If you’re new to this whole being a mum or dad business and you’re losing your head over a ton of things to think about and figure out, don’t worry, we’ve all been there before! We’ve got to figure out feeding, car seats, sleeping areas, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS, and that’s a big wrecker of nerves), having people visit, and all those are just a few things that concern baby! We haven’t even gotten to mum’s needs yet.
Your first week with baby will definitely be tough, but you’re in this together with your spouse and you’ll pull through. Just imagine what they’ll be like when they’re teenagers! Here are 8 things that new parents usually do wrong with baby:
1. Keeping to a Feeding Schedule
It’s only the first week! Don’t come up with a feeding schedule for them yet. Baby’s first job is to eat a lot and grow a lot; although they may lose some weight in their first week due to shedding of ‘water weight’, they’ll quickly pile on the baby fats soon enough!
It’s better to feed baby on demand rather than keep to a schedule – this will ensure that baby is well-fed and helps in establishing your milk supply. Make sure that baby doesn’t go more than 4 or 5 hours between feeds. They’ll usually tell you when they’re hungry, so keep an eye and ear out for their cues!
2. Trying to Remove the Umbilical Cord’s Stub
Okay, no. Just… no. Don’t fiddle with or poke the stub of the umbilical cord because you think that it looks weird on baby. You might cause undue discomfort to baby or, even worse, cause it to get infected! The stub will dry up and fall off on its own, so don’t khe kiang and pull it out!
What you should be doing is looking for signs of infection – pus, inflammation or swelling – and cleaning around the stub. Use a damp cloth or scentless baby wipe to clean around the area and then dry it off before putting the diaper on them. Make sure that you fold down the top of the diaper so it won’t rub against the stub too.
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3. Following Breastfeeding Positions 100%
Mums of newborns follow almost everything to the letter, and breastfeeding is one of them. You don’t need to suffer in an awkward position to breastfeed baby; all that does is make you ache a lot more than you already are aching, and might even cause you stress while you’re feeding.
What you can do is to adjust those breastfeeding positions and holds to make them as comfortable for you while still being safe for baby. Use pillows to lift baby up and cushions to increase the comfort factor for yourself.
4. Having a Whole Lot of Visitors
When you’re back from the hospital, your family and friends will definitely want to visit baby and you, but that’s actually not what you should do (at least not for the moment)! Baby’s immune system is still developing, and they’re prone to falling sick because of germs – and the more people that visit you, the more germs they’ll bring with them.
Mums will also need to recover from the birth and both parents will be getting used to the routine of having baby at home, so any visitors around might place undue stress on the household! Make sure that anyone who’s sick is kept far away from you and baby, and should only visit after they’ve fully recovered – they’ll have to deal with videocalls or facetime in the meantime.
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5. Turning Into a Hermit
This sounds contradictory and at odds with the previous point, but heading out to enjoy a bit of sunshine is great for both baby and mum! If baby still has a bit of jaundice, be extra careful about letting the sun shine on them – their skin will be more sensitive to the effects of sunlight.
Heading out for a short while with baby (morning sunlight is the best!) helps mum feel like she’s part of the world too, and not just resting at home. It’ll also help her keep postpartum depression at bay – being active is one of the best ways to fight depression.
6. Shouldering The Burden By Yourself
One of the biggest mistakes that a new mum does wrong is assuming that she can handle everything by herself. If you’re struggling or have any questions about caring for baby, check with your family and friends on how they took care of their own babies.
An alternative would be to join Facebook groups specifically for mummies, such as 2018 SG Mummys, a closed group where Singaporean mums are able to share tips and tricks, as well as having an open space for discussion and support. If you have a surplus of breastmilk or require more of it, you can either donate or ask the mummies there for donations!
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7. Not Keeping to a Schedule
The last point that we have slightly contradicts our first point! However, the only thing that you shouldn’t keep on a schedule is feeding – feeding should be on demand whenever baby wants it, especially when they’re going through a growth spurt.
The schedule is for creating a routine that you and your partner can get used to. For example, change their diaper when they wake up, start feeding them, burp them, play with them, and give them tummy time (after their umbilical cord stub has fallen off).
Having a routine is important for us as it actually gives us more free time! It allows us to think and plan less, and a carefully designed routine/schedule will help us prioritise important things to work on first.
However, we need to account for things that will break our baby schedules, at least in the first few months. You’ll have to be patient and understanding if baby poops more than usual or if they’ve fallen sick!
8. Comparing Yourself to Other Parents on Social Media
One thing to remember for all Facebook and Instagram posts – they only show the good moments! Don’t compare yourself to them, and especially not celebrity parents who’re able to get all those cute outfits and have perfect photoshoots.
No one is perfect, and that definitely extends to parenting. The less than pretty moments like when you both look like half-eaten, day-old cai png after the baby wrecking ball visited you the last few nights; those moments are definitely not Insta worthy and won’t get posted!
Instead, all you see are happy, smiling, make-up laden mummies with their equally cheerful babies! Rest easy, because behind all those perfect photos are parents who are going through the exact same thing that you’re going through too.
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For both new and experienced mums, one thing that’s on our minds is ‘how can we keep baby clean?’ Ensuring that baby is clean is important, as it keeps harmful bacteria and germs off them, but it may not be as straightforward as how we keep ourselves clean!
Babies are a lot more delicate than us, and cleaning them needs a deft hand, a healthy amount of determination, and the right knowledge. Luckily, we’ve got 5 simple hygiene tips to help keep baby clean!
1. The Umbilical Cord
When baby’s born, there’s be a little stub of what remains of their umbilical cord that’ll dry up and fall off after a few weeks. Before it falls off though, you’ll have to gently keep it clean to make sure it doesn’t prematurely fall off.
Use a damp and soft cloth (without soap) to dab around the area before allowing it to dry. When you’re putting on their diaper, try not to allow the top of the diaper to cover the umbilical cord – covering it will make it difficult for the piece to dry up and fall off.
2. Baby Girls
An important thing to remember when cleaning a baby girl is the front to back method, from her belly to her butt. The reason for this is because if you wipe from butt to belly, you might bring faecal matter into her delicate and sensitive baby girl parts, which could cause an infection.
After doing the front to back cleaning, ensure that your baby girl’s lady bits are cleaned up as well – there are a multitude of folds where bacteria and dirt can build up. Gently separate the folds and clean them with a warm and damp cloth without the use of soap.
After cleaning her, make sure you gently pat her diaper area dry, because moisture trapped in your baby girl’s diaper can also cause irritation and infections.
3. Baby Boys
If your baby boy was circumcised, they’ll definitely be sore while they’re healing up. One good thing is that it’ll heal pretty quickly, but during that period of healing, diapers can and will cause them discomfort and pain! This is because when the circumcised wound is raw, the material of the diaper can stick to the wound, which will be very painful.
To help with this, apply some baby-friendly ointment to the area inside the diaper that comes into contact with the circumcised bits – it’ll prevent the wound from sticking to the diaper and causing unneeded pain!
For uncircumcised boys, there’s no need to need to pull back the foreskin to clean under it, as it’ll actually hurt baby’s private parts. Just use a wet cloth (without soap as usual!) to dab around the area and then dry it off before you put a diaper on him.
4. Frequent Diaper Changing
Keep an eye and nose out for dirty and soiled diapers! You’ll be changing diapers non-stop in your first few months, and it’s essential that you do it as soon as possible. If you leave baby in a dirty diaper for too long, the moisture can cause an uncomfortable rash on their bottom and private areas.
5. Oral Hygiene
Just because baby doesn’t have teeth yet doesn’t mean we should skip on oral hygiene for them! Their gums will still have bacteria on them which can cause gum disease if not properly cleaned. Once a day, use a soft and damp cloth to clean baby’s mouth and gums – it’ll wipe away the gunk and bacteria and will also prepare them for when their teeth come in! When baby is teething, using a cool and damp cloth will also help soothe their swollen gums.
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A newborn’s tummy is extremely delicate. His system is still developing, and occasional tummy troubles are bound to happen. This in turn will cause you to go into panic mode as he’s crying, and you don’t know what’s the cause! Learn how to recognise the common issues and tackle it like a pro.
Gas pain
What it is: Air can get into baby’s belly and, as she's digesting, get stuck. Think of it like a balloon of air in the intestines! It causes pressure, which can be painful.
Causes: Babies are prone to gas. But it’s totally natural—it gets produced by the normal bacteria that live in baby’s gut. Crying, fussing and bottle-feeding can all put extra air bubbles there too.
How to spot it: If baby has gas pain, his belly might look inflated, or he might be arching his back or squirming a lot because it's uncomfortable. Baby's probably fussy too, which can make the gas even worse, since he could swallow a bunch of air while crying. Usually, gas pain is at its worst when baby is about 6 to 8 weeks old. But know that gas pains aren’t usually cause for medical concern, and soon baby will outgrow getting them so badly.
How to help: Try to get the gas out: Lay baby down and gently bicycle his legs forward and backward, and try pushing his knees to the chest, repeating several times. If you’ve seen a doctor for this, they will give you gas drops for baby, that could help too.
Spitting up / Reflux
What it is: We're sure you know what this is, because you’ve probably been slimed many times already!
What can cause it: Chalk it up to an immature digestive system. The valve that closes the stomach off from the oesophagus and prevents food and drink from going back up isn't as strong in babies as it is in adults. The result? Baby’s food can easily make a reappearance—especially when she eats too much or too fast.
How to spot it: Spitting up is just spitting up, as long as baby seems perfectly content afterward. It will only be a medical problem if baby is coughing, choking, gagging, has poor weight gain or projectile vomiting.
How to help: Work on prevention. Stop halfway through a feeding (when you switch breasts or baby's had half the bottle) for a burp so baby has extra time to digest and you get excess air out before it gets stuck in there. Then burp baby at the end of the feeding too. If you’re having trouble getting the burp out, try some different positions. Also try keeping baby upright for about 20 minutes after the feeding, while she’s digesting.
Other than that, there isn’t much more you can do. If you’ve got a frequent spitter-upper, accept that you’re going to have to be super-prepared with extra clothes, bibs and burp cloths when you take baby out. You’ll probably do a ton of laundry too. It’s a pain, but temporary—it usually gets better when baby is around 6 months to one year old.
Constipation
What it is: It’s not what you probably think—babies can poop anywhere from 8 to 10 times a day to once every 7 to 10 days and still be considered just fine, as long as they’re not uncomfortable. Rather, constipation is about them having trouble pooping when they actually have to go.
What can cause it: Baby can get constipated when you switch to a new food, like from breast milk to formula, formula to regular milk, or when you introduce new solids.
How to spot it: Keep an eye on consistency. If baby is constipated, the poop will come out as hard little balls or he’ll be farting a lot and will be straining to try to poop. Also, beware of black, red or maroon baby poop, which could mean there’s blood in it. Blood could be a sign of something more serious, so call baby’s doctor if you see it. Yellow, green and brown poops are fine!
How to help: First, ask baby’s doctor to recommend a treatment. Depending on baby’s age, the doctor may say it’s okay to give baby some apple or pear juice.
Diarrhoea
What it is: Diarrhoea in babies refers to frequent, loose, really watery stools. Diarrhoea is scary in babies because it can cause them to become dangerously dehydrated.
What can cause it: Diarrhoea usually only happens if baby’s exposed to a virus (maybe through a big sibling) or if she’s eaten something that was contaminated or spoiled, though certain foods can also cause a problem.
How to spot it: Normal poop in babies, especially if breastfed, tend to be runnier than the normal poop in adults—so don’t mistake that for the big D. What you’re looking for is an “excessive watery stool”.
How to help: Since baby is losing the fluid she needs, diarrhoea requires a visit to the doctor to make sure baby is not losing too much weight and to detect the root of the problem.
Make sure baby's drinking plenty of liquids (breast milk or formula) and is wetting at least four to five diapers a day if he or she’s an infant (as opposed to the three to four for toddlers).
Avoid giving baby juice as juice can make it worse because all its sugar content causes the gut to excrete more water.
Article was adapted from The Bump.
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What is the soft spot?
Your baby was born with two noticeable soft spots called fontanels on the top and back of his head. Your baby’s skull is made up of bones that connect at the soft spots which are made of a tough membrane which allows baby’s head to be flexible. This is necessary so that baby’s head can fit through the birth canal during labour. Without the soft spots, baby’s head might get stuck on the way out! This is why you might have noticed some baby’s head are a shape of a cone when they’re born.
Why so babies have soft spots
Other than helping it fit through the birth canal, the soft spots are also to allow room for baby’s head to grow. As baby’s brain grows, his skull needs to be able to expand. The soft spot on the top of baby’s head may actually get bigger during his first 2 to 3 months to accommodate his rapid brain growth. After which, it starts to close up.
Should I avoid touching the soft spots?
Many parents worry that they’re putting pressure on baby’s brain. But it’s okay to touch it! Just be gentle, of course. The soft spots is actually a thick membrane so you won’t hurt baby by touching it.
When will the soft spot close?
The posterior fontanel, the spot at the back of the head, will close first. It usually closes by 2 – 4 months old. The anterior fontanel on the front of the head closes much later. On average, it closes at around 18 months, but earlier at 9 – 12 months for some.
During your baby’s 18 month milestone check-up, the nurses or doctor will examine the spot to ensure that it is closing normally.
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It is believed that the confinement period carries traditional practices to help new mothers recover from the rigours of pregnancy and childbirth. During this period, a new mother must observe all confinement taboos and consume a special diet. Although each ethnic group has its own unique practices, their fundamental purpose is similar, which is to nurture the physical and emotional well-being of new mothers.
Confinement taboos
Unlike earlier generations, some new mothers prefer less restrictions and may even choose not to observe the traditional practices of the confinement period. However, there are mothers who still recognise the virtues of confinement, particularly the enforced rest and limited movement outdoors. Whichever you choose, do what is comfortable for you.
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Confinement Diet
During your confinement period, a special diet is prepared to boost your immune system and regain your strength.
Like the Chinese and Malay confinement diet, all “cooling” foods are to be avoided, especially tomatoes, coconut and mutton. However, Indian mums are only allowed to consume chicken and shark fish cooked with herbs. Certain gourd vegetables such as lauki, tori and betel leaves are supposed to help boost milk supply.
Because consuming plenty of garlic is encouraged, garlic milk is drunk during the course of confinement. Cooking can only be done with gingly oil. These foods are aimed at preventing “wind” from entering the body.
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Baby Shower
During the confinement period, visiting is restricted to allow new mums to recover from childbirth and prevent your baby from being exposed to, or coming down with, any infection. Once the month (or so) is up, a celebration is held by presenting gifts to the mother.
Unlike Chinese and Malay families, a new Indian baby celebrates his first year of life with a purification ritual called Mudan (head tonsuring). This ritual is believed to rid the child of his past life’s negativity and bestows upon the child a long life, better future and protects him from the evil eye.
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Has your newborn baby just been diagnosed with jaundice? While it is normal for you to be worried and stressed out, Jaundice, or hyperbilirubinemia, is a common condition that many newborn babies develop. Although it is usually benign, jaundice can cause serious complications in newborns if left untreated. So, read our post below and learn how to deal with Jaundice in newborns.
When neonates have too much bilirubin in their blood, it causes the skin and sclerae (whites of the eye) to turn yellow in color. Bilirubin is a byproduct that forms when the body breaks down old red blood cells. This is a normal and healthy process. Bilirubin usually circulates in the blood before reaching the liver and making its way into the gallbladder through the bile duct. When the body digests fats, the gallbladder releases bilirubin in small quantities into the small intestine. After stimulating the digestion of fats, bilirubin is excreted from the body in the stool (feces). Your baby gets jaundice when the body produces more bilirubin than the liver can metabolize and excrete out of the body.
There are many reasons your newborn infant has a higher buildup of bilirubin. Some of these include:
Jaundice in infants are treatable and usually is not a cause for concern. The neonatologist will check your baby a few days after birth for jaundice. Remember if the jaundice is severe, i.e. the bilirubin count is more than 25 mg, and you don’t get your infant treated, it could result in deafness, cerebral palsy or brain damage. In some infants, jaundice is indicative of an underlying health problem, like thyroid disorder or an infection.
Jaundice is more common among newborns than you can imagine. Estimates reveal 6 out of 10 babies develop jaundice after birth, and 8 out of 10 premature babies develop the condition. A premature birth is when your baby is born before the 37th week of your pregnancy. However, just one in 20 babies require treatment due to a high buildup of bilirubin in the blood.
Doctors still haven’t been able to find out why breastfeeding increases a newborn baby’s chances of developing jaundice. But in most cases, the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the disadvantages. So, you should always breastfeed your newborn infant even though the fear of jaundice may be lurking at the back of your mind.
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It is natural as a mother you will want to know why your newborn infant develops jaundice. There are many causes of jaundice in newborn babies. If you know more about them, it will help ease the stress you are experiencing and help you pay more attention to caring for and nurturing your infant.
Also known as normal jaundice, physiological jaundice develops because your baby’s liver is still growing and maturing and does not have the ability to function optimally. The form of jaundice appears two to four days after birth and is usually mild. It disappears after your baby is a week or two weeks old.
When newborn babies don’t get sufficient breast milk due to problems associated with breastfeeding or your body is unable to produce milk, it could result in your baby developing jaundice. You should not feel guilty because this has nothing to do with you. Breastfeeding jaundice also doesn’t develop because of a problem with your breast milk. If your baby develops this type of jaundice, your OB/GYN and the neonatologist will recommend involving a lactation consultant.
Breast milk jaundice is different from breastfeeding jaundice. So, don’t get the two mixed up. In rare cases, in about 1 to 2 out of 100 babies, substances in the breast milk cause your baby’s bilirubin levels to spike. These substances prevent the body from excreting the bilirubin. The characteristic yellow skin coloration manifests after three to five days of birth but improves slowly over a period of three to 12 weeks.
Usually, you and your baby have the same blood types. In instances, where your baby has a different blood type from you, your body will produce antibodies as it perceives your baby’s red blood cells as a threat. This results in a buildup of bilirubin in your baby’s blood, leading to in-vitro jaundice. Previously, Rh-related issues used to result in severe jaundice in babies. However, with the advent of Rh immune globulin injections, these issues are preventable.
Babies born prematurely, or before 37 weeks of pregnancy, have a high risk of developing jaundice. A premature baby’s liver is not completely developed to excrete bilirubin. This causes a buildup of bilirubin in the blood, resulting in jaundice. If your baby is premature, don’t worry. The doctor will commence treatment even if bilirubin levels are low to avoid complications.
If your newborn baby develops jaundice, you will notice the skin and whites of the eyes turning yellow. This yellowish color develops anytime between the second and fourth day after the birth of your baby and is the most characteristic sign of jaundice.
In case, you notice a yellowish hue on your baby’s skin, switch on the lights in the room or allow ample natural light to filter in so that you can clearly see your baby’s skin. Then gently press your baby’s nose or forehead. If the skin appears yellow at the place you pressed, your baby may have a mild case of jaundice. On the other hand, if the skin doesn’t have a yellow hue after pressing, you have no reason to worry. Your baby’s skin is just lighter than what is should be, and in due course, the skin will get its normal color.
Sometimes, it can be tough to spot changes in your baby’s skin color. This happens if the skin tone is dark. If this is the case, look for the yellow color in other places, like:
If your newborn baby has jaundice, you also will notice many other symptoms like:
If your baby has severe jaundice, consult the neonatologist immediately. Severe jaundice is life-threatening and can result in complications. Some of the symptoms associated with severe jaundice include:
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If your baby has a mild case of jaundice, it will disappear on its own within two to three weeks. On the other hand, if your baby has moderate to severe newborn jaundice, he will require treatment to bring down his bilirubin levels.
Babies with moderate jaundice are given phototherapy. As the name suggests, this treatment uses light to lower bilirubin levels. The light results in photo-oxidation, which adds oxygen to bilirubin so that it dissolves in water. This allows the liver to metabolize the bilirubin present in the blood and excrete it from the body.
The doctor will recommend one of the two types of phototherapy:
Here, your baby is placed under a fluorescent or halogen lamp. During the treatment session, your baby’s delicate eyes are covered.
This is a unique treatment where you baby is enveloped in a blanked called biliblanket. The blanket contains fiber-optic cables through which light travels and bathes your baby in it. The treatment lasts for about one to two days. During the treatment, you would have to feed the baby every two to three hours to prevent dehydration. Biliblanket usually is used to treat premature babies.
Each phototherapy session lasts for three to four hours followed by a 30-minute break that lets you feed, change and cuddle with your baby. Then the treatment session resumes. On the other hand, if the doctor deems fit to recommend continuous multiple phototherapies, there are no breaks. You would have to pump out your breast milk, which your baby receives intravenously or through a stomach tube.
Once phototherapy starts, your baby’s bilirubin levels will be tested every four to six hours. As the levels start falling, the levels will be checked every six to 12 hours. The treatment ceases once bilirubin comes down to safe levels.
Phototherapy lasts for a day or two and is relatively safe. Your baby may develop a temporary tan or rash, but will not experience any other side effect.
If your baby’s bilirubin levels are high, or phototherapy doesn’t bring down the levels, doctors will perform a type of blood transfusion known as exchange transfusion. Here, a small amount of your infant’s blood is removed and is replaced with matching donor blood. The logic behind this treatment is that the donor blood contains no bilirubin. Hence, your baby’s bilirubin levels will come down quickly after the transfusion.
Exchange transfusion is a lengthy process. During the transfusion, your baby will be carefully monitored to ensure no problem or complication occurs. If it does, doctors can treat your baby quickly.
Two hours after the transfusion, your infant will have a blood test to find out whether the treatment was successful. The doctor may repeat the procedure if bilirubin levels don’t come down.
If the newborn jaundice is due to an underlying health problem, like an infection, doctors will treat the source of the problem to bring bilirubin count down.
Sometimes, you and your baby may have different blood groups. So, your baby may be carrying antibodies, which result in bilirubin spike. Under such circumstances, your little one receives IVIG, or intravenous immunoglobulin, to stop the continuous rise of bilirubin.
If there is mild jaundice in newborns, the doctor may recommend changes in the feeding patterns. You may have to breastfeed your baby more often to facilitate bowel movement. This helps in increasing the amount of bilirubin excreted out of the body through the stool. You may have to breastfeed your baby eight to 12 times a day.
If your neonate is on formula, the doctor will recommend feeding 1 to 2 ounces every two to three hours.
You cannot prevent your newborn baby from contracting jaundice. The good news is if your baby does develop newborn jaundice, there are many different treatments available to ensure the condition doesn’t take a turn for the worse.
Make sure your baby stays well-hydrated first few days after birth. This helps to flush out excessive bilirubin from the body quickly. You can ensure optimal hydration by breastfeeding your infant eight to 12 times a day or giving 1 to 2 ounces of formula every two to three hours.
Also, keep a close eye on your baby for the first five days after birth. If you notice your baby’s skin and eyes turning yellow, contact your doctor immediately.
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Article written by K. Masthoff
Are you driving yourself crazy thinking about poop color and frequency? Well, let us help you out a bit on how often should newborns poop!
Let’s start from the beginning. The first poop your newborn passes is called Meconium. Its appearance may shock you a little, but don’t worry! It is supposed to look all tarry.
Prematurity can lead to delayed passing of meconium. If your baby hasn’t passed her first stool within 48 hours of her birth, the doctors may want to investigate a little.
Once you are back home, and your baby has started feeding, you can expect the frequency and color of her poop to change. From a tarry black, to a more mustard color, newborn poop can take on all kind of hues.
How often should a newborn poop is not something you should worry about. As long as she is eating well and looks happy, the poopy diapers should be the least of your worries. But there are times a talk with the pediatrician would help. Call your doctor if:
There is no fixed ‘normal’ when it comes to how often should newborns poop. So, don’t stress about it. Your friend’s infant may poop ten times a day while your little one may pass one measly poop a day. Both are equally okay. Just keep feeding her on demand and watch out for wet diapers. Your newborn is doing fine, don’t worry!
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Article written by Chhandita Chakravarty
The first few days and months of motherhood are fraught with anxiety. Babies are so tiny and helpless that it is normal to worry about their well being. And you do have a cause for worry. Newborn baby problems cannot be ignored as babies are so delicate.
Infants and babies have immune systems that are still developing. So, even minor illnesses can lead to serious complications. That is why it is important to understand all that can go wrong with your little one in her early days.
When it comes to health problems, the newborn stage is the most critical. Here are a few health conditions that are fairly common in newborns:
Most newborns have protruding bellies. But if your baby’s belly feels hard and swollen in between feeds, do some sleuthing. Nine times out of 10, it will be just gas or constipation, but sometimes a swollen belly can indicate a serious underlying condition.
A difficult labor can leave your newborn with some birth injuries. Most newborn recover pretty quickly from these injuries, so don’t stress about it. Some of the common birth injuries, your infant may suffer from include a broken collarbone, muscle weakness, forceps marks, etc.
Baby skin problems include bluish skin.It is pretty normal for babies to have blue hands and feet, but this may not be a cause of concern. In some cases, newborns can also develop blueness around their mouth and tongue while crying. But the blueness goes away with time. But if your baby does not get her pink skin back, you need to consult your doctor immediately.
It is normal for a baby to cough when she is feeding as sometimes the milk can come in too fast. But if your baby has a cough that refuses to go away or if she often gags during feeding see a doctor. It may indicate a problem with the lungs or the digestive system. If your little one is coughing incessantly, especially at night, you’ll also need to rule out whooping cough.
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Jaundice is a common problem among newborns. Many infants have high bilirubin levels at birth as their livers are still immature. Most cases of jaundice in newborn resolve with time. But it can also cause serious problems. So, let your doctor prescribe a treatment to cure jaundice. An earlier theory that neonatal jaundice causes brain damage proved to be a false alarm.
It takes a newborn a few hours to breath normally. But once her body learns to breath, she should have no more difficulties. Breathing problems in babies happen due to many issues.If you notice your baby is having difficulty in breathing, check her nasal passage. In most cases, difficulty in breathing occurs due to a blockage in the nasal passages. You can treat this problem with the use of saline drops.
But if you notice any of the following symptoms, go see your pediatrician immediately:
If you had a preterm labor, your baby is at a higher risk of developing respiratory distress.
Vomiting is a common health problem among infants. It is normal for infants to spit up milk after feeds. But frequent vomiting is not normal. To prevent frequent vomiting and spit ups, make sure your baby is not lactose intolerant or allergic to breast milk. You also need to burp your baby frequently to prevent her from throwing up her entire meal. If your child is vomiting and not gaining adequate weight, she might need medical intervention. Also, watch out for the color. If your baby’s vomit looks green, talk to your doctor about possible infections and treatment options. Digestive issues could also lead to vomiting.
A fever is not the problem. A fever is just an indicator that your baby’s body is fighting off an infection. Mild fevers don’t even need medical intervention. But if your little one is running a high fever, let your doctor have a look at her. High fever (102 F) can be a cause of serious worry and lead to seizures.
Is your little one crying without break, and you can’t figure out why? You can blame it on colic! Colicky babies are otherwise healthy and show no other signs of discomfort. Do check if your baby is allergic to the formula you are using as that too can cause colic in babies. Thankfully, most cases of colic resolve by the time your baby reaches three months of age.
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Infants and babies have sensitive skins. So it is common for them to experience skin problems. Some of the common skin problems your baby may encounter include:
One of the more common skin problems in babies is diaper rash. To prevent this common yet painful condition, keep the following points in mind:
• Cradle cap too is a common skin problem among babies. If your baby is suffering from cradle cap, try:
Some infections are common among infants and babies. Viral infections like cold and flu are normally harmless and go away without playing much havoc with your baby’s health. But for infants, a simple cold can turn into pneumonia, a very serious medical condition. So, it is important to see your doctor, even if your baby has a harmless cold.
Ear infections are also extremely common among little ones. If your infant or baby is tugging at her ear and is fussier than usual, she may have an ear infection. Viral infections go away once they run their course, but bacterial infections may need a dose of antibiotics.
Oral thrush is another infection that may attack your tiny tot. When yeast takes over your baby’s mouth, she’ll be diagnosed with oral thrush. Talk to your pediatrician and see if your little one needs a prescription of antifungal medication.
Diarrhea is also common among infants and babies. As long as you keep your baby hydrated, you need not worry about diarrhea.
Is your baby straining while passing stool? She may be suffering from constipation! Common among babies, constipation is not a big health issue unless it is causing your little one acute discomfort.
The list of health issues that can affect an infant can be endless.There could be kidney problems in babies and eye problems in infants. But this list contains all the common problems you may encounter. Don’t worry. Your little one will outgrow this vulnerable phase before you even realize it.
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Article written by Chhandita Chakravaty
When your little one was in your womb, the only connection between you and him was the umbilical cord. It was through this life-giving pipe that you could pass on those essential nutrition and oxygen to your growing baby.
Once you deliver your baby the cord is cut and what remains is the small portion of the cord attached to his belly button. In the initial days of your baby’s birth, it is important to take utmost care of this belly button. In case of improper care or ignorance, there are chances of your baby developing an infection in the belly button..
The small stump of the umbilical cord which remains attached to your baby’s navel might fall off naturally within 1-2 weeks after the birth. But during those times you need to take proper baby belly button care, so that it withers away naturally.
Below are the suggested ways to take care of your baby’s belly button:
You should maintain proper hygiene when it comes to the umbilical cord stump.
This is still a debatable issue.
The belly button is the most delicate part in your baby’s body. At the same time it is a hindrance when you dress up your baby or make him wear diapers.
Let the stump get withered out on its own.
After the umbilical stump falls off, your baby’s belly button shows up. Because of the fall, the belly button may look red or have rashes. In some cases even blood can ooze out of it. But this is again normal and not a cause of worry. The belly button will also heal in a time of 2 weeks.
In certain cases, things might go wrong if the belly button causes any infection.
Be aware of the infections that can happen to your baby’s belly button. It is better to act on priority in such situations. Go by your instinct, and remember, your doctor is the best person to turn to for any advice.
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Article written by Palak Shah
