Question

Neonates have difficulty maintaining their body temperature; however, their bodies have several mechanisms to help them do so. which ones should a nurse remember when caring for the newborn?

Answer 1

Cute newborn babies sure do have problems keeping warm because their bodies can’t produce enough body heat. This is not an issue when the weather is warm. However, babies do need extra help when temps drops down to below 97.7° F (36.5°C). Cold temperatures stress out the newborn, causing their bodies to lose energy and requiring more oxygen. You can prevent heat loss in newborn by keeping the skin dry since the body loses heat through evaporation. Make sure that the newborn is in skin-to-skin contact with the mother for heat transfer. In cold weather, you can put a radiant warmer over the open bed. Premature newborns should be placed inside an incubator.