Examination of the Newborn ─ A Practical Guide

Newborn babies are examined within the first 6 to 72 hours after their birth to rule out major congenital abnormalities and reassure the parents that their baby is healthy. This step-by-step guide provides midwives and other practitioners with a comprehensive guide to the holistic examination of the newborn infant.

Examination of the Newborn encourages the reader to view each mother and baby as unique, taking into account their experiences preconceptually, antenatally and through childbirth. The text covers:

• role of the first examination as a screening tool
• normal fetal development
• parents' concerns and how to respond to them
• the impact of antenatal diagnostic screening
• the events of labour and birth
• the clinical examination of the neonate
• the identification and management of congenital abnormalities
• accountability and legal issues.

Thoroughly revised to meet current Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and National Screening Committee standards, the book includes case scenarios, model answers, photographs and diagrams, self-test questions and further reading to help the reader to apply the content to their own practice.

This practice-focused text is particularly valuable for midwives and nurses taking Examination of the Newborn modules as well as providing a useful reference work for those already performing this role.

Helen Baston is Consultant Midwife in Public Health at Jessop Wing, a purpose-build maternity unit in Sheffield. She is also an Honorary Research Fellow and Lecturer at the University of Sheffield, UK.

Heather Durward is Associate Specialist in Paediatrics at Chesterfield Royal Hospital Foundation Trust, UK.