Final answer:
To reduce the risk of hypoglycemia in a full-term newborn, a nurse should maintain the infant's temperature, assess blood glucose levels, and encourage breastfeeding. Temperature maintenance and regular feeding support the infant's glucose levels. Monitoring and intake through breastfeeding are key to managing the newborn's nutritional status.
Step-by-step explanation:
To reduce the risk of hypoglycemia in a full-term newborn weighing 2900 grams, a nurse should take several important steps. First and foremost, maintaining the infant's temperature above 97.7°F is critical as it reduces the energy expenditure on heat production and thus the consumption of glucose reserves. While supplementary feeding with glucose water can be considered, it is generally more beneficial to establish and maintain regular breastfeeding, which provides not only glucose but also other nutrients and antibodies.
Assessing blood glucose levels every 3 hours for the first twelve hours can be important in monitoring the infant's glucose homeostasis and identifying any need for intervention. However, encouraging the mother to breastfeed every 4 hours may contribute to this process by providing the infant with a consistent source of glucose and supporting overall health. Breast milk is known for its perfect balance of nutrients tailored for the newborn.
It is also essential to note that newborns typically lose weight in the first week of life, but a healthy neonate should start gaining weight after this period. These practices help ensure that the baby is well-nourished and developing appropriately, reducing the risk of hypoglycemia.