Newborn baby healthy or not? 6 things mother should check

Newborn babies are very delicate and they suddenly become ill.

They do not have the usual response that parents can pick up during early illness.

And they deteriorate very fast if early signs of disease is not picked up. That’s why a few things every mother should monitor to ensure that their baby is healthy.

1. Feeding: the best judge of a healthy newborn is that he/she is taking feeds regularly and as usual. Any change in feeding pattern is one of the earliest signs of an illness. A breastfed baby takes feed on demands. He/ she can take feed every 2 hourly and sometimes even earlier.  During sleep time, they can give a gap of 4 hr. But if the baby is not taking feed even after 4 to 6 hours of last feed,  it should raise suspicion.

• Urine output: A healthy newborn should pass minimum of that much times of urine that he is old for in the first 6 days of life and then at least 6 times daily thereafter.  To make it simpler for you, it means a 5 day of neonate should pass at least 5 times urine in24 hrs. And more than 6 days old babies should pass at least 6 times daily urine.

• Temperature: Hypothermia or low body temperature is a deadly thing for neonates.  If baby is not well covered or exposed to draught,  they become cold. It rapidly progresses to low sugar in body or septicemia if not treated aggressively. Parents should check their baby’s temperature by touching them with the back of the hand over abdomen and feet of the baby.

If only feet are cold to touch but abdomen is warm that means baby is having mild hypothermia or cold stress.  For that proper wrapping of the baby,  keeping them close to the mother’s abdomen and avoiding cold air should suffice. But if both feet and abdomen are cold to touch,  parents should visit hospital emergency or contact their pediatrician immediately.

• Color: A healthy newborn should have pink or reddish skin. If babies skin is looking yellow or bluish that means something is not normal. Though most of the newborn sufferers from neonatal jaundice that don’t require any treatment.  But it is difficult for parents to judge that. So if the baby is looking yellow parents should take pediatrician’s opinion. Mother should be more careful about jaundice if her blood group is O or Rh negative.

• Activity of the baby: an  active and playful baby is a sign of good health.  If the baby is lethargic or showing less movement of body when nurtured, means something is not normal.

• Weight gain: most newborn lose little amount of weight for first 5 to 7 days and then gradually gains it thereafter.  A healthy newborn gains 25 to 30 grams of weight every day from 7 to 10 days of life.  Not gaining weight or inadequate weight gain is an early sign of disease like hypothermia or sepsis or feeding difficulties.

Danger signs

1. Not accepting feeds
2. Not passing urine at least 4 to 6 times daily
3. Cold to touch
4. Abnormal skin color: like yellow or blue
5. Abdominal distention
6. Lethargic baby
7. Convulsion or abnormal body movements
8. Multiple pustules in the body

Any baby showing any of the above mentioned signs should be immediately taken to a hospital or doctor

Not to worry signs

1. Taking feeding too frequently
2. Passing urine very frequently
3. Not passing stool every day
4. Passing semi-solid or liquid stool after each feed
5. Not sleeping in night but sleeping in daytime
6. Remains comfortable in lap but cries when kept in bed
7. Noisy breathing if feeding and sleep is normal

These are some of common neonatal issues that do not need any treatment if no danger symptom is present.

In a nutshell, a pink or reddish newborn, active, warm to touch, gaining weight normally who is passing urine regularly and feeding well is a healthy newborn.

Writing this for #CauseAchatter with Blogchatter  to spread awareness about Child health .

drabhijitmisra.com Disclaimer: All health information provided on this blog is for general awareness and doesn’t in any way replace a doctor’s professional medical advice. Kindly consult your doctor in case of any decision regarding your health, and diet. The information provided is for awareness. This is not meant as professional medical consultation. Healthcare is an individual decision and needs careful discussion and professional consultation before taking any decision. The author is sharing his professional knowledge. This post is meant as educational and awareness information and all decisions to be taken at own risk after consulting their own doctor in person. Health information is constantly being updated and while the author tries his best to keep updated information, the author and the website shall not be held liable for any reliance placed on such content for any reason whatsoever.