How do you prevent flat spots on the back of a baby's head?

A. Maintaining ambient room temperature at 24° C (75° F) can help prevent heat loss by keeping the environment warm, but it does not specifically address evaporative heat loss. Evaporative heat loss occurs when moisture on the skin evaporates, which is not directly controlled by ambient temperature.

B. Drying the newborn's skin thoroughly reduces evaporative heat loss by removing moisture that can evaporate and cool the skin. This action is critical immediately after birth when the newborn is wet with amniotic fluid.

C. Preventing air drafts helps reduce convective heat loss, not evaporative heat loss. Convective heat loss occurs when air moves across the skin and carries heat away.

D. Placing the newborn on a warm surface helps reduce conductive heat loss by preventing heat transfer from the baby to a cooler surface. However, this does not address evaporative heat loss, which is specifically related to moisture evaporation from the skin.

Choice A: Warm the bottle in the microwave.

• Rationale: Warming bottles in the microwave is not recommended. Microwaving can cause uneven heating, creating hot spots in the milk or formula that can burn the baby's mouth. Instead, bottles should be warmed by placing them in a container of warm water or using a bottle warmer.

Choice B: Store prepared bottles in the refrigerator.

• Correct
• Rationale: Prepared bottles of formula should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. Formula should be used within 24 hours of preparation when properly stored in the refrigerator.

Choice C: Discard unused formula in used bottle after 2 hours.

• Correct
• Rationale: Any unused formula that has been in contact with the baby’s mouth should be discarded after 2 hours due to the risk of bacterial contamination. Bacteria from the baby's saliva can grow in the leftover formula.

Choice D: Never prop a bottle.

• Correct
• Rationale: Bottles should never be propped up and left in the baby’s mouth. This practice increases the risk of choking, ear infections, and tooth decay. Caregivers should always hold the bottle and the baby during feedings.

Choice E: Formula is available in three forms.

• Correct
• Rationale: Formula is available in three forms: powdered, concentrated liquid, and ready-to-feed. Parents should be informed of these options so they can choose the most convenient or appropriate form based on their needs.