Table 3. Recommended indicators for care behaviors and practices for newborns.

Program Element	Indicator	Numerator	Denominator	Comments	Recommended Question(s)
Recommended
Thermal care: drying	Percent of newborns dried after birth	Number of newborns dried after birth	Number of live last births in the X years prior to the survey	All births; timing assessment optional	Was (NAME) dried (wiped) after delivery?
Thermal care: delayed bath	Percent of newborns with first bath delayed at least six hours after birth	Number of newborns with first bath delayed at least six hours after birth	Number of live last births in the X years prior to the survey	All births; different timing categories can be calculated	How long after delivery was (NAME) bathed for the first time?
Cord care: clean cord cutting	Percent of newborns with cord cut with clean instrument	Number of newborns with cord cut using new blade or boiled instrument	Number of live last births (at home) in the X years prior to the survey	Home births only; questions on use of clean delivery kits can be included	What was used to cut the cord? Was the instrument used to cut the cord boiled prior to use?
Additional testing needed
Thermal care: skin-to-skin	Percent of newborns placed on the mother's bare chest after delivery	Number of newborns placed on the mother's bare chest after delivery	Number of live last births in the X years prior to the survey	All births; timing assessment optional	After the birth, was (NAME) put directly on the bare skin of your chest? (Show mother example of skin-to-skin position)
Cord care: applications to the umbilical cord	Percent of newborns with nothing (harmful) applied to cord	Number of newborns with nothing (harmful) applied to cord	Number of live last births in the X years prior to the survey	All births; “harmful" to be defined locally	Was anything applied to the cord after the cord was cut and tied, until the cord fell off? (If “yes") What was applied to the cord?

Surveys will vary in period of recall. Typically, DHS surveys use a recall period of five years, while MICS surveys use a two-year period. Interviewer records all substances put on the cord from cutting until it falls off. Harmful substances are determined locally and split out during analysis.