Care

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends continuous observation by trained staff members with frequent vital sign recording, safe positioning with the infant's face visible, and assessment of breathing, activity, color, tone, and position to avert positions that obstruct breathing 5

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• The American Heart Association advises against relying on visual assessment of cyanosis alone, and recommends using pulse oximetry with neonatal-specific probes if there are concerns about central cyanosis or oxygenation 3, 4