Arrival of a baby brings in a lot of happiness to the family. We are happy to see a smiling baby and even a minor problem brings in a lot of worries. Most of these problems are normal for the baby. Here I am enlisting them (FAQ) –

1. Not opening eyes – Few babies have excessive puffiness eyelids, maybe with a mild discharge and don’t open them for up to a week. If there is no redness or a purulent discharge, it is not of any concern.

2. Crossed eyes – For the first few months baby may not be able to focus with both eyes together, so both the eyes may move independently of each other. It will settle within 2 to 3 months.

 

3. Red blotchy spots on the skin on days two to five of ages -occasionally having yellow pustules or papules. This is a benign condition. Doesn’t cause any discomfort to the baby and limits on its own. These are Erythema Toxicum. 

4. Frequent loose stools – Most breastfed babies pass deep golden yellow stools with fine curds and a lot of water for the first few months. The frequency may vary from five to six per day and sometimes up to twenty-five a day. A baby may pass a stool after every feed or with flatus or while passing urine or even crying loudly. It is not diarrhoea, and if the quantity and frequency of urine are adequate, it is normal.

5. Doesn’t pass stool daily – Occasionally even breastfed babies may not pass stool daily. If the stool is not hard and the abdomen is not distended, it is normal. For few babies, it may normally be a weekly affair, more common with formula-fed. 

6. Posseting or bringing out milk – It is normal for babies to bring out some milk after feeding. In the early days, it is because of adjustment to feeding. Later it is usually due to overfeeding. Some babies don’t tolerate formula or cow’s milk but retain mother feed. If the baby is passing adequate urine and growing well, it is of no concern. If vomit contains bile or blood or if urine is reduced or growth is not adequate, it should be looked into ASAP. Some babies learn to bring up milk to enjoy the sour taste. 

7. Overstretching by babies – Babies stretch with a grunt, passing a little stool or flatus with a slight rigidity of abdominal wall; is sometimes presumed as GAS by worried parents. Stretching of the trunk and body by babies is normal. It is an indication of good health. 

8. Cry a lot at night – This is a nature’s attribute, which keeps parents awake at night to take adequate care of the baby. Also, most babies, while in the foetal stage, are more active during night hours and sleep in the daytime because of the rocking effect of the mother’s movement. It takes a few months for a baby to settle into a normal human sleep pattern. During the night baby may demand more frequently, maybe every 45 minutes to 90 minutes, they should be breastfed on every demand. If they sleep well during the day, everything is normal. If a cry is due to a medical problem, it will also keep them awake during the day. Usually, babies stop crying on receiving care or breastfeed.

9. Sneezing – Babies are obligate nasal breathers, and their nasal passage is narrow. They have to clean it more frequently than adults, thus sneezing. Sneezing with a startle or Moro’s reflex is indicative of a strong nervous system. 

10. Hiccoughs – Are normal for babies and are not painful for them. It can be soothed by giving something to suck to a baby and prevented to a certain extent by reducing the speed of feeding and adequate burping. Excessive hiccups can be due to oesophageal reflux. Hiccups cease once the digestive system matures. 

11. Head and palms are warmer – Due to the large surface areas head, and palms of babies feel hotter. It is normal if the axillary temperature is less than 99*F. 

12. The yellow colour of eyes or skin at the age of three days and onwards – Most of the time, it is physiological jaundice. Parents are more worried if they judge it in artificial light, particularly yellow light. The average normal serum bilirubin level on day three in breastfed babies is about 12.5 mg/100 ml, and in formula-fed babies, 11.25 mg/a00 ml.; normal upper level at three days of age is considered to be 15 mg/ 100 ml. This bilirubin level may peak on days 7 – 8, maybe more than 15 mg/dl, then gradually reduces to normal level in a month. Breastfed babies take more time to baseline their bilirubin level. This physiological jaundice is totally harmless and doesn’t require any treatment;. Indirect bilirubin is an antioxidant that protects baby tissues from excessive oxygenation. As a baby is suddenly exposed to a higher level of oxygen postnatally. 

13. Overstretching by babies – Babies stretch with a grunt, passing a little stool or flatus with a slight rigidity of abdominal wall; is sometimes presumed as GAS by worried parents. It is normal. It is an indication of good health. 

14. Trembling – most babies have a trembling chin or a limb more pronounced while crying or stretching the limb. Amplitude is equal in both directions, and action is smooth. These are not jerky convulsions. This trembling will stop on holding the limb or distracting the baby. This trembling is due to the easily excitable nervous system of the newborn. It should go at the age of two months. India is blessed with four changes in the weather. In some parts of the country, we have harsh winters and sweltering summers. In these weathers, we need to give special care to our babies. Here I have given fundamentals of that special care.