Pregnancy and NewbornFeatures

Pregnancy is actually 280 days, or 40 weeks measured from the first day of the last menstrual period,, divided into three trimesters.

The fetus develops over many months’ time, but the first few months are the most critical.

All baby’s major organs begin forming in the early weeks of pregnancy, some even before realizing pregnancy.

Therefore, mother's health, nutrition, and avoidance of harmful substances are important even before pregnancy begins.

Anything mothers eat, drink, breathe, or touch can affect baby’s development, especially in the very sensitive period beginning at conception.

Regular measurements of child's height, weight and head circumference and plotting them on a growth chart are a good way to see if the child is growing normally.

Although many parents are preoccupied by where their child is on the growth charts and often worry if their child is small or near the bottom of the growth chart, it is child's rate of growth that is the most important factor to consider when evaluating if child is growing and developing normally.

If child is following his growth curve, then he is likely growing normally

• Also keep in mind that some children can normally move up or down on their growth curves when they are 6-18 months old.

• As long as they are not actually losing weight, and they have no other symptoms, such as persistent diarrhea, vomiting, poor appetite or having frequent infections, then it may be normal to move down on your growth percentiles.

• The majority of babies born full-term ,

i.e. 40 weeks (280 days), weight from just over 2.6 to 3.8 kilos , and they are between

48 - 53cm long, head circumference is between 34 – 40 cm.

• Infants born before the completion of 37 weeks of gestation are called premature.

Weight

They loose 5 % to 10 % of weight by 3-4 days after birth as result of :

Withdrawal of hormones from mother.Loss of excessive extra cellular fluid.Passage of meconium (feces) and urine.Limited food intake.

Weight

• 2 weeks - regains birth weight and then gains about 1 1/2 - 2 pounds a month

• 3 months - gains about 1 pound a month

• 5 months - doubles birth weight

• 1 year - triples birth weight and then gains about 1/2 pound a month

• 2 years - quadruples birth weight and then gains about 4-5 pounds a year

• 9-10 years - increased weight gain as puberty approaches, often about 10 pounds a year

Height

0-12 months - grows about 10 inches (25 cm).

1-2 years - grows about 5 inches (13 cm).

2-3 years - grows about 2,5 inches( 8 cm) a year.

Most children will double their birth height by 3-4 years of age.

3 years to puberty - grows about 2 inches (5cm) a year

Head Circumference• 0→3 Months - ↑ 2 centimeters a month

• 4→6 Months - ↑ 1 centimeter a month

• 6→12 Months -↑ 1/2 centimeter a month

• 1→ 2 Years - ↑ 2 centimeters a year

Factors Affecting Growth

• Mother‘s health during pregnancy.

• Period of pregnancy.

• Multiplication of labor.

• Gender.

• Nutritional factors.

• Health status of the baby.

• Biological development is related to enzyme systems that stimulate complex metabolic changes.

• Psychological development refers to cognitive and emotional

• Social development provides child to live in community.

All the parameters of development affect one another.

Stages of growth And development

Prenatal Stage Postnatal Stage

Fetal StageEmbryonic Stage Infant StageNeonatal Stage

Toddler

Early childhood

Middle childhood

Adolescence

• Prenatal Stage : About 40 weeks (280 days), from conception to birth . Infants born before the completion of 37weeks of gestation are called premature infants.

Fetal Stage : After 8 weeks of gestation to birth.

• Postnatal Stage• Neonatal Stage : From birth to 4 weeks of age.• Infant Stage : 4 weeks through 12 months of age• Toddler : 13th months through 2 years of age

• Early childhood : From 2 years Through 6 years of age• Middle childhood : From 6 years Through 12 years of age

• Adolescence : From 12 years of age up to 18 years.

Normal new born baby

1. Should be delivered at or near term (after 40 weeks of pregnancy)

2. Free from any congenital defects or obstetrical changes.

3. Healthy pink color.

4. His or her heart rate is 100 -140 beats / min.

5. Breaths spontaneously and cries

6. Position in prone lying, with head turned one side and arms, legs are flexed. (Flexion attitude).

7. On ventral suspension, no head control (head lag)

8. Has a skeletal muscle tone.

↑muscle tone in both upper and lower extremities due to unmyelination of the pyramidal tract.

9. The fist of the hands are clenched and the thumb inside the palm

Newborn Senses

• Senses

- Touch

- Vision

- Hearing

- Taste

- Smell

Touch

• It is the most highly developed sense.

• It is mostly at lips, tongue, ears, and forehead.

• The newborn is usually comfortable with touch.

Vision

• Pupils react to light

• Bright lights appear to be unpleasant to newborn infant.

• Follow objects in line of vision

Hearing

• The newborn infant usually makes some response to sound from birth.

• Ordinary sounds are heard well before 10 days of life.

• The newborn infant responds to sounds with either cry or eye movement, cessation of activity and / or startle reaction.

Taste Well developed-as bitter and sour fluids are resisted while sweet fluids

are accepted.

Smell

Only evidence in newborn infant’s search for the nipple, as he smell breast milk.