Several physical issues are typical in the first few weeks following delivery. Contact your physician if you detect any of the following symptoms in your infant. In this article, the most common conditions in newborns will be discussed.
Distension of the abdomen
Most newborns’ stomachs protrude, especially after a substantial meal. However, they should be soft between feedings. Call your physician if your child’s belly feels large and hard, if she hasn’t had a bowel movement in more than one or two days, or if she is vomiting. The condition is most often caused by gas or constipation, but it might potentially indicate a more serious digestive disease.
Birth trauma
Babies can be damaged during birth, particularly if labor is prolonged or tough or if the babies are very big. While some of these injuries heal quickly in babies, others do not. Occasionally, a collarbone fracture develops, which heals fast. A little lump may emerge at the fracture site after a few weeks, but don’t be frightened; this is a sign that new bone is growing to repair the damage, and it will soon be as good as new.
Muscle weakness is another frequent birth injury produced by pressure or stretching of the nerves linked to the muscles during childbirth. These muscles, which are normally weaker on one side of the face, one shoulder, or one arm, usually return to normal within a few weeks. Meanwhile, request that your pediatrician demonstrate how to nurse and cradle the baby to facilitate recovery.
Blue infant
Babies’ hands and feet may be somewhat bluish or purple, which is typical. If their hands and feet get somewhat blue as a result of the cold, they should revert to pink as soon as they are warm. When the infant is sobbing loudly, her cheeks, tongue, and lips may turn a bit blue, but once she is calm, her color should immediately return to normal. However, persistent blue skin pigmentation indicates that the heart or lungs are not functioning properly. when the baby’s blood has insufficient oxygen. It is critical to get medical assistance right away.
Abnormal bowel motions
Meconium. Following delivery, the nurses will monitor your baby’s first pee and bowel movements to ensure she has no difficulties with these crucial duties. It might be delayed for 24 hours or longer. The first bowel movement or two will be slimy and black or dark green. It’s meconium, which fills the infant’s intestines before she’s born. If your baby does not pass meconium within the first 48 hours, he or she will need to be evaluated further to ensure that no abnormalities with the lower intestine occur.
There is blood in the feces. Newborns may have blood in their bowel movements. If it happens within the first few days, it typically indicates that the newborn has a small break in the anus caused by stooling. This is normally innocuous, but notify your physician if you notice any evidence of blood to confirm the cause, since there may be other issues that need further investigation and treatment.
Coughing
If the infant drinks quickly, she may cough and splutter; however, this sort of coughing should subside once her feeding rhythm is established. This might also be connected to how quickly or forcefully a nursing mother’s milk comes down. Consult a pediatrician if she coughs frequently or gags during feedings. These symptoms may suggest a problem with the lungs or digestive tract.
read more on common cold inkids
Excessive sobbing
Every infant cries, and frequently for no apparent reason. If you’ve ensured that your baby is fed, burped, warm, and clad in a clean diaper, the best strategy is likely to be to hold her and chat or sing to her until she stops. You cannot spoil a baby at this age by lavishing her with attention. If this doesn’t work, cover her in a blanket or try some other methods to quiet your baby.
You’ll develop accustomed to your baby’s crying routines. If it ever sounds strange, such as shrieks of anguish, or if it lasts an unusually long period, it might indicate a medical condition. Call the pediatrician and ask for advice.
Common problems in newborns
Marks made with forceps
Forceps can cause red markings or even minor scratches on a newborn’s face and head when used during delivery. These usually go after a few days. A solid, flat lump may form in one of these sites as a result of a small injury to the tissue beneath the skin, but this, too, will typically resolve within two months.
Jaundice
Jaundice is a yellowish tint to the complexion that occurs in many typical, healthy babies. It is caused by a bilirubin accumulation in the child’s blood. Mild jaundice is not dangerous. However, if the bilirubin level continues to grow untreated, it might cause brain damage. Jaundice is more likely in breastfed newborns, especially those who are not nursing properly; breastfeeding moms should nurse their babies at least eight to twelve times each day to make adequate milk and maintain bilirubin levels low.
In other cases, jaundice occurs first on the face, then the chest and belly, and eventually on the arms and legs. The whites of the eyes may be yellow as well. Most hospitals now use a painless portable light meter to evaluate babies for jaundice twenty-four hours after birth. If the physician believes jaundice is present based on skin color, age, and other criteria, she may request a skin or blood test to confirm the diagnosis. A bilirubin test is usually required to provide an accurate diagnosis if jaundice appears before the infant is twenty-four hours old. Contact your pediatrician if you observe an increase in jaundice in your infant while he or she is at home.
Sleepiness and lethargy
Every infant sleeps the majority of the time. It’s totally normal for her to sleep the remainder of the time as long as she wakes up every few hours, feeds properly, appears content, and is attentive throughout the day. However, if she is seldom aware, does not wake up on her own for feedings, or appears lethargic or uninterested in eating, you should visit your pediatrician. This lethargy, particularly if it is an abrupt shift from her regular pattern, might be a sign of a serious disease.
Respiratory distress
It may take a few hours after delivery for your baby to establish a regular breathing rhythm, but she should have no more problems. If she appears to be breathing abnormally, it is most likely due to clogged nasal passages. The use of saline nasal drops, followed by suctioning the mucus from the nose using a bulb syringe, may help to resolve the issue; both are available over the counter.
However, if your infant exhibits any of the following warning signals, please contact your physician right away:
fast breathing (more than sixty breaths per minute), yet keep in mind that newborns breathe faster than adults.
Retractions (sucking the muscles between her ribcage with each breath, causing her ribs to protrude)
Her nose was puffed out.
Grunting when inhaling
blue skin color that persists
Problems with the umbilical cord
The umbilical stump is bleeding.
You may detect a few drips of blood on your baby’s diaper around the time the stump falls off when caring for his or her umbilical cord. This is typical. However, if the cord is actively bleeding, contact your baby’s doctor right away. If the stump becomes infected, it will necessitate medical attention. Although cord infections are rare, you should notify your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:
yellowish discharge with a foul odor from the cord
Red skin surrounding the cord’s base
When you touch the chord or the skin near it, you cry.
Granuloma of the umbilicus
Instead of entirely drying, the cord may create a granuloma, which is a tiny, reddish lump of scar tissue that remains on the belly button after the umbilical cord has been severed. A light-yellowish fluid will leak from this granuloma. This problem normally resolves itself within a week, but if it does not, your doctor may need to burn out (cauterize) the granulomatous tissue.
Hernia of the umbilicus.
If your baby’s umbilical cord region bulges outward when she cries, she may have an umbilical hernia, which is a tiny hole in the muscular component of the abdominal wall that permits tissue to protrude out when there is increased abdominal pressure (i.e., sobbing). This is not a dangerous problem, and it normally recovers on its own during the first 12 to 18 months. (For unexplained reasons, African American newborns frequently take longer to recover.) If the hole does not heal within three to five years, surgery may be required. Do not place tape or a coin on your navel. It will not treat the hernia and may result in a skin rash.
Read more on warning signs in newborns
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