Your baby was born just one minute ago, and he’s already taking his first test!

This test doesn’t measure intelligence or predict your baby’s long term health. This is the Apgar test, and it’s used strictly to tell you if your baby is adjusting to life in the world outside the womb.

In 1952, Dr. Virginia Apgar developed a standardized method for evaluating a newborn’s health upon birth. Babies are evaluated at one and five minutes old; some babies are also scored at 10, 15, and/or 20 minutes old. The test is designed to identify babies who may need a little extra help and care during their first few hours after the birth.

Babies are given a score of 0, 1 or 2 points in each of five attributes:

• heart rate (pulse)
• respiratory effort (respiration)
• muscle tone (activity)
• reflex response (grimace)
• skin color (appearance)

The points are added together to give an overall Apgar score:

• 8 to 10 points — baby is adjusting well to life outside the womb
• 4 to 7 points — baby requires some gentle stimulation (like massage)
• 3 or lower — baby needs active resuscitation

Generally, an Apgar score above 7 is good. And while the score itself is important, the trend between the one- and five-minute tests is equally important. If the baby’s score worsens by the five-minute test, he may have a serious problem.

Your doctor will guide you through this process. And remember: most babies are born healthy!

Visit Pregnancy & Baby for more about Apgar tests.

Whether or not to use pain medication during childbirth is black and white for some pregnant women, while others are not quite sure what they want. Many women hope to avoid medication altogether but realize — once labor starts — that asking for some pain relief may be a good idea. Giving birth is hard!

An epidural is a form of regional anesthesia that can take some of the pain out of labor and delivery by providing continuous pain relief to the body from the belly button down. With an epidural, you will be fully awake and comfortable. Women who’ve had epidurals describe the labor and delivery experience as calm, controlled and more comfortable.

The epidural is inserted into your back. You’ll feel a pinch and some pressure. A catheter is then inserted in your back which stays in place throughout your labor and delivery. The epidural blocks the pain, but you may still feel the pressure of contractions. Your legs may feel weak, numb or heavy, but your mind should stay clear — you’ll be alert and aware of what is happening.

An epidurals does have some risks:

• It may make it more difficult for you to push out the baby.
• It may cause your blood pressure to drop.
• It can cause a nasty headache.
• It may cause you to require a temporary urinary catheter.
• Some epidural medication does reach the baby, but the risks to the baby are minimal.

After the baby is born, your epidural may cause you to feel shivery. You’ll also notice numbness and tingling in your legs while the medication wears off, meaning you’ll be unable to walk around for a few hours after delivering. You may experience some soreness at the injection site. If you delivered by C-section, your doctor may continue the epidural for awhile longer to manage pain.

If you think the epidural is right for you, let your doctor know as soon as possible so, together, you can determine how early or late in your labor it is possible to get the epidural.

Opting to have an epidural is not a sign of weakness. Childbirth is one of the hardest, most painful things your body will ever go through. Wanting relief from the pain does not make you less of a mother.

Read more:

• Epidural: An option for you?
• How long does it take for an epidural to kick in?
• Quick labor and no time for epidural

Surgery for anyone is scary. Surgery for a child can be terrifying. Luckily, HealthDay News recently published tips provided by the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital for parents who are preparing their children for an upcoming surgery. According to the hospital, the following suggestions can ease the process and calm some fears-for both the child and parent-as they prepare for a procedure.

• Find out as much as you can about the surgery, so you can answer the child’s questions and reply with the right information.
• Be honest when answering questions, but make sure your responses are appropriate for the child’s age.
• Read books with your child about preparing for a trip to the hospital.
• Take a tour of the hospital, including areas where the child will be.
• If your child is old enough and mature enough to make a choice, let the child make it.

Elizabeth Cohen, a correspondent for CNN Medical News, has provided five bits of advice for parents who are heading to the ER with their child. You’ll see that you can plan ahead of time for that unplanned trip to the emergency room and make it go a lot smoother if and when it happens.

1. Find the right hospital. A children’s hospital is ideal but a general hospital that is child-friendly will do the trick; decide which hospital in your area fits the bill best.
2. Always keep a list of your children’s medications with you. Make sure it includes the names of the medications, the dosages, and how often they’re taken. Any medical conditions that your children have should be listed as well.
3. Complete a consent-to-treat form. If someone else is caring for your child for an extended length of time, complete one of these forms so the caregiver has it on hand if necessary.
4. Bring the poison too. If children have ingested something toxic, bring the substance with you to the ER and have an inkling about how much they swallowed.
5. Call your doctor en route. The pediatrician can call the ER and let them know you’re on your way; things might just go that much smoother.

Comfort toys and distraction toys are helpful to have with you-if you have time to grab them before you go. They can help soothe your child as well as distract them during the tough times inside the ER.