How to Keep Your Baby Healthy
FAQ of New Mothers
Having a baby is a life-changing experience. As a new mom, you will have many questions about how to keep the baby healthy. Regular checkups are important to make sure your baby is healthy and growing well. Here are a few common questions that new mothers have about their baby's health:
Should I be concerned if the baby cries too much?
Crying is normal for babies. Babies usually cry when they are hungry, wet, bored, or uncomfortable.
When your baby cries, check to see if he/she:
- Is hungry, wet or soiled.
- Is comfortable and that he is not too hot or too cold.
- Needs to be burped.
If your baby is crying for more than three hours a day and you cannot find a reason for his crying, he/she may have colic. This is a fairly common condition and tends to occur more commonly in the late evening hours. Although there is no easy cure for colic, most infants outgrow the condition within three to six months after birth. Try these methods below to help ease colic:
If your baby is taking formula, talk with your baby’s doctor to see if a change in the
formula may help.
- Move with your baby.
- Allow your baby to suck on a pacifier, fingers or fist.
- Lay your baby across your lap and gently rub his back or stomach.
- Place him in warm water in a baby tub or sink. Do NOT leave your baby alone.
Never, ever shake your baby.
Is it safe for the baby to sleep by him/herself?
Your baby should only sleep alone in their crib without any pillows, toys, crib bumpers or heavy blankets. The safest position for your baby to sleep is on his/her back, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Laying your baby on his back helps to prevent crib death, also called sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
If my baby has a rash, bumps or other skin problems, should I use oils and creams to treat it?
Many newborns have rashes or other skin problems. Some normal skin conditions include dry skin, acne, birthmarks, peeling skin and a bumpy rash. In most cases no treatment is needed, and oils and creams may only make it worse.
Let your doctor know right away if your baby has blisters or has a new rash along with a fever, or trouble breathing.
Diaper rash also is common with newborns. Try using some of the following methods to help cure it:
- Clean his/her skin with a mild soap like Dove and warm water. Do not use baby wipes.
- Use a store-bought diaper rash cream on his skin if needed. Zinc oxide creams, like Desitin usually work well. Spread it over reddened areas each time you change his/her diaper.
- Change the diaper more often if your baby is getting a lot of diaper rashes.
What should I do if my baby has trouble breathing or a stuffy nose?
Newborn babies often have a stuffy nose. Their noses are small and they are getting used to making mucus. Sometimes your baby may have noisy breathing if he has a stuffy nose. Make sure your baby does not have a fever. Call your doctor if your baby has a fever.
Call 911 right away if your baby:
- Is working hard to breathe or finds it hard to take a breath.
- Grunts when he/she breathes.
- Has chest retractions (skin pulling in around the ribs and chest when breathing).
- Has a blue or dark purple color to the nail beds, lips or gums.
- Stops breathing for more than 10 seconds.
- Cannot feed while trying to breathe.
What are some of the common health conditions that I should look out for?
Thrush
Thrush is a common and curable yeast infection in newborns. If your baby has white spots on his/her tongue, lips or inside the mouth that cannot be easily wiped, they may have thrush. Call your baby’s doctor if you think he has thrush.
Umbilicus
Your baby will have a dried cord on his belly button for about two weeks after birth. The dried cord will shrivel up and fall off on its own. Leave the area alone to heal by itself. Let your doctor know if you see any active bleeding, oozing, redness or swelling or notice a bad smell coming from the belly button.
Cephalohematomas
Cephalohematomas are small, soft bumps on either side of a newborn's head. The bumps are made up of blood that collects under the scalp after a baby travels through the narrow birth canal during delivery. The bumps usually go away in about six weeks.
Fontanels
All babies have two soft spots on the top of their head, known as fontanels. These spots are where the bones of the skull have not grown together all the way yet. This is normal and allows room for rapid growth of the brain in the first year of life.
Be careful with these spots because the hard skull bones do not protect this part of the brain yet. The skull bones will close and the soft spots will disappear when your baby is about 12 to 18 months old.
Jaundice
Jaundice means that the skin and eyes have a yellow color and is common problem in about half of all newborns. It is caused by extra yellow pigment called bilirubin in the blood after birth. Let your doctor know if your baby looks yellow or has any skin color changes.
Cradle Cap
Cradle cap is a scalp condition often in infants. It can occur in babies from a few weeks to a few months of age. The cause is not known. It should be treated to avoid spreading and to prevent infection. You might notice greasy, redness, white or yellow scales over the scalp. Your doctor will talk to you about what to do for your baby. Some of the treatments may include brushing your baby’s scalp lightly with a soft brush once a day or using a baby shampoo as advised by his doctor.
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