c. The Baby's Breathing.
(1) If the baby does not breathe spontaneously, stimulate him by rubbing his
back gently or by slapping the soles of his feet. If there is no response, start mouth-to-
mouth or mouth-to-nose resuscitation.
CAUTION:
(2) If spontaneous breathing begins, administer oxygen by mask for a few
minutes. Do this until the baby's color is pink.
(3) If the baby still does not start to breathe and the precordial pulse is
absent, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), keeping the baby wrapped in a
blanket as much as possible.
d. Tying the Umbilical Cord. If the baby has been delivered normally and is
breathing well, follow these steps.
(1) Tie or clamp the cord about eight inches from the infant's navel, then
place another tie (or clamp) about two inches from the first tie (clamp).
(2)
Cut the cord between the two ties. Handle the cord gently because it
tears easily.
(3) Examine the cut ends of the cord to be sure there is no bleeding. If one
of the cut ends is bleeding, tie or clamp the end proximally to the previous one and
reexamine the cord end.
e. Making the Baby Safe and Comfortable. Wrap the baby in a sterile
blanket. Be sure to keep the baby warm at all times.
2-14. DELIVERY OF THE PLACENTA
Hopefully, you will have an assistant who can watch the baby while you attend to
the delivery of the placenta. The placenta is usually delivered within 20 minutes after
the baby has been born.
a. Expect some bleeding. One or two cups (less than 500 ml) is normal. This
bleeding occurs as a result of the separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus.
b. Gently massage the mother's abdomen over the uterus. This causes the
uterus to contract. You can also put the infant to the mother's breast to stimulate the
uterus to contract and control bleeding.
MD0584
2-15