Advantages Of Using Nutrisafe 2 Feeding System
The image of a mother & baby is indeed a happy one. Not all babies are bouncy and healthy at birth. Most of the pre-term babies have low birth weight and are susceptible to cold. This poses a severe problem for the parents as well as the caregivers. The specialist doctors responsible for babies' well-being in the NICU need to take proper neonatal thermoregulation measures to keep the child warm and comfortable. It is a challenge that may jeopardize the life of the newborn baby. While medical professionals are well aware of the problem and associated risks, the new parents need to remain informed about it even in the NICU.
It helps to learn that the optimum body temperature for a neonate is 37°C. Several health organizations, including "The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), as well as the World Health Organization (WHO)" put the normal range of axillary temperature between 36.5°C - 37.5°C.
What happens to "at-risk" newborns?
Babies who have a drop in their body temperature due to diverse conditions experience discomfort and pain. The condition is known as hypothermia medically and is observed in newborn babies whose body temperature drops well below 36.3°C. It is usually found in frail babies diagnosed with any of the following:-
· Increased surface area to body mass ratio
· Low amount of fat below the Skin
· Increased quantity of water in the body
· Loss of heat due to improper development
Signs that necessitate urgent thermoregulation
· Skin becomes pale and is cool
· Irregular and slow heartbeat
· Breathing problems, restlessness
· Low oxygen concentration in the blood
· Lethargy and minimal movement
· Progressive weight loss
The medical professionals in charge of neonates in the NICU make sure to take adequate measures for normalizing the body temperature. The environment should be conducive o prevent excessive heat loss as well. Failing to do so is likely to result in cold stress that pronounces hypothermia risks in neonates, especially those born well before term.
It is of paramount importance to establish a "warm chain" as advised by WHO immediately after delivery and during the next few days. Some of the accepted norms of thermoregulation in newborn babies include the following:-
· The delivery room should be set at the optimal temperature with all supplies for warming a neonate kept handy
· The baby should be washed and dried immediately after delivery
· The newborn child should be placed directly on the chest of the mother
· Breastfeeding should be started within an hour of delivery
· The neonate should be wrapped loosely with a warm blanket
Newborn infants who are unable to feed naturally may have to be provided with nutrition with the aid of Nutrisafe 2 feeding tubes. Utilizing ENFit connectors will help to reduce the risks of misconnections significantly.