The first few days and months of a newborn baby are fraught with anxiety and fear. Bringing up a baby is no easy job. It is both a pleasure and a pain. It can encompass mixed feelings of happiness, irritation, and guilt. The important thing is to be confident and trust your intuition.
Babies are prone to infections and their immune system is still developing. That is why it is important to understand how to help your baby and be aware of the warning signs for any problems. In this article, know how you can tackle the most common conditions in newborns.
Common Conditions in Newborns
1.Irregular Head Shape
Firstly, several parents worry that their baby’s head is irregular after they are born, especially after a normal delivery. Fortunately, there is nothing much you can do to help it, as the baby’s head will come back to normalcy on its own. It’s just a matter of time. There are two predominant types of swollen head among newborns:
- Caput – A common problem in newborns, This is where the head takes up a sort of conical shape and is swollen in general. It occurs when the mother has been in labor and strained for a long time after the membranes have ruptured. This swelling will mostly disappear within a few days and you don’t have to anything to alter the head’s shape.
- Cephalohematoma – In this case, the swelling occurs because of a blood clot under the skin in the head and is confined to a specific area. You will be able to define the borders of the swelling. Again, this will disappear spontaneously, only that it takes a longer time than Caput.
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Bluish Skin
The hands and legs of the baby as soon as it is born will tend to be slightly bluish in colour. There can also be patches in the baby’s skin surface. It is part and parcel of infants and there is nothing to worry about it as it disappears on its own. Just take care to cover the baby’s hands and legs well, if it is winter time.
3.Sneezing
Another common complaint that all mothers are worried about is sneezing in babies. But, it is common among infants and will be there for at least the first few months. You need to understand that it’s the nature’s way of clearing the nose as the baby will not be able to blow its nose. When amniotic fluid or milk travels up the pathway leading to the nose, it clogs the nose. This does not necessarily mean the baby has caught a Cold.
4. Hiccup
When the stomach is enlarging and pressing on the diaphragm, babies tend to get hiccups often. There is nothing to worry about it and you don’t need to give the baby water to make it go away. Just observe the baby and see to it that it does not regurgitate or aspirate.
5. Vomiting
Several mommies complain that their babies vomit a lot of milk. This occurs naturally in babies since the distance between the mouth and the stomach is only around 4 to 5cm. That is why, it’s important to burp the baby – put the baby in your shoulder and pat its back to make it subside a little. As long as the baby is active, putting on weight and growing well, you don’t need to worry about it. They will outgrow the spit-up phase eventually.
6. Respiratory Distress
There can be intermittent breathing distress in infants at times for the first few days. It takes a newborn a few hours to breath normally. But once their body learns to breathe, they should have no more difficulties. If the baby is finding it difficult to take feeds and the rib bones become prominent while they feed, then you need to seek medical attention right away.
7. Jaundice
Many babies tend to develop Jaundice from the third day of birth. This happens not due to infections or pathogens but is rather called physiological Jaundice.
The fetal hemoglobin levels of the baby are around 18 grams and when it comes out, it has to maintain a level of 14 to 15 grams. And, for this to happen the rest of the blood is broken down, in turn, producing jaundice pigments and leading to high bilirubin levels.
The baby’s eyes and skin get yellow as this process peaks in the 5th to 6th day, but eventually declines and becomes normal by 14 to 15 days. Most cases of jaundice in newborns resolve with time.
However, at times it can lead to complications and you need to monitor the baby. Depending upon the level of jaundice, your doctor will decide to give the right treatment including phototherapy and in rare cases, a blood transfusion can also be recommended to fix incompatible blood group between the mother and the baby. Only if the bilirubin levels surpass 20 grams it can damage the brain.
8. Crying Before Urination or Motion
At times, it’s normal for babies to cry while urinating or passing stools. Simply observe whether there is no strain. Some babies pass stools once in 4 to 5 days and some pass 4 times in a day.
So, when do you what is abnormal? If the baby has not passed stools for a long time and seems to be very disturbed, not taking feeds well or is vomiting excessively, you need to see your doctor. Or if the baby passes motion too frequently and there is redness around their anus, it can be due to milk allergies arising from breast milk or formula. Putting the baby on alternate milk for 2-3 days will let it heal.
9. Bleeding from Umbilicus
The Umbilical cord falls down from the baby’s stomach as early as 3 days to 10 days and more. After it falls, the umbilicus will be a little moist. You don’t have to do anything, except keep the area clean. When the baby cries or passes a motion, you may notice a little bleeding from the umbilicus. Again, with time it will heal itself completely.
10. Colic
Is your little one crying without a break at a specific time of a day every day and you can’t figure out why? Colic is a common phenomenon among babies can last up to three months to even nine months of age. Colicky babies are otherwise healthy and exhibit no other signs of discomfort.
When Should You Seek Medical Attention?
It is important to know about the common conditions in newborns to take effective timely action. Here is a checklist to help you assess if your baby needs medical attention:
- Baby is not Taking Feeds Well
- Baby is not Gaining Weight
- Keeps Crying Unnecessarily for a Long Time Throughout the Day
- Baby is Not Sleeping Well
- Do you Notice Signs of Discomfort, Rapid Breathing, and other complications?
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