Newborn Caps, Enteral Feeding Tubes, Umbilical Cord Clamps, Neonatal Bulb Syringe Aspirators

A newborn, also called a neonate, is a child that is less than a month old. It is a time when changes in the child can happen very fast and critical events can occur. Therefore, it is imperative to have the correct supplies on hand to take care of their specific and varied needs.

What Supplies May be Needed for a Newborn?

An enteral feeling tube is a medical device that is used to provide nutrition to newborns through their mouth or nose, because they are unable to swallow safely. The delivery of the nutrition goes directly into their stomach to improve their nutritional intake. The placement of a feeding tube may be temporary for the treatment of a condition, or lifelong in the case of a chronic disability.

An umbilical cord clamp is a device used to hold the newborn’s cord in place, followed by the cutting of the cord. It is normally done a few minutes after birth, and the clamp may stay on for several days while the remaining cord attached to the baby dries up. Some umbilical cord clamps are combined with the cutter, or knife. These clamps are faster and safer because they allow you to first apply the clamp, and then cut the umbilical cord. Many clamps are plastic and look similar to a barrette with teeth that fit together as the cord is clamped. They have different fittings on the open side that click in place to achieve a secure fit.

A stuffy nose can make it hard for the baby to breathe making him or her fussy, especially when trying to eat or sleep. A bulb syringe, also called a nasal aspirator, can help clear the baby’s nasal congestion by removing the mucus from the nose or mouth. It can additionally be used to rinse out ears to help in removing cerumen/wax.

To use, first squeeze out the air of the bulb of the syringe to create a vacuum. Then, insert the rubber tip gently into one nostril, and slowly release the bulb to suction out the mucus. Remove the syringe and squeeze the bulb forcefully to get rid of the mucus from the syringe, wipe the syringe, and repeat the process for the other nostril. You may need to repeat the steps for each nostril to remove any excess mucus that is still in them. You can also gently put it into the newborn’s mouth to suction out any mucus, if needed.

It is always a good idea to be sure and clean the syringe well after each use. To clean it, suction up some warm, soapy water, shake it around, and squeeze out as much as possible. Then, follow up with plain water to rinse out any remaining soapy residue. Allow it to dry by propping it up with the tip down to drain.

Rehabmart is pleased to carry high quality newborn products from the innovative DeRoyal Company.

Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Co-Founder & CEO

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