Newborn Kid Tips… Lifeless kid

By Deb Haines – Interventions When Things Go Wrong

Kid was just born apparently lifeless: Doesn’t start breathing and doesn’t try to roll up onto its sternum.

What should I do ?

A) Clear face of fetal membranes

B) Use blue suction bulb to clear fluid from nostrils

C) Open mouth gently to make sure no fluid present and that tongue isn’t blocking the airway. Kid should move its tongue in response to you doing this, and might even possibly attempt to suckle.

D) Touch eye lid to see if the kid blinks …it should although it may be a slow response.

E) Feel for a heartbeat by cupping hand around bottom of chest just behind elbows if you don’t have a stethoscope, practice on live kids so that you know what you are feeling for.

F) If no eye blink, no tongue movement, and no heartbeat, kid is likely a stillborn and very unlikely to be revived…..however, you can try to see if you can stimulate something by getting a towel and rubbing the kid vigorously on each side of its chest

G) If there is an eye blink, a weak but present heartbeat, and tongue movement, then use the towel to stimulate the kid and dry it off….some take more effort than others to get going. Birth is stressful, especially if labor was prolonged, and some take longer to acclimate to life outside the uterus than others.

H) keep in mind these weak kids need to be monitored as it may take longer than 2 hours for them to stand and nurse, so they may need to be assisted. Make sure they are nursing !