Close your eyes and think about what you hope the first moments after your baby is born will be. You might be imagining cuddles, skin to skin contact, or little one crawling up you for their first feed. However in addition to the cuddles, there are a number of routine procedures your little one will need to go through to ensure their health. From eye drops and a PKU screening to your little one’s APGAR score, and first bath there are a lot of standard practices that take place right after baby is born.
So, are any of these tests and procedures optional? Can any of these procedures be delayed to ensure early moments of family bonding? And why do our little ones have so many tests right after birth?
To answer these questions I welcomed back to Yoga|Birth|Babies pediatrician Dr. Tracey Agnese. She dives deep into each procedure standardly encountered (in NY) giving us the risks and benefits so that you can begin your journey as a new parent feeling informed and empowered as you navigate the right choices for your family.
In this episode you will learn:
- Learn a bit about Dr. Agnese and how she decided to focus on pediatrics and lactation as an IBCLC.
- The eye ointment babies get, why they get it and when it needs to happen.
- Vitamin k shot why babies get it, when it should happen, and any alternatives.
- When the baby’s first weight needs to be taken and considerations a pediatrician may take into account regarding birth weight and weight gain/loss experienced in the first few weeks.
- Delaying newborn procedures for undisturbed bonding time, how to approach this with hospital staff and how much time you can have.
- The importance of skin to skin contact.
- Delayed cord clamping, why you might delay clamping and how the extra time benefits baby.
- When baby should receive their first bath.
- Initiating breastfeeding, when this should begin if you’re planning to feed little one this way.
- APGAR test, what it is and what parents need to know about it.
- The PKU test, what it is and why all US babies are screened for this.
- One final piece of advice for new and expectant parents.
- Where you can find Dr. Agnese’s work.
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About Dr. Tracey Agnese:
Dr. Agnese received her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware. She graduated from SUNY Downstate medical school and completed her pediatrics residency at NYU.
As a Pediatrician and a mom, Dr. Agnese knows how difficult it is to have and care for a newborn baby. She also knows that new moms often neglect taking care of themselves and wants to help change that.
Dr. Agnese provides online educational resources for new moms to simplify newborn baby care and help decrease the overwhelm, anxiety and mom guilt that is so common after having a baby.
Connect with Dr. Agnese:
- https://www.instagram.com/babydocmama/
- Private practice website: pedsny.com
- YouTube
- Instagram/Facebook: @babydocmama
Additional Resources:
Scary Things Newborns Do That Are Totally Normal With Dr Tracey Agnese
To connect with Deb and the PYC Community:
Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter
Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center
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