FREQUENT QUESTIONS

The first days after birth, jaundice (yellow color of the skin and mucous membranes) is treated light therapy, also known as phototherapy. Wearing only a diaper, the baby is placed under a device that delivers blue light. This light is the specific therapy because it changes the chemical structure of bilirubin, rendering it easier to eliminate.
If a newborn requires phototherapy because of high blood bilirubin levels, it should be administered in a timely manner to prevent any injury to the central nervous system.

The yellowish color of the skin in newborns is called "jaundice". It may occur on the first days of life due to the accumulation of bilirubin, a pigment present in red blood cells.

The liver is the organ that sends bilirubin from the bloodstream to the gut, which in turn expels it from the body through the stools. The first days of life, the liver functions slowly; bilirubin is not cleared fast enough; it builds up in the blood, and enters all organs, including skin and brain. If bilirubin reaches very high levels in the brain, it can damage the neurons.

Depression and anxiety are common mental health problems in the postpartum period.
It is very important to systematically address the mother’s mental health and social well-being. Psychosocial interventions should be part of every postnatal visits, along with referral to a qualified professional to address conditions that require more intensive support, through strategies such as psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy.

If the mother is HIV positive, the newborn should first be tested for HIV: if the child tests negative for HIV at 5 weeks of birth, he/she can get vaccinated with BCG.
In the case of hepatitis B vaccine, whether the mother or the baby are positive for HIV, the newborn can safely receive this vaccine as soon as possible after birth.

It is very important to control the temperature of the newborn baby. Cold hands and feets are characteristic of healthy babies; it does not mean that they feel cold.
The permanent proximity of the mother facilitates skin-to-skin contact, a situation favoring the maintenance of the baby's temperature.
It is recommended that bathing be delayed, if possible over 24 hours after birth, and that the environment where the newborn baby is placed be free of air currents.

Skin irritations can be caused by prolonged contact with urine and feces. To avoid them, the diaper should be changed as often as needed. It is important to clean the baby with water and neutral soap after bowel movements, and to keep the diaper region dry.
• Change diaper frequently.
• Wash the region with neutral soap.
• Keep the skin clean and dry, especially in folds and grooves.
• After washing, dry the area well and powder with dry cornstarch in the affected region.

• Wash the infant’s clothes separately, rather than together with adult clothing.
• Use coconut oil soap or other neutral soap with less acid; do not use bleaches, powdered soaps, softeners with perfume, or bleach solutions (these products have chemicals that contact the baby’s skin, causing allergies).
• After washing, rinse thoroughly so that there is no residue from the cleaning agent on the fabric.
• Hang to dry in the sun (if possible) and iron (to eliminate microorganisms).

All infants should receive their first dose of hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours.
When not feasible, the birth dose can still be effective in preventing perinatal transmission if given within 7 days, particularly within 3 days, although somewhat less than if given within 24 hours, but with declining effectiveness with each passing day. Even after 7 days, a late birth dose can be effective in preventing horizontal transmission and therefore remains beneficial.

Pre-term infants should be vaccinated at birth and subsequently follow the national hepatitis B vaccination schedule.
For preterm infants weighing under 2,000 g, the initial vaccine dose (birth dose) should not be counted as part of the vaccine series because of the potentially reduced immunogenicity of the hepatitis B vaccine in these infants; three additional doses of vaccine (for a total of four doses) should be administered beginning when the infant reaches one month of age.