Soon after birth, your baby will receive:
- Erythromycin antibiotic ointment in his or her eyes to help prevent infection.
- An injection of vitamin k in his or her thigh to help prevent bleeding
- An examination to check breathing, heart rate, muscle tone, reflexes (apgar score) and temperature. Your baby will also be weighed and measured
- Matching identification bands are put on you and your baby for security reasons
The Apgar Score was created by Dr. Virginia Apgar, and her name can be used as an acronym for the test categories:
A = appearance (skin tone)
P = pulse (heart rate)
G = grimace (reflex reaction to nose/mouth suctioning)
A = activity level (muscle tone)
R = respiration (breathing)
Each category is worth a possible 2 points. This is just an observational wellness test your nurse or other healthcare provider gives baby at 1 minute and 5 minutes after his or her birth. If the healthcare provider is worried about baby’s Apgar Score, then the paediatric team may be called. This test does not screen for any health issues, it is just a tool used to measure baby’s wellness and/or need for more specialized care. (Note: 9/10 is usually considered a perfect Apgar Score because most newborns have bluish hands and feet still, by 5 minutes after they are born.)