Your Newborn's Appearance

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• During your pregnancy, you learned to know your baby by stroking (caressing) your belly and feeling your baby move. Now that your baby is born, you can enjoy the miracle of seeing, hearing, and touching him. All babies are alike in some ways, such as needing sleep, feedings, and love. In most other ways, your baby is not like any other baby.
  
  
• Your baby was born with his own special personality and appearance (the way he looks). Your baby's nose or ears may look like those of a family member, and the color of his hair may surprise you. Take the time to enjoy and learn more about of your baby. Sit in a quiet room with your baby. Hold and stroke him. Undress your baby and look at him from head to toe. You may notice things about your baby that you did not see right after birth.

AFTER YOU LEAVE:

Medicines:

• Keep a written list of what medicines your baby is takes and when and why he takes them. Bring the list of your baby's medicines or the medicine bottles when you visit your baby's caregivers. Ask your caregiver for information about your baby's medicines.
  
  
• Always give your baby his medicine as directed by his caregivers. Call your baby's caregiver if you think your baby's medicines are not helping. Call if you feel your baby is having side effects. Do not quit giving medicines to your baby until you discuss it with his caregiver. If your baby needs antibiotics (an-ti-bi-OT-iks), give them as ordered until they are all gone. Keep giving them as the doctor has told you to, even if your baby seems to feel better.
  
  
• Never give aspirin to your baby without first asking your baby's caregiver. Giving aspirin to your baby when he is ill may cause a very serious illness called Reye's syndrome. Read medicine labels to see if your baby's medicine has aspirin.

When is my baby's next medical appointment?

Ask your child's caregiver when to return for a follow-up visit. Keep all appointments. Write down any questions you and your child may have. This way you will remember to ask these questions during your child's next visit.

What are some tips for taking care of my newborn baby?

• If you are bottle feeding, feed your baby the formula that his caregiver tells you to use. Make sure you know how much your baby should drink each day. If you are breast feeding, make sure you understand how often you should breast feed your baby. Ask for information about how to breast or bottle feed.
  
  
• Keep your baby away from people with infections, such as a cold or flu.
  
  
• Do not smoke around your baby. Do not let others smoke around your baby.
  
  
• Take good care of yourself. Rest as much as possible, eat a healthy diet, and drink eight to ten cups of liquids each day. Good liquids to drink are water, milk, and fruit juices. Limit the amount of caffeine that you drink or eat. If you are breast feeding, you can pass caffeine to your baby through your breast milk. When you take good care of yourself, you are also helping your baby.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• Your child has a fever (increased body temperature).
  
  
• You feel depressed and cannot take care of your baby.
  
  
• Your baby's eyes are red, swollen, or have a yellow sticky discharge. This may mean that your baby has an eye infection (in-FEK-shun) which needs treatment.
  
  
• Your baby has redness, discharge, or swelling from the umbilical cord. Call if the area around your baby's cord stump is red and your baby cries when you touch it.
  
  
• Your baby has redness and increased swelling of his penis after being circumcised (SER-kum-sized). Also call if your baby's circumcision site has yellow or green drainage that smells bad. Your baby's penis may be infected.
  
  
• Your baby is not waking up on his own for feedings. He seems too tired to eat or is not interested in feedings.
  
  
• Your baby's belly is very hard and swollen, even when he is calm and resting.
  
  
• Your baby coughs very often during the day, or chokes very often during each feeding.
  
  
• Your baby is very fussy, crying more than he normally does, and you cannot calm him down. Call if you think your baby is crying or shrieking because he is in pain.
  
  
• Your baby has a rash which is not getting better. Call if your baby's skin turns very yellow.
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about your baby.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• Your baby’s lips or mouth are a bluish-color and he is breathing faster than usual.
  
  
• Call your caregiver right away if you or anyone in your household feels like hurting your baby.

Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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