Newborn baby health: Mini Parenting Master Class
Learn about some of the most important newborn health topics – what to know and what to look out for.
Newborn baby? You probably have a lot of questions! Join Dr. Alok Patel, parent and pediatrician at Stanford Children's Hospital, as he takes us through some of the most important newborn health topics. What you should know and what you should look out for.
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Transcript of “Newborn baby health: Mini Parenting Master Class” video
A newborn baby! This means excitement, love, happiness. A lot of photos!
But it may also mean some sleepless nights, anxiety and questions like “What's normal?”, “Is my baby sick?”, “What is that sound?” Don’t worry. First thing you want to do is take a deep breath. You’ve got this. I'm Dr. Alok Patel. I'm a pediatrician and I'm also a parent. I get it. And let’s dive into some of the most important newborn health topics. What you should know and what you should look out for.
Newborn poop
First up, poop. Baby poop is marvellous. Does that sound weird? It shouldn't. Because what you see in your child's diaper is an indication of hydration, nutrition and that all the plumbing is working. What you want to pay attention to is the colour of the poop, how often your kid is pooping, and if it's hard, soft or watery.
Now, in the very, very early days, your baby's poop might be black, sticky and tarry. We call this meconium. Then as your baby starts to eat, that poop becomes a little bit lighter, a little bit lumpier and thinner. And this is called transitional stool.
After transition stool, your baby's poop will continue to change. It can range from being very, very, very dark brown to lighter brown, yellow, green or some assortment or mix in the middle. It should never be red, white or black. And if you see these colors, you want to talk to a doctor immediately.
Babies can poop multiple times in a day or maybe once every two or three days. Some babies, especially those that are breastfed, may actually poop every few days, but the poops should still be soft and easy to pass. If the poops are really hard, or if your baby is struggling to poop, it may be a sign of constipation. If your baby is pooping a lot and if the poop seems watery, your baby may have diarrhea, which can be very dangerous in newborns. You definitely want to talk to your doctor before it gets worse.
Hydration for babies
Now we have to talk about hydration, or the lack of – dehydration, which is what we want to avoid. And here is the problem: If babies don't take in enough liquid or if they lose too much liquids, such as from diarrhea or vomiting, they can become dehydrated. And dehydration can happen really fast. And this can be very dangerous for young babies because they're tiny.
Some early signs of dehydration to look out for are a baby who has a very dry mouth, or making less tears when they cry, or appearing extremely sleepy, making less wet diapers, or having a little sunken spot on their head. If you're worried that your baby is not taking in enough liquid or appears dehydrated, talk to a doctor immediately.
Newborn babies and fever
Fevers happen all the time in kids and adults. It's a normal part of our body’s defenses. If a germ or bug invades your body, it may result in a fever. It's totally normal, but in newborn babies, any type of fever may indicate a very dangerous infection, especially in the first month of life.
That's why it's also important for anyone who is sick to stay away from your newborn baby. No hugging, no kissing!
When newborn babies have fevers, they may appear fussy. Maybe they sleep too little, or they sleep too much. Or they may not be eating properly. Something might just seem off, and your parental instinct will kick in and say something's not right. And the most accurate way to check a temperature is with a rectal thermometer. Anything above 100.4 Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius is a fever and you should see a doctor immediately. If you don't have a thermometer, any clinic will happily check your baby's temperature. The most important thing to do is not delay.
Newborn baby breathing
Next up, we're going to talk about newborn baby breathing, which is one of my favorites because it's kind of adorable and it's actually a little musical because you'll hear all kinds of little whistles and squeaks as your baby's tiny nose takes in air. And newborn babies also breathe faster than adults. And sometimes they breathe really quickly and then they breathe really slowly and then they repeat and it doesn't make any sense, but this cycle is totally normal.
In some cases newborn babies can develop an illness or another breathing problem and you'll want to know some of the warning signs, such as really fast breathing that doesn't slow down, if your baby stops breathing, if your baby is struggling to breathe, such as moving their nose when they breathe or their shoulders or their chest, or if your baby is turning blue.
These are very concerning signs, and you should see a doctor immediately.
Babies and vaccines
It's important that babies get their vaccines early when they're the most vulnerable. And if given early, those developing immune systems can learn and prepare to defend your child against a lot of different diseases out there.
Vaccines are also perfectly safe for those little immune systems. Your babies encounter countless bugs and germs every single day. Vaccines are only a really small amount of that, and they can really give your baby the best foot forward in staying safe. Vaccines are effective. They save lives and they're going to continue to save lives. So wherever you live, chat with your doctor or a clinic and make sure you know your baby's vaccine schedule and you stay up to date.
Parents, does this seem like a lot? It's because it is. Make sure you trust your instinct and you ask a lot of questions. Now, we've been successfully raising newborns since the dawn of time, in every single corner of the world, it truly takes a village, so make sure you ask for help, take care of yourself and enjoy this time!
Dr. Alok Patel is a pediatrician at Stanford Children's hospital, producer and ABC News correspondent.
