When to call the doctor for your newborn

If it's your first time caring for a newborn, how can you tell what's normal and what's not? Here's a quick list of symptoms that may signal a problem in the first couple of days at home. If you spot one, call your doctor right away. If the doctor's office is closed, the answering service should direct you to an advice nurse, the doctor on call, or an urgent care clinic. And of course, if your baby has any other symptom that worries you, play it safe and make the call.

Dehydration

Signs that your newborn is not getting enough fluids include:

• Fewer than three wet diapers per day
• Acting excessively sleepy or lethargic
• Dry mouth and lips

Poop problems

• No bowel movement in the first 48 hours at home
• Whitish mucus in the stool
• Streaks or flecks of red, which are signs of blood in the stool

High or low temperature

• A rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher or lower than 96.8 degrees F

Breathing problems

Signs of respiratory distress include:

• Grunting
• Flaring of the nostrils
• Chest retractions (sucking in the skin above the collarbone, between the ribs, or below the ribs)
• Consistently fast breathing
• Heavy, noisy breathing (audible wheezes, whistling sounds, or crackly sounds during inhalation and exhalation)

NOTE: If your baby is taking more than 60 breaths per minute or turning blue around the mouth, call 911.

Umbilical cord stump problems

• Any odor, pus, or persistent bleeding from the umbilical cord stump 
• Any redness or swelling around the navel, which could be a sign of an infection

Jaundice

• Yellow color in the eyes, chest, abdomen, arms, or legs

Prolonged crying

• Unconsolable crying for longer than half an hour

Extreme sleepiness

• A sleepy baby who will not wake up enough to feed three or four hours after the last feeding

Signs of illness

• Coughing, diarrhea, or paleness
• Forceful vomiting at more than two feedings in a row

Poor appetite or suck

• Feeding fewer than six times in a 24-hour period
• Sucking that becomes noticeably weaker

For more information:

• Find out when to call the doctor for your baby during the first year.
• Test your knowledge about when to call the doctor for your baby by taking our quiz.
• See our baby symptom guide to help determine what's making your child sick.

Baby Care Tips - How to Carry, Feed and Burp Your Newborn Baby

If you are a new parent, then it is a big challenge to take proper care of your baby. You won't be having sufficient knowledge and experience in caring for your new born. There will be times when you will be left wondering about what to do. This article deals with important baby care tips for the new parent.

1. Picking up and holding your baby:

Whenever you pick up and carry your baby, make sure that you support the baby's neck and head as the baby cannot hold the head up on its own.

When lifting the baby, lay him on his back. Then scoop him up with both arms. One arm should support his head while the other should support his lower back and bottom.

You can also hold your baby in upright position close to your chest. For this, make sure that one of your arms supports the baby's head and neck while the other supports the bottom.

This can be a good way to carry your baby if he is crying or if he wants to sleep. However some babies will not fall asleep in this position and might start staring at other objects in the house, which will drive away their sleep further.

2. Feeding your baby:

You need to feed your baby every 2-4 hours. Babies who are breastfed might feed more frequently as breast milk is easily digested than formula milk. As the baby grows, its feeding frequency might decrease but the duration and amount of milk per feeding would increase.

If the baby is full, it will turn away from the nipple or bottle. Older babies might push away the bottle or mother's nipple when they had enough.

Most of the water requirements of the baby will be met by the milk they consume (whether it is formula milk or breast milk). So you don't need to give them water until they reach 6 months of age.

 Only in some rare cases, if the babies show signs of dehydration, they need to be given clean water.

Signs of dehydration to watch out for are - lethargy, dry sallow skin etc. Check with your doctor if you suspect the baby of dehydration.

3. Burping the baby:

Babies need to be burped after every feeding. They tend to swallow lot of air during feeding. This can make their stomach upset, making them uncomfortable. So they need to be burped.

In order to burp the baby, hold him in upright position against your chest and shoulder. Hold the baby in this position for a few minutes. You can even pat his back.

You can even make the baby sit upright on your lap for a few minutes. Make sure that his head and chest rest against your body properly.

Learn all about taking care of your baby in its first 12 months, click here - baby care tips [http://bigrevolution.info]. Find out how to care properly and fulfill all needs of your baby in its crucial first year of life!

Are you finding it difficult to discipline your kids? Find out how to teach good manners and obedience to your small kids. Learn to deal with difficult child behavior without punishing them - happy child guide for successful parenting.

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