Common terms - L
Lanugo
Lanugo is the fine hair which covers a baby's body and face. Most of this hair
is shed either before the 40th week of pregnancy or in the first few weeks
following birth.
Let-down reflex
Milk flow from the breast is controlled by hormones in the mother's body and
by baby sucking at the breast. When a mother sees or hears her baby or a breast
feed is begun, special cells within the breast are stimulated to push milk down
towards the nipple. This is called the let-down reflex.
Long line
A long line is a fine catheter that it is introduced into a vein in the arm
or leg with the end of the line lying close to the heart.
Low birth weight (LBW)
Low birth weight is used to describe babies whose weight is less than 2500
grams (5 pounds 8 ounces) at birth.
Lumbar puncture
A lumbar puncture is a procedure that is carried as part of an infection
screen. For the procedure the baby is held on his side in a curled position and
a fine needle is passed between the bones of the spinal column (back bone) into
the space around the spinal cord. Fluid drips out through the needle; it is
collected in a small pot and then sent for analysis.
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