Newborn Thermoregulation and Feeding

A newborn loses heat rapidly because the body has a large surface area relative to its mass, thin immature skin, little insulating fat, and no ability to shiver. Instead, the infant relies on non-shivering thermogenesis, which burns brown fat to generate heat. Brown fat lies around the nape of the neck, kidneys, between the scapulae and in the axillae. That response consumes oxygen and glucose, and the infant narrows peripheral vessels to draw heat back toward the core, so cold skin and mottling are early signs of cold stress. The four routes of heat loss are easy to connect to what the nurse sees: - Evaporation: fluid on the skin turns to vapour and cools the infant, especially immediately after birth or bathing. - Convection: moving air, such as a cold draft, carries heat away. - Conduction: contact with a cold scale, mattress, towel, hands or stethoscope transfers heat from the infant. - Radiation: heat moves from the infant toward nearby cold surfaces, such as a cold wall or window, even without direct contact. Each route has its own prevention:...