Family Birth Center
New Baby Care
 Call
your pediatrician whenever your baby doesn't seem to be himself
or herself. That is, the baby doesn't "look right" or act
normally to you. Indications of a problem may be:
- Has a fever greater than 100 degrees rectally or axillary
(under arm).
- Has diarrhea-frequent, watery, foul-smelling stools or
bloody or mucousy stools.
- Vomits forcefully after more than one feeding.
- Cries excessively or is sleeping more than usual.
- Has not urinated within eight hours of the circumcision.
Still has the plastibell (plastic ring on penis) more than
eight days after the circumcision. (Note: Some circumcisions
are not done using a plastic ring.)
- Has increasing jaundice (yellow color to the skin) and,
at the same time, may be sleeping more, eating less and
having fewer wet and soiled diapers.
Bulb Syringe
During your hospital stay, a bulb syringe will be given to
you to take home. This is for suctioning your baby's mouth
and nose when spitting up mucus, old milk or formula and is
handy for your baby's wet burp, stuffy nose, or choking. The
proper method for suctioning a baby's mouth is to turn the
head to the side, squeeze the bulb to expel the air, place
the syringe tip inside the mouth along the cheek, release
the bulb to draw fluid and expel mucus from the bulb after
removing from the baby's mouth. Always clear the mouth before
clearing the nose to reduce the baby's chance of inhaling
mouth mucus. Repeat as needed.
Cleansing the Bulb Syringe
You should wash the bulb syringe in hot, soapy water at least
once a week. To clean the syringe, simply fill it with soapy
water and then rinse it thoroughly with plain water. Then
sterilize by filling the bulb with clear water, placing it
in a pan of boiling water and boiling it for three to five
minutes.
Umbilical Cord (Belly Button) Care
The umbilical cord stump usually dries and falls off during
the first or second week of life. It is helpful to apply rubbing
alcohol on a cotton ball to the base of the umbilical cord
three to four times daily-it's easiest to do this with each
diaper change. Wipe the stump from top to bottom and clean
well around the base where the stump meets the skin. Be sure
to gently lift the cord so that the alcohol reaches the area
where the cord is attached to the navel. Some blood spotting
from the cord is common three to four days before and after
the cord falls off. Continue to gently cleanse the area with
alcohol until the site has healed. After the cord falls off,
use an alcohol-dipped cotton ball to clean the belly button
until healed.
SOME REMINDERS:
- Do sponge, not tub, baths until the cord falls off and
the area heals completely.
- Position baby on its side until the area heals and looks
like a normal belly button.
- Inspect the cord when cleaning for signs of infection.
Any foul odors, redness, active bleeding or drainage should
be reported to your pediatrician immediately.
- The cord should never be covered by a diaper or waterproof
pants.
- The cord's bluish color is caused by dye to promote drying.
This dye also helps prevent infection.
Voidings/Passing of Urine
Usually, the first voiding or passing of urine is seen within
24 hours of birth. Notify your physician if you fail to notice
a wet diaper during the first day of life. If you breastfeed,
once your milk is in and the baby is nursing regularly, six
to eight or more good, wet diapers a day means your baby is
getting enough to eat. Once the bottlefed infant is taking
regular feedings, most newborns will void with each feeding
and usually more often the first month. The urine should be
pale in color. If you notice orange-colored areas on the diaper,
representing concentrated urine, the baby needs more fluids.
Stages of Stools
MECONIUM - dark green or black tarry stools passed on the
first day.
TRANSITIONAL - the next stools seen once the baby has been
feeding-may be looser in consistency and greenish in color.
STOOLS OF BREASTFED BABIES - are loose, watery, yellow stools
with cottage cheese type particles. By the end of the first
week your baby will be stooling frequently - perhaps with
every feeding or three to 10 times a day.
STOOLS OF FORMULA FED BABIES - are less frequent and more
formed than breastfed stools. You will usually see one to
three greenish-yellowish, pasty stools. Learn what's normal
for your baby. Stooling patterns and frequencies vary for
every baby. Some breast and formula-fed babies normally have
one large stool every three to four days. Call your pediatrician
if your baby is having diarrhea or difficulty passing stools.
Diaper Rash
A common problem among babies is diaper rash. It is an area
of small pimples with accompanying redness and sometimes even
bleeding. This is caused by the ammonia produced from urine
when it lays against the baby's skin. To prevent diaper rash:
- Change diapers promptly after baby wets or stools.
- Clean urine and stool off of the baby's skin well.
- Some doctors recommend petroleum jelly (Vaseline) as
a barrier to wetness.
To treat diaper rash when it happens:
- Do not use plastic pants because this does not promote
drying.
- Avoid powders.
- Use a product which you can purchase over the counter
(such as "Desitin," A&D ointment or for occasional use,
hydrocortisone cream). Be sure to clean these off when changing
diapers and reapply.
Jaundice
Jaundice is a yellow coloration of the skin caused by
the deposit of excess bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is
a pigment released when red blood cells break down. New babies
are born with more red blood cells than they need, but their
livers are not mature enough to eliminate all the bilirubin
released. That's why many two- to three day-old babies develop
a normal form of jaundice that disappears within a couple
of weeks. Bilirubin is normally excreted through the baby's
stools. Offering more fluids and calories through frequent
feedings can prevent mild jaundice from progressing. There
are other causes of jaundice such as Rh and blood type incompatibilities
or infection. Sometimes, babies require phototherapy (exposure
to fluorescent lights) to help promote bilirubin excretion
and control the jaundice. If your baby requires phototherapy,
your physicians and nurses will discuss the treatment plan
with you individually.
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