PEDIATRIC HEALTH
Early Relational Health Starts with
Newborn Care By Alice K. Gong, MD
A
newborn baby comes with the promise of a brave new world, a new beginning. For that child to become the best that he or she can be, one thousand days of nurture and nutrition is needed, starting from when that fertilized egg is implanted through the first two years of life. For the purpose of this article, due to the high rates of mental health disruptions in our pandemic society, I will focus on the importance of emotional development and nurture. With every new life, connections between mother and baby start in-utero with the development of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The vagus nerve, cranial nerve X, originates in the brainstem and controls autonomic functions of the heart, lungs, stomach, pharynx, larynx, trachea, esophagus and gastrointestinal tract. The sensory branch me12
diates sensations from pharynx, larynx, thorax and abdomen. It is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, overseeing crucial bodily functions, controlling mood, immune responses, digestion and heart rate. Afferent fibers send information about the state of inner organs to the brain. Myelination of the vagus nerve starts in the last trimester of fetal life and continues to develop through the first year. These changes ensure that the newborn can breathe, obtain food and maintain body temperature. When birth is undisturbed and the baby is placed on the mother’s abdomen, he/she will naturally crawl to the breast, latch and suckle. This baby crawl is driven by smell. If the breast is washed, the baby will not find the breast. However, amniotic fluid on the breast will get the baby there. The mother will respond with
SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • September 2021
a milk letdown. The smell of the baby also triggers an oxytocin release in the mother, which helps jump-start the emotional connection between the dyad. The pressure receptors of the baby’s body are stimulated by the crawl. When mother hugs the baby, the pressure receptors are stimulated further. Skin to skin care of the newborn calms both mother and baby, allowing the baby to access nutrients whenever he/she wants. Research has shown that blood pressure, blood sugar and temperature are better regulated. The mother’s breasts can modulate the amount of heat that the baby needs. The distance of the baby’s face latch is perfect for the newborn to see the mother. The mother will hear the baby nursing. This early reciprocal social engagement of the mother and baby continues through the newborn period, allowing
