Newborn Appearance and Behavior
Newborn appearance and behavior was explained
and reinforced with audiovisual support. Crying as
early communication and potential interventions to
soothe crying babies as demonstrated by Dr. Karp’s
methods (Karp, 2014) and soothing measures for
parents were discussed (Lyons, 2007; Vaziri, 2010).
The potential for shaken baby syndrome, identifying
a safety plan, and how parents could best use their
resource network were also discussed.
One of the biggest adjustments new parents face
amidst so much role transition is the impact taking
care of babies has on their sleep pattern (Weissbluth,
2009). A written handout prepared by a certified
pediatric nurse practitioner (CPNP) covered how
to provide a safe sleeping environment while following
current recommendations for sudden infant
death syndrome (SIDS) prevention, co-bedding,
and co-sleeping. Normal infant sleep patterns, development,
and preventing sleep problems were also
addressed.