![]() ![]() Meconium is the medical term for the newborn infant's first stools. In late pregnancy, the baby produces a tarry green or black waste substance called meconium. If the baby's body does not properly break down bilirubin, it can lead to newborn jaundice.Ī baby's gastrointestinal system doesn't fully function until after birth. It produces a protein that helps break down bilirubin.It begins breaking down waste products such as excess red blood cells.It produces substances that help the blood to clot.When the baby is born, the liver has various functions: ![]() In the baby, the liver acts as a storage site for sugar (glycogen) and iron. The baby's body creates heat by burning stores of brown fat, a type of fat found only in fetuses and newborns. Receptors on the baby's skin send messages to the brain that the baby's body is cold. A small amount of heat is removed through the developing baby's skin, the amniotic fluid, and the uterine wall.Īfter delivery, the newborn begins to lose heat. The lungs inflate and begin working on their own, moving oxygen into the bloodstream and removing carbon dioxide by breathing out (exhalation).Ī developing baby produces about twice as much heat as an adult.Fluid drains or is absorbed from the respiratory system.Blood flow resistance of the baby's blood vessels also increases.Increased oxygen in the lungs causes a decrease in blood flow resistance to the lungs.Once the baby takes the first breath, a number of changes occur in the infant's lungs and circulatory system: This breath sounds like a gasp, as the newborn's central nervous system reacts to the sudden change in temperature and environment. The baby takes the first breath within about 10 seconds after delivery. Most of it goes to the heart and flows through the baby's body.Īt birth, the baby's lungs are filled with fluid. Oxygen and carbon dioxide flow through the blood in the placenta. The mother's placenta helps the baby "breathe" while it is growing in the womb. ![]()
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