Family Birth Center

Taking Care of Your Baby

Colic	Red face, frantic crying, legs drawn to abdomen as if in pain.	Comfort by rocking, walking, warm bath or burping. Gently rub tummy See doctor if can't cope or suspect illness. Colic normal for some babies, should pass.
Common Cold	Runny nose, low fever cough, croup, sore throat, fussy, poor appetite.	Take temperature. If none, keep warm. Give fluids, raise head, clear nose, humidify air. Call doctor if high fever, difficult breathing, hacking cough.
Constipation	Hard pellets of stool with straining and pain. Blood in stool.	With doctor's OK, change baby's diet, give enough fluid, see doctor if no relief, blood in stool or on diapers. No laxative or medicine without doctor's OK.
Croup	Croaking cough, difficult breathing, blush or bluish face.	Call doctor if hard to breath or lips/fingers blue. Let baby breathe moist air in steamy bathroom. Hold baby upright and stay calm.
Diaper Rash	Red inflamed or pimply skin in diaper area. Strong ammonia smell.	Wash area at each changing, pat dry, use petroleum jelly. Try different diapers, liners. Let baby go without diapers at times. See doctor if rash persists.
Diarrhea	Frequent, watery stools. Often occurs with fever or vomiting.	Call doctor if diarrhea, fever, vomiting persists; if baby can't take fluids. Give fluids - doctor may stop solid/dairy foods, not breast milk.
Earache	Pulling at ear as if in pain, crying, fever, ear drainage.	See doctor immediately. Report fever and/or discharge. Keep ear dry when bathing. If symptoms improve, still see doctor for recheck.
Fever	Temperature over 101 degrees by underarm (method used most often).	Call doctor if baby is less than 4 months. Give fluids, dress lightly, sponge with lukewarm water, give baby-strength acetaminophen if directed.
Head Injury	Unconsciousness, vomiting or dizziness. Discharge from nose or ear.	Call for emergency help. If possible, don't move baby if you suspect neck or back injury, broken bone or if there's drainage from nose or ear.
Jaundice	Yellowish skin and whites of eyes. Dark urine, pale stools, nausea.	Mild case common in newborns usually 2-3 days after birth and diminishing after that time. If it persists or worsens, call doctor immediately.
Meningitis	Stiff neck, fever, lethargy, vomiting, bulging soft spot on head.	If flu-like symptoms are accompanied by stiff neck, body rash, aversion to light, call doctor immediately. Hospital diagnosis and treatment required.
Navel (Belly Button)	Redness and swelling of stump. Foul odor. Stump oozing blood or pus.	Don't cover stump with diaper. Clean stump gently with cotton swab and alcohol at each diaper change. See doctor if stump appears infected. Stump falls off on its own-don't pull.
Rectal Bleeding	Blood or mucus in stools in first week. Later red streaks in stool.	Blood or mucus may be normal in first few days of life only. If later, alert doctor. Call doctor immediately if stools very red, like jelly, or streaks of blood appear on diaper or stool.
Teething	Redness around erupting tooth from 5-8 months. Drooling, fussy.	Give baby hard or cool item to bite, like baby biscuit, chilled teething cup, not wood or plastic. Comfort baby, rub gum with fingers, not alcohol. Call doctor if symptoms and pain severe.
Vaginal Discharge	Slight bleeding-discharge common in newborns only.	Later, see doctor for exam. Pat genital area dry after bathing. Use mild soap only. Avoid bubble baths. Change baby frequently.
Vomiting	Persistent vomiting. May occur with Fever or diarrhea, etc.	If spitting up, feed baby slower and burp often. all doctor if vomiting persists with or without other illness symptoms. Monitor baby. Give baby fluids in small amounts.

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