Doctors perform a test known as the Apgar score to check the newborn’s muscle tone, heart rate, respiration, skin color, and reflexes. The test is performed at least twice — at 1 minute after birth and again 5 minutes after birth. The first shows how the baby handled the process of birth, while the second shows how well the baby is doing outside of the mother’s womb.
The Apgar score is listed as either 0, 1, or 2. The higher the number, the better the baby is doing. For example, if the infant is crying, that would lead to a respiration score of 2. If breathing is irregular or slow, the score is 1. The score is 0 if the infant isn’t breathing at all.