Newborn & Infant Care: Expert Guidance for Your Baby's First Year

The APGAR test measures five key signs to assess a newborn's health: Appearance (skin color), Pulse (heart rate), Grimace (reflex response), Activity (muscle tone), and Respiration (breathing). Each is scored to give a clear picture of your baby's condition right after delivery.

Performed at one and five minutes after birth, the APGAR score is a vital tool for our neonatal team. It allows us to quickly identify if a baby needs immediate respiratory support or other medical attention, ensuring a safe and healthy start.

As our Senior Consultant Paediatric Intensivist, Dr. Rajiv Aggarwal, explains, a baby's first cry is reassuring but not the only sign of health. Our team uses the Apgar score and other clinical observations to assess a newborn's well-being, providing peace of mind for new parents.

What if your newborn doesn't cry at birth? This is a common worry, but often not a cause for alarm. A smooth C-section, prematurity, or mucus in the airway can delay crying. Our doctors assess breathing, skin color, and muscle tone to determine if any intervention is needed.

Newborn jaundice, or Kaamala, is a common and usually natural process as a baby's liver matures. In this video, our paediatrician Dr. Saranya Manikraj explains why it happens, what the bilirubin levels mean, and how we treat it with phototherapy when necessary, ensuring your baby remains safe and healthy.

Delayed umbilical cord clamping is a practice we support when appropriate, as it allows nutrient-rich blood to transfer from the placenta to the newborn. This can increase iron reserves and improve cardiovascular stability, giving your baby physiological advantages right from birth.

Swaddling recreates the snug, secure feeling of the womb, helping to calm the startle reflex and promote longer, more restful sleep for your newborn. We guide parents on how to swaddle safely, ensuring the wrap is firm but allows for healthy hip movement.

Skin-to-skin contact, or Kangaroo Care, is a powerful practice we encourage immediately after birth. Placing your baby on your bare chest helps regulate their heart rate, breathing, and temperature, while also stimulating hormones that support breastfeeding and bonding.

The first week with your newborn is a whirlwind of feeding, sleeping, and learning. This guide covers what to expect, from how often to feed and how many wet diapers to look for, to when you should seek medical help for things like fever or jaundice.