PSYC 2500H Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Pattern Formation, Birth Weight, Startle Response
26 Jun 2018
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Chapter 5 - Birth and The Newborn’s Readiness for Life
Childbirth and the Perinatal Environment:
Perinatal environment: environment surrounding birth - mediations given to mother,
delivery practises, social environment post delivery
The birth process:
o3 stages of labour -
Before labour beings, mother experiences uterine contractions (10-15 min
apart), lasts 8 -14 hours for first borns and 3 - 8 hours for later-borns,
ends when cervix has fully dilated so fetus’ head can pass through
Delivery, when the fetus’ head passes through the cervix into the vagina,
can last anywhere from half an hour to and hour and a half, ends when
baby emerges from mother’s body
Afterbirth, 5 - 10 min for uterus to contract again once baby is born and
expels the placenta
The baby’s experience:
oProduction of activating stress hormones helps infant adapt to stresses during
birth like: oxygen deprivation
oStress helps baby be born wide away and ready to breath
oThe baby’s appearance:
Bluish in colour due to oxygen deprivation
Flattened noses, misshapen heads, and bruised due to narrow cervix and
canal
Generally about 50 cm long and weighing 3 - 3.5 kg
oAssessing the baby’s condition:
Apgar test - HR, respiratory effort, muscle tone, colour, reflex irratibility all
scored from 0 - 2, performed once right after birth and again 5 min later -
low score generally indicated medical intervention is required
Apgar may miss less obvious complications
Neonatal Behaviour Assessment Scale (NBAS) - given a few days after
birth, assesses strength of 30 inborn reflexes, changes in the infants state
and reactions to comforting, and other social stimuli - low score may
indicate brain damage or neurological problems or indicate problems
could arise
NBAS trained parents are generally more involved with their infant - good
program for young, inexperienced caregivers who know little about
babies, or families with baby who scored low on NBAS/be
irritable/unresponsive demeanour
Labour and delivery medication:
oMother’s expected to have normal delivery should require little to no drug
intervention
oAnalgesics and anesthtics to reduce pain - mothers may not respond to
contractions and don’t push effectively
Means baby needs assistance leaving the canal - use of obstetrical
forceps, vacuum extractor (could cause cranal bleeding/brain damage)
oSedatuves to relax mother
oStimulants to induce contactions
oMedications cross into placenta and effect baby
Making baby lethargic, inattentive
Baby’s from heavily medicated mothers smile frequently, irritable when
aroused, difficult to feed/cuddle in first few weeks
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Could interfere with parents attachment to baby
oDoctors have better drugs and timing now
Natural and prepared childbirth:
oBased on the idea that childbirth is a normal and natural part of life rather than a
painful ordeal that women should fear
oEach involve a delivery in which physical and psychological preparation for birth
are stressed and medical assistance is minimized
oBirth could be considerably comfortable without medication if mothers are able to
prepare themselves with learning exercises, breathing methods, and relaxation
techniques
oMothers who have more knowledge, training, confidence, less anxiety in their
ability to delivery generally require less medication, have fewer interventions and
shorter labours - as well as mothers who are socially supported, and feel as
thought they have a trusted campanion
oLamaze classes - teaches a coach to help mother for labour by supporting
emotionally and physcially
Home Births:
oMidwife is trained in nonsurgical obstetrics - regulated profession
oBelieved home deliveries reduces fears, offers support from friends and family,
reduces reliance on medications and medical interventions
oMothers who deliver at home use less medication and have shorter labours
oAlternative birth centers - a hospital birthing room or independent facility that
provides a homelike atmosphere for childbirth but still makes medical technology
avaliable
Often allow “room in” option for baby’s can remain with their mother for
the first days opposed to hospital nursery
oDoula - woman experienced in childbirth who provides additional support and
advice
Social environment surrounding birth:
oMother’s experience:
First 6 - 12 hours is sensitive period for emotional bonding
Emotional bonding: term used to describe the strong affectionate
ties that parents may feel toward their infant; some theorists
believe that the strongest bonding occurs during this period
Allowing mother to be with baby as much as possible allows for healthiest
bonding and interaction outcomes for mothers and babies
Adpotive parents are able to develop strong emotional bonds with their
adpotees
Postpartum depression: strong feelings of sadness, resentment, and
despair that may appear shortly after childbirth and can linger for months
Poor support, particularily from father heightens the odds
Maternity blues - mild depression, only lasts a few weeks
oFather’s experience:
A mix of negative and positive emotions
Generally percieved as a major life event
Engrossment: paternal analogue pf maternal emotional bonding; term
used to describe fathers’ fascination with their neonates, including their
desire to touch, hold, caress, and talk to the newborn baby
Early father-infant interactions leads to more interactive and supportive
with their partner and new infant
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Birth Complications
o3 complications can adversely influence a baby’s development
Anoxia
Oxygen deprivation
Could happen when baby lying in breeched position, or born
feet/buttocks first, if sedatives given to mother pass through
placenta and interfere with baby’s breathing, if mucus is injested
gets lodged in throat during birth
C-section often performed to prevent
Potenial cause could be incompatibility between RH-positive fetus
and an RH-negative mother (antibodies that mother makes to fight
the protein, if they enter the baby’s blood though the placenta the
antibodies attack baby’s RBC which deplete’s oxygen, could
cause brain damage and other birth defects) - can now be
prevented though a vaccine
Babies with anoxia often are irritable and score low on motor and
mental development tests during their first 3 years
Affects of anoxia often not noticable by age 7
Prolonged oxygen deprivation can cause neurological damanfe
and permanent disabilities
Low birth weight
Preterm infants: infants born more than 3 weeks before their
normal due date (2500 g)
Less socially competent
Small-for-date babies: infants whose birth weight is far below
normal, even when born close to their normal due date (greater
risk of serious complications)
More likely to die during the first year or show signs of
brain damage
Stay small throughout childhood, experience learning
difficulties and problem behaviour, perform poorly on IQ
tests, less socially competent
Average newborn is: 48 - 53cm long, and weigh 3.2 - 3.6kg
Mothers who smoke, drink heavily, use drugs, malnourished
Low-income women from ethnic minority groups, or with
disabilities (have higher levels of stress in their lives, poorer
access to adequate diet and prenatal care)
Illnesses or accidents that impair functioning of the placenta can
slow fetal growth
Multiple babies in one uterus
Short-term consequences of low birth weight:
Surviving few days of life
Often born malformed, genetically abnormal and
malnourished
Generally immature
Brain development and neural pattern formation is different
- grey and white matter of the brain distributed differently
Low surfactant when born when making for respiratory
difficulties - this may lead to respiratory distress syndrome
(RDS)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Chapter 5 - birth and the newborn"s readiness for life. Perinatal environment: environment surrounding birth - mediations given to mother, delivery practises, social environment post delivery. The birth process: 3 stages of labour - Before labour beings, mother experiences uterine contractions (10-15 min apart), lasts 8 -14 hours for first borns and 3 - 8 hours for later-borns, ends when cervix has fully dilated so fetus" head can pass through. Delivery, when the fetus" head passes through the cervix into the vagina, can last anywhere from half an hour to and hour and a half, ends when baby emerges from mother"s body. Afterbirth, 5 - 10 min for uterus to contract again once baby is born and. The baby"s experience: expels the placenta: production of activating stress hormones helps infant adapt to stresses during birth like: oxygen deprivation, stress helps baby be born wide away and ready to breath, the baby"s appearance: Bluish in colour due to oxygen deprivation.
