Immediately after birth, what is an essential step to prevent hypothermia in the newborn?

• A. Dry and warm the infant
• B. Immediate bathing to remove vernix
• C. Place infant in a cool, drafty area
• D. Delay drying until after the placenta is delivered

Answer: (A)

Immediately after birth, the newborn is wet and highly susceptible to heat loss. The best step to prevent hypothermia is to dry and warm the infant quickly. Drying removes the moisture that causes evaporative cooling, and warming helps establish a neutral thermal environment so the baby doesn’t lose heat to the surroundings. Using towels to dry the infant and then placing them under a radiant warmer or in close, warm skin-to-skin contact with the mother helps maintain the baby’s body temperature and reduces the work the infant’s body must do to stay warm.

Bathing right away would remove vernix and increase heat loss, not protect against it. Placing the infant in a cool, drafty area would promote cooling. Delaying drying until after the placenta is delivered isn’t relevant to the newborn’s immediate thermal protection.