Record the following information.

a. Exact date and time of delivery.

b. Sex of the infant.

c. Condition of the infant (APGAR) after birth.

APGAR is the most widely used method of evaluating the condition of a newborn baby. A value of 0 to 2 is given for each observation (i.e., heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color). The values are added giving a total APGAR score (see table 2-2). A baby in excellent condition would score 9 to 10 and a dead baby would score 0. Most babies score 7 or better. The condition of the infant will be taken at one (1) minute, at five (5) minutes, and at thirty (30) minutes.

Apgar Score Category 0 Points 1 Point 2 Points Heart Rate Absent <100 >100 Respiratory Effort Absent Slow, Irregular Good, crying Muscle Tone Flaccid Some flexion of extremities Active motion Reflex Irritability No Response Grimace Vigorous cry Color Blue, pale Body pink, extremities blue Completely pink

Table 2-2. Sample APGAR scoring chart.

d. Position of the infant at delivery.

e. Type of episiotomy, lacerations.

f. Spontaneous or forceps delivery.

g. Use of oxygen and suction on the infant.

h. Number of vessels in the cord.

i. Mother’s name.

j. Any other pertinent facts about the delivery.