a. Until the infant’s first breath of air is taken, the alveoli (air sacs) in the lungs are in an almost complete state of collapse.

The lungs should be in this state because the lung must not fill with amniotic fluid or other liquids.

However, the fluid/liquid that flows in the lungs during normal delivery is squeezed or drained from the infant lungs. The major portion of the fluid is absorbed after delivery by the avcolar membranes into the blood capillaries.

b. The most frequent cause of respiratory difficulty in the first few hours of birth has been due to the too liberal use of sedatives, tranquilizers, analgesics, and anesthetics that affect not only the mother, but pass over the placenta to the infant. These drugs make the baby sleepy and disinclined to take the first breath.