How can a nurse help to prevent hypothermia in a newborn?

Providing skin-to-skin contact and using warm blankets is a highly effective way to prevent hypothermia in a newborn. Skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care, helps to regulate the newborn's body temperature by providing warmth from the mother's body. This method promotes thermal stability, enhances bonding between the mother and the infant, and can help initiate breastfeeding more effectively.

Additionally, warm blankets create a barrier against the cold environment, ensuring that the baby is kept at an appropriate temperature. Newborns have a high surface area-to-volume ratio, making them particularly vulnerable to heat loss. Therefore, these methods are crucial in maintaining normothermia in newborns, which is essential for their overall health and well-being.

Utilizing effective warming strategies like skin-to-skin contact and warm blankets is standard practice in neonatal care to prevent hypothermia and support the newborn’s transition to life outside the womb.