The Term Newborn: Delivery Room Triage and Transitions of Care

Term newborn infants without significant medical problems usually transition from fetal to newborn life without medical assistance. Infants requiring therapy often need care in a neonatal intensive care unit as opposed to a well-baby unit. Infants with unclear physiologic status or disease that may require therapies in the immediate newborn period may benefit from a period of observation with close monitoring before admission to a well-baby unit. Whenever possible, providing care for a newborn infant in an area that provides care for the newborn and mother together in the same room facilitates adaptation to normal breastfeeding and family bonding.