NREMT Paramedic Practice

Providing tactile stimulation to a newborn primarily serves to encourage breathing. In newborns, especially those who may have had a difficult delivery or are not breathing effectively at birth, tactile stimulation can help initiate and improve respiratory effort. This includes actions such as gently rubbing or tapping the newborn, which can stimulate the nervous system and promote the onset of spontaneous breathing.

This technique is particularly vital in situations where the newborn may not respond quickly to other forms of resuscitation, as it acts as a prompt for the infant to take their first breaths. While feeding, calming, or promoting bonding are important aspects of caring for a newborn, they are secondary to the immediate need for establishing effective respiration in a newborn's early moments of life.