Babies have 2 soft spots, or “fontanels,” on their head. The one in the front usually closes between 6 and 24 months; the one on the back of the head is often closed at birth or closes within 3 months.

Eyes

Newborns can see, but not as clearly as adults. Your baby may look cross-eyed for the first few months of life because of immature eye muscle control. Eye coloring may change after birth to its permanent color at about 6 months of age.

Your newborn may have swelling around the eyes. This will go away in a few days after birth. Some babies have a red area in the white part of the eye. This is a small hemorrhage from the pressure during birth. No treatment is necessary, as it will disappear within several weeks.

Eye Care

The ointment placed in your baby’s eyes after birth may cause a slight redness, with some swelling of the lids and watering of the eyes for the first few days. Wash the eyelids with clear, warm water and a clean cloth or cotton balls. Wipe from the inside, near the nose, out toward the ear. Use a separate place on the wash cloth or a new cotton ball on each eye to avoid transferring germs from one eye to the other.

Swollen Breasts, Labia or Testicles

The genitals in some boy and girl babies may appear swollen. Girl babies have thick, white, occasionally blood-tinged secretions from the vagina. Baby boys may have swollen testicles, and babies of either sex may have enlarged breasts and milky fluid coming from the nipples. This is because your baby still has your maternal hormones. As your hormones gradually disappear from your baby’s body, so does the swelling.

Skin

Newborns have skin that is pink or light brown in color. Mucous membranes of the lips and inside the mouth are pink in color. Some blueness of the hands and feet is normal the first 2 to 3 days.

Peeling or cracking skin around the wrists or ankles is common, especially in babies who have gone past their due date. As new skin cells grow, this condition will clear up without treatment.

Lanugo is the name of the downy fuzz sometimes seen on the backs, arms, and ears of newborn babies. It disappears in a few weeks.

Milia are tiny yellow-white cysts on the nose, forehead, and cheeks. Do not squeeze them. They will go away by themselves.

Vernix is the creamy substance that protected your baby’s skin while in the uterus. It may be present in skin folds. It will be absorbed by the skin in a few days.

All these conditions are normal and disappear rapidly as the baby matures and adjusts to life outside the womb.

A raised pimple-like rash around the cord or genital area may occur. Usually this rash will clear up with normal bathing or exposure to air. If the rash does not go away or gets worse, see your doctor. Your doctor should check a more blister-like rash that ruptures, leaves a scab, or continues to spread.

Skin rashes can also result from overdressing or harsh laundry soaps. As the baby becomes warm and sweats, skin irritation develops. This is especially common in the skin folds. To prevent rashes, keep these areas clean and dry and avoid overdressing the baby. You can also try milder laundry soap - dissolve the soap before adding clothes and rinse twice.

Umbilical Cord Care

The baby’s umbilical cord stump will usually dry and fall off 2 to 3 weeks after birth. To help prevent infection and to help it to dry, clean the base of the cord stump at each diaper change with a cotton ball soaked with alcohol. Your baby may cry when you touch him with the cold alcohol. This is not painful to your baby. Clean with water if cord is soiled with urine or stool. If your baby’s cord is not dry before you go home, the clamp will not be removed. The clamp will fall off with the cord in 2 to 3 weeks.

Try to keep the diaper positioned below the navel until it has completely healed. Call the doctor if the cord:

• Becomes red
• Bleeds
• Smells bad
• Has pus at its base
• Has red skin around its base
• Is so sensitive that your baby cries when you touch the cord and the skin next to it with your finger.

Give sponge baths until the cord stump falls off and the navel is completely healed.

Fingernails

Do not cut or bite your baby’s nails off. Use mittens or baby booties to cover baby’s hands to prevent scratching of the face. You may use an emery board to file the nails.

Ear Care

Use a wash cloth, not cotton swabs-or “Q-tips,” to clean your baby’s ears. Never insert a cotton swab into the ear canal.

Jaundice

Many newborn babies develop yellow skin when their liver cannot get rid of a substance in the blood called bilirubin. This is called jaundice. Jaundice usually appears on the second or third day of life in healthy babies who are born full-term. It is very common and may occur sooner in preterm babies. The yellow skin first appears on the face. It then moves down the body toward the toes. In most cases, the condition is mild and will disappear on its own without any special treatment.

If you notice your baby’s skin color becoming yellow, notify your pediatrician. A blood test to check your baby’s bilirubin level may be necessary. A small amount of blood is taken from the baby’s heel. If the jaundice requires treatment, a technique called “phototherapy” is often used. This treatment involves placing your baby under special ultraviolet lights, called “bili-lights.” Exposing the skin to these lights helps the body get rid of bilirubin faster. This treatment may be done in the hospital. It may also be done in your home through Woman’s Home Care.

For more important information about jaundice, see the “Newborn Jaundice” brochure.

Sneezing

Newborns sneeze frequently to clear nasal passages. This is normal.

Hiccups

During or after eating, your baby may hiccup. This is normal and will soon stop. There is no cause for concern.

Bulb Syringe

A bulb syringe is used to remove, or suction, breastmilk, formula, or mucus from the baby’s nose and mouth. You may use it when your baby chokes, spits up, has a stuffy nose, or sneezes. We suggest you keep a bulb syringe close to the baby, especially during feedings, and use it when necessary. If you need to suction both the nose and the mouth, suction the mouth first.

To use, first squeeze the bulb until it is collapsed. Place it in one nostril or the inside of the cheek and quickly release the bulb. This will bring the formula or mucus into the bulb.

Remove the bulb syringe from the nose or mouth and squeeze the bulb quickly into a tissue to get rid of the mucus. Repeat for the other nostril (or cheek, if necessary).

After using, clean the bulb syringe with hot soapy water and rinse in hot water. Be sure to clean the inside of the syringe by squeezing the bulb while the tip is in the soapy water. Rinse by repeating the procedure with clean, hot water several times. Prop the clean bulb tip side down so the water will drain.

Diaper Matters

Diapering

Your baby’s diaper should be very wet 6 to 8 times in 24 hours. If you are breastfeeding, your baby may not have this many wet diapers a day until your milk comes in.

When the baby is wet or soiled, clean the diaper area with a warm washcloth using a mild soap and water, and then rinse the area with clean water.

Diaper rashes can usually be avoided by carefully washing the diaper area, using a clean cloth for each diaper change, and washing washcloths and diapers properly. Do not use powders and baby oils. If your baby’s bottom looks red or sore, leave the diaper off and expose the area to the air frequently. Your pediatrician may recommend an ointment to treat diaper rash.

If dark pink to orange or rust-colored areas are noticed on the diaper, these are probably uric acid crystals, which are common.

Diapering Girls

Baby girls may have a swollen bottom and may have a white mucus discharge from the vagina for several days after birth. The discharge may even be blood-tinged within the first week from the effects of the mother’s hormones. This is normal and not a cause for concern. Gentle washing of the outside area (vulva) and wiping from front to back are all that are necessary.

Diapering Boys

When washing baby boys, be sure to lift the scrotum to remove any stool. Even small amounts of leftover stool can cause irritation.

Stools or Bowel Movements

Babies should have at least 2 bowel movements, or stools, each day. The stools are usually a yellow or brown color. The bowel movements of breastfed babies will appear loose and may happen more frequently than those of a bottle-fed baby. It is normal for your baby to grunt, strain, and turn red when having a bowel movement. This does not mean the baby is constipated.

Signs of Constipation

If your baby has no bowel movement for 4 days, notify the pediatrician. The doctor will tell you how to treat your baby’s constipation. If your baby is fussy, does not eat well, or cries for a long time when having a bowel movement, call your pediatrician.

The formula or the iron in formula does not cause constipation.

If your baby does not have many stools but is eating well and does not seem uncomfortable, do not worry.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a large increase in the number of stools your baby usually has or stools that become looser in consistency. Diarrhea can also be watery stools or stools with a water ring around them. (Normally, stools are soft. Some are mushy or pasty.)

If your baby has several watery stools one right after the other within 6 to 8 hours, call the pediatrician immediately. This can be a symptom of an illness or food intolerance. It causes babies to dehydrate (lose fluid) easily and quickly.

Dehydration

The signs of dehydration include:

• Dry lips and mouth or thick saliva.
• Small amounts of dark urine in the diaper.
• Soft spot on the head (fontanel) sinks in when your baby is held upright or in a sitting position.
• Skin forms a “tent” when pinched, and stays pinched up.
• Dark circles around the baby’s eyes.
• Baby may be fussy, sleepy, not hungry, or hard to wake up.

Call your pediatrician if your baby shows any of these signs.

Circumcision Care

The circumcised penis needs very little care. Rinse the circumcision area at each diaper change by squeezing warm water over the tip of the penis. You may place a gauze sponge with Vaseline over the tip of the penis until the area is healed. If a “plastibell” is used, the Vaseline on a gauze sponge is usually not needed.

If a plastibell is used, the bell (plastic ring), will fall off in 5 to 8 days. The rim of skin in front of the string will turn black and come off with the bell. Do not pull the plastibell even if it is barely still attached. The plastibell will come off by itself. You will probably find it loose in your baby’s diaper. Do not sit your baby in a tub of water until after the circumcision is healed.

There should be no active bleeding. The head of the penis may be irritated. It can also appear whitish or yellowish in places as it heals. This is normal. Call the doctor if the penis is bleeding, becomes reddened, swollen, or is draining.

Care of the Uncircumcised Baby

Do not pull back (retract) the foreskin (the skin covering the tip of the penis) of your baby. Forcing the foreskin back may harm the penis, causing pain, bleeding, and possibly, scar tissue. The natural separation of the foreskin from the tip of the penis

Bath Time

• Never take your hands off your baby during the bath.
• Never leave your baby unattended on a raised flat surface or alone in the tub.

There is no best time to bathe the baby. Any time that is convenient for you is fine. For some babies, a bath before feedings is relaxing since most babies fall asleep shortly after eating. If your baby is a poor feeder it may be better to wait and bathe him between his feedings when he wakes up.

While it is not necessary to bathe your baby every day, you will want to keep the diaper area and skin folds clean, and to clean the hair and scalp every day. Sponge baths are usually given until the umbilical cord comes off, the navel (belly button) heals, and the circumcised penis is healed.

Gather all the items you will need for the bath and place them within easy reach. You will need:

• Plastic basin or large sink
• Soft washcloth and 2 or 3 towels (large towel to place baby on and for drying baby)
• Mild soap and baby shampoo
• 2 or 3 cotton balls
• 70 percent rubbing alcohol for cord care, if necessary
• Baby hair brush
• Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) for circumcision care, if necessary
• Clothes and diaper.

Be sure the room is warm so your baby does not become cool. Keep your baby wrapped in a towel and expose only the areas you are actively washing.

Water should be about body temperature (90° - 100°F). Test the water with your elbow or wrist. It should feel comfortably warm. Bathe your baby either from head to toes or from clean to dirty.

To wash your baby’s eyes, dip the corner of the washcloth or a cotton ball in clear warm water and wash from the nose out toward the ears. Use a different cotton ball or corner of the washcloth for each eye to prevent the possibility of transferring infection from one e ye into the other. Continue with plain water on the rest of the face and the outer ear and the entrance to the ear, not inside. Wax is formed in the ear to protect and clean it. Do not clean nostrils or ear canals with cotton-tip swabs.

Shampoo the hair using a brush to help stimulate the scalp and remove dead skin cells. Rinse the hair well and dry with a soft towel. Do not use a blow dryer to dry your baby’s hair. The air from the dryer is too hot for a baby’s skin.

Mild soap can be used on the rest of the body. Make sure you wash all creases and rinse well. Wash the genital area last. For girls, separate the folds of the labia and wash from the front to the back using a clean part of the cloth for each wipe. For boys, gently wash the penis and under the scrotum. Pat all areas dry.

Lotions and Powders

Babies do not need additional lotion, oil, cream, or powders on their skin. Powder can easily get into your baby’s breathing passages and can cause severe breathing problems. Lotions and cream products often cause rashes. Oil should not be placed on the hair and scalp because it frequently leads to seborrhea - a dandruff-like condition.

If your baby has cradle cap (red, scaly patches on the scalp), apply an unscented, hypoallergenic lotion, such as Lubriderm, to the scalp. Use a fine tooth comb to clean the scalp, then shampoo and rinse scalp thoroughly. Brush the scalp daily with a baby brush.

Feeding Decisions

One of the most important decisions you will make is how to nourish your baby. If you decide to breastfeed your baby, you will be given an additional booklet. The Woman’s Hospital Breastfeeding Guide offers comprehensive information for mother and baby.

The following information will be helpful for whatever your feeding choice and for weaning from breast to bottle.

Bottle Feeding

Your pediatrician will recommend a formula to feed your baby. Most pediatricians recommend a formula based on cow’s milk with iron for the first year of life. A few babies need a formula without cow’s milk, usually a soybean formula.

Formula comes in 3 forms: ready-to-feed liquid, concentrated liquid, and powder. Ready-to-feed is available in cans or different size bottles that can be thrown away. It requires little time to prepare, but is the most expensive of the 3 types of formula. Opened cans or bottles must be kept in the refrigerator.

The cost of concentrated formula is the lowest of the 3 forms if bought in larger quantities. Be sure to follow the directions for mixing the concentrate with water.

Powdered formula is convenient for travel or home use. It is also economical during the time you are weaning from breast to bottle.

Never add more water to make the formula last longer or add less water to make it stronger. This could be very dangerous to the baby’s health.

Discuss formula preparation and sterilization with your doctor.

Using Tap Water

Tap water is usually safe to use in mixing formula. Discuss sterilization with your doctor, since water quality varies in different areas. If your water comes from a well, it may need to be tested by the local office of the Louisiana Department of Public Health for bacteria and contaminants.

To sterilize water, boil it for five minutes and allow to cool before mixing with formula. Distilled or bottled water does not need to be sterilized.

Sterilizing Bottles and Bottle Nipples

Wash your hands before preparing bottles.

Wash bottles and nipples in hot, soapy water, rinse very well in hot water and allow to air dry. Be sure to clean any dried formula out of the nipple and its opening.

You can sterilize the utensils and bottles by boiling them in water for 5 minutes. Allow to cool before adding formula to the bottles.

How Much to Feed

Most pediatricians believe you should feed babies when they act hungry. Babies demonstrate hunger by crying, sucking on their fists, or turning their heads when their cheeks are touched. Most babies will want to feed every 2 to 4 hours, or 6 to 12 times per day. During the first month, if your baby sleeps longer than 4 hours and starts missing feedings, wake him up and offer a bottle.

Your newborn will take from 2 to 3 ounces of formula per feeding. Feedings will generally last about 20 minutes. As the baby grows and gains weight, he will need more formula. It might mean your baby needs to have more formula in the bottle if the baby regularly takes the whole bottle and sometimes cries for more or if your baby keeps sucking strongly after the bottle is empty. If this happens, begin by placing 1/2 ounce more formula in the bottles. If your baby spits up, it may mean there is too much formula in the bottle. Place 1/2 ounce less formula in the bottle.

Prepare formula bottles so you have enough for that feeding. Prepared formula bottles can be refrigerated for a maximum of 24 hours or used within 1 hour of opening.

Warming the Formula

It is your choice whether to warm your baby’s formula. Many babies will be happy to take their formula directly from the refrigerator, while others may prefer it warmed. No one way is best, nor does one way cause colic or upset stomach more than the other. Babies often like things done the same way each time.

If you choose to warm your baby’s formula, do not heat the bottles in a microwave. The formula may heat unevenly and will burn your baby. Formula can be warmed to room temperature by placing the bottle in a pan of warm water. Temperature of the warmed formula should be tested by shaking a few drops onto the inner aspect of your wrist. If it is too warm to your wrist, it is probably too warm for your baby, too.

Does the Baby Need Water?

Babies usually do not need water. It does not contain any of the calories or nutrients that babies need. It also may make them feel full and not hungry for formula or breastmilk. Some babies do not like water and will refuse to drink it when offered.

Vitamins

Your pediatrician may prescribe vitamins with fluoride to ensure that the baby gets proper nutrition and to protect his emerging teeth.

Formulas with iron are often recommended to ensure your baby has enough iron during the months of rapid growth. Iron in the formula is not the cause of colic, constipation, or spitting up.

Other Types of Milk

Other types of milk (whole, low fat, skim, condensed, raw) do not meet the nutritional needs of young babies and should be given only after your pediatrician says you may stop using formula.

Solid foods are not needed for nutritional or physical reasons until the baby is at least 4 to 6 months old.

Giving a baby solid foods too early can contribute to obesity, may provide more salt than the baby’s system can easily handle, and may cause an early food allergy.

Burping the Baby

During the first few weeks you will need to burp your baby frequently. Your baby should be burped during, and at least once after, the feeding.

Traditional over-the-shoulder burping works well, or you may want to try sitting the baby in your lap and lean him slightly forward, supporting his jawbone and upper chest with your hand. Gently rubbing or patting baby’s back is comforting and may help move the air bubbles up.

Holding the Baby for Feedings

The following suggestions may help you to be more comfortable during feedings:

• Place pillows under baby and under mother’s arm.
• Sit on furniture with arm rests.
• Use a lumbar roll or pillow to support your back.

Cuddle baby with the head bent slightly forward. Keep the baby’s head straight, not bending toward the left or right shoulder. If the head rests forward on the chest, the baby may have trouble breathing. He may try to straighten his head by thrusting it backward to make breathing easier, but if his head is too far back this can make it hard to swallow and breathe. Talk to him as he eats.

Make sure formula fills the nipple during the entire feeding or the baby will swallow air. Swallowing air may lead to spitting up, colic, and upset stomach.

Do not lay an infant flat while taking a bottle. Never prop up the bottle or leave your baby alone to feed.

Pacifiers

Babies have a strong sucking reflex. Many are not satisfied by the amount of sucking during a feeding and want to suck more even though they are not hungry. Pacifiers fill this need and may calm your baby if he is fussy.

Pacifiers should never be tied around your baby’s neck. The cord or ribbon used to hold the pacifier could get caught on something, causing it to tighten around the neck and choke him. Use only a commercial pacifier, never a homemade one. Never make a pacifier from a nipple and plastic collar or ring. Some babies can separate the nipple from the collar and choke on it. Pacifiers should fit your baby’s mouth comfortably. A pacifier that is too long might gag the baby. Using a pacifier is not harmful, and babies eventually outgrow the need for them.

The use of a pacifier in the breast-fed infant is discouraged during the first 3 weeks, due to possible nipple confusion while breastfeeding is being established. A pacifier used for a short period to calm a fussy breastfed baby could be used as a last resort. (For other methods used to comfort the baby, see the section in this booklet on “Comforting the Crying Baby.”)

You should call your pediatrician in any of the following cases:

• Leaking from the umbilical cord or circumcision
• Yellow, bluish, or pale color of the baby’s skin
• Yellow color in the area of the eyes that is usually white
• Temperature less than 97° or over 99.6° F axillary (taken under arm)
• Irritability, crying or fussing more than usual
• Becoming floppy or limp
• Not eating as well as usual
• Vomiting after more than 2 feedings in a row
• Fewer than six to eight wet diapers per day (after milk comes in for breastfed babies)
• Watery stools or diarrhea
• Convulsions or seizures
• Difficulty breathing
• Problems waking up
• Problems or worries about the circumcision
• Call your pediatrician before changing your baby’s formula or stopping breastfeeding

WOMAN’S HOSPITAL DOES NOT HAVE AN EMERGENCY ROOM.

Contact baby’s pediatrician for emergencies.

Be sure to ask your pediatrician which hospital you should go to.

If you have any other questions or concerns about your baby’s health, do not hesitate to call your doctor.

To test for this disease, a small amount of blood is taken from your baby’s heel. This test is done before your baby goes home from the hospital.

When To Call the Doctor

Contact your pediatrician for emergencies. Be sure to ask which hospital you should go to if it becomes necessary.

Call the pediatrician if the baby looks sick or starts to act differently. When you call, the doctor or nurse will ask you questions to help find out what might be wrong with your baby. Make sure you are prepared to give the following information:

• Description of your baby’s symptoms, for example what your baby is doing, not doing, or other signs that make you think something is wrong
• Baby’s temperature, including if you took the temperature under the arm or with an ear thermometer
• Name and phone number of your pharmacy
• Keep paper and a pen near you when you call the doctor so you can write down important information, especially anything the doctor tells you to do.

Treatment of Fever

If your baby is less than 3 months old and has a fever, call your pediatrician before giving acetaminophen.

Unless ordered by your pediatrician, aspirin should not be given to children. Several studies link aspirin use in children with Reye’s syndrome, a severe illness that may be fatal.

Saline Nose Drops

Your pediatrician may recommend the use of normal saline nose drops to clean the baby’s nose when he has a cold or congestion (stuffy nose).

To use, place 3 to 4 drops in one side of the baby’s nose (use medicine dropper) while the head is slightly tilted back. Suction with the bulb syringe. Repeat on the other side. Baby may cough, sneeze, and/or swallow part of the solution. This is normal.

Normal saline nose drops can be used whenever necessary. If your baby has a cold or congestion, be sure to use the nose drops before feedings. Check with your pediatrician for his specific instructions.

Taking a Temperature

Normal ranges in body temperature vary depending on the amount of activity, emotional stress, type of clothing worn, and temperature of the environment. You can use either a digital or ear thermometer at any age to take your baby’s temperature. Do not use mercury glass thermometers. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use and care of whichever thermometer you choose.

When reporting fever, always tell the doctor what part of the body was used to take the temperature and the exact thermometer reading.

The axillary (armpit) method is recommended for children from birth to 4 years.

• Hold the thermometer snugly in the armpit making sure the bulb is completely covered between your baby’s arm and side.
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions for use of digital type thermometers.

The rectal method may be used in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years.

• Check with your pediatrician before taking a rectal temperature.
• Moisten the end of the thermometer with a water soluble lubricant.
• Place your baby on his stomach and across your lap. Spread the buttocks with one hand to expose the anal opening.
• Keep your arm along baby’s back or have another person help you hold the baby so he won’t move.
• Insert thermometer, slowly and gently, just far enough for the bulb to pass the anal sphincter (muscle). This is about 1/2 inch.
• After temperature is taken, remove the thermometer gently in a straight line and read it.
• Rectal temperatures are slightly higher than axillary (armpit) temperatures.
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions for use of digital type thermometers.

Comfort Measures

Crying

All babies cry because it is the only way they can let us know when they need something. It is important to respond to your baby’s cries as soon as possible in the first few months of life. This kind of attention does not spoil your baby, but lets him know that his basic needs will be met and that he can trust those caring for him. Remember, most babies seem to be fussy at about the same time each day. During this time, nothing seems to calm your baby. The sound of a baby crying can be very upsetting, especially when it goes on for a long time. When you feel overwhelmed, plan to have someone watch your baby for a few minutes so you can get away. Most importantly, NEVER SHAKE YOUR BABY. Remind yourself: it does get better.

To calm your baby, start with one soothing action at a time. If what you try is not working, stop and try a different soothing action. You will probably start to notice what types of things help calm your baby. Here are some soothing actions to try to help your baby calm down:

• Change the diaper, if needed.
• Feed the baby if you think he might be hungry.
• Offer him something to suck (pacifier, thumb, fingers).
• Burp your baby once more.
• Determine if the baby is sick. Check the baby’s temperature.
• Swaddle (wrap) baby in a soft diaper or blanket, making sure his breathing is not blocked.
• Take your baby for a car ride (in a car seat, of course).
• Rock your baby in your arms, a cradle, a baby swing, or rocking chair.
• Walk with your baby upright, with his head on your shoulder.
• Give the baby a warm bath.
• Gently massage your baby’s arms and legs.
• Sing or hum, or play quiet music.
• Turn on a fan or something else that makes a continuous sound.
• Put your baby on your lap, tummy down, and rub his back.
• Cuddle your baby close to your chest and breathe slowly (calmness is catching).
• Try darkening the room, turning down the noise, and putting the baby down or not touching the baby as much.
• Let someone else try to calm your baby or put your baby in his crib for a few minutes.
• Call the baby’s pediatrician for help.

Sleeping

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you place babies on their backs to sleep. This reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Lying on the back is the safest position for baby to sleep. Babies should not be placed on their stomachs or sides to sleep. There are some exceptions to this recommendation:

• Those prematurely born
• Those with excessive spitting up or vomiting
• Others, as defined by a pediatrician.

If you have questions about sleeping positions, discuss them with your pediatrician or family physician.

Supervised “Tummy Time”

When your baby is awake and alert, he needs to spend some time on his tummy so he can learn to lift his head and push with his arms. This will help your baby gain normal strength through his head, neck, and upper body. This “tummy time” should always be supervised.

Home Temperature

Keep temperature between 75°F and 79°F. Do not place your baby under fans or near drafts. Signs that the house may be too cold are if the baby’s hands and feet feel cold or if his skin is a pale, mottled-blue color.

Do not leave your baby unprotected in direct sun.

Dressing Your Baby

Dress your baby according to the weather. Comfortable clothing and socks are important. Wrap your baby in a light blanket if the temperature is cool. When outside, your baby’s head should be covered.

Common Infant Conditions

Most babies do not get sick during the first 6 weeks. However, a few problems are common in babies this young. These include conditions called cradle cap and thrush. Babies can also get colds. Treating babies is not the same as treating children or adults. Talk with your pediatrician about suggestions to treat these problems.

Cradle Cap

Cradle cap is a scaly, greasy-looking crust that forms on the head. You can prevent cradle cap by shampooing your baby’s head with baby shampoo each day. If cradle cap does occur, brush the head with a soft baby brush and apply baby oil. Let the oil soak into the crust. This will soften the crust. Then, gently scrub or brush the head and shampoo again. Do not put oil on the head after it has been washed.

Cold

If your baby is sneezing, coughing, or has a runny or stuffy nose, he may have a cold. If your baby has a cold, he may have trouble nursing or taking a bottle. To make breathing easier, add more moisture to the baby’s room. Also, suction mucus out of the nose using a soft bulb syringe. If your baby has fever (greater than 99.6°F axillary) talk to your doctor about how to control it. Never give your baby aspirin to bring the fever down. Aspirin may cause serious problems, including a disease called Reye’s syndrome, in children.

Thrush

Thrush is a fungus infection. It causes white patches to form inside the mouth. These patches may look like formula or milk in the baby’s mouth. If the patches cannot be wiped away using a soft cloth, your baby may have thrush. Contact your doctor if you see these signs.

Safety

Many of the accidents that claim the lives of infants and children each year can be easily prevented. We hope this information will help you make your baby’s environment safer.

While at Home

Be very careful when you announce your baby’s birth. Birth announcements should include only your last name and should not include your address.

Do not allow anyone into your home if they say they are employed by Woman’s Hospital unless they have proper identification. Before you leave the hospital, you will be notified if a home visit is necessary.

The use of outdoor decorations, including balloons, large floral wreaths, and wooden storks to announce your baby’s birth is not recommended. These decorations alert passersby that you have a new baby in the house.

Jewelry

Infants and toddlers should not wear jewelry of any kind. Necklaces, baby rings, bracelets, religious pins, and pacifiers on a string are very dangerous. Babies can suffocate by breathing small objects into their lungs.

Pierced ears are not recommended for children until they are at least 4 years old. Earrings can cause infections, pressure sores on the head and the ears (because the baby is unable to turn her head well), scar formation on the ears from the earring backs, and suffocation due to the baby breathing parts of the earring into her lungs.

Crib, Bassinet, Carriage or Playpen

• Be sure bars are close enough so that your baby cannot slide through or get stuck (2-3/8 inches at most).
• Wood surfaces should be free of splinters and cracks, and have lead-free paint.
• The crib should not have cross bars on the sides. The sides, when lowered, should be 4 inches above the mattress.
• The sides of the crib should have a latch that prevents them from coming down accidentally.
• The mattress should be the same size as the crib so there are no gaps to catch arms or legs. The top of the railing should be 22 inches from the mattress when the mattress is placed on the lowest level.
• The furniture should meet the standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This information is usually included with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Never leave crib rails down when the baby is in the crib.
• Bumper pads should be used around the entire crib until the baby begins to stand, then removed.
• Corner posts must be less than five eighths of an inch high. Corner posts higher than this can catch your baby’s clothing and are hazardous.
• There should be no cut-outs in the head or footboards where your baby could trap his head, arms, or hands.
• Begin to lower the crib mattress before your baby is able to sit without help. The mattress should be at its lowest point before your baby can stand.
• Toys that go across the crib are meant for young babies. When your baby is able to push up on his hands and knees, any toy that stretches across the crib should be removed. Your baby can become tangled in the toys and choke.
• Do not place the crib near blinds or curtains with long cords because your baby could strangle on the cord.
• Do not place a pillow in your baby’s crib.

Car Seats

Car crashes are the leading cause of death and injury among children in the United States. Almost all of these deaths are preventable. When used properly, car seats meeting federal safety standards have been shown to reduce death and serious injury from auto crashes by as much as 70 percent. The child safety seat protects your child by preventing him from being thrown into the dashboard, the windshield, or out of the vehicle. In the event of a crash or sudden stop, it will also spread the force over the strongest parts of your child’s body.

The Louisiana law is that all kids to age 13 must be properly buckled up. Birth to at least one year and at least 20 pounds must ride rear facing. At least one year and at least 20 pounds must ride facing forward. Children 40-60 pounds (4-6 years of age) must ride using a belt-positioning booster with a lap-shoulder belt. To at least 60, but preferably after 80 pounds, wear a properly fitting adult safety belt.

• Be sure you have a car seat installed and ready to bring your baby home from the hospital.
• Infants must ride in the back seat facing the rear of the car until they weigh 20 pounds and are 1 year old, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Never place a rear-facing infant seat in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger-side air bag.
• Babies and children must ride properly secured according to the manufacturer’s instructions in an age-and-size-appropriate child restraint.
• The safest place in a car for all children is in the rear seat.
• The child safety seat must meet the applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.
• Keep a small blanket or hand towel in the car and cover the car seat buckle so that it will not be hot when you put your baby in the car seat.

Toys

Select toys that are too large to swallow, too tough to break, and have no small breakable parts and no sharp points or edges.

Toys should be at least 1-1/4 inches by 2-1/2 inches around until your baby is 3 years old. Toys should not have buttons, heads, or objects on them that can be pulled off.

Household

• Plastic bags should not be placed on your baby’s mattress or pillow. Keep plastic bags in a place that your baby cannot reach.
• Never leave your baby alone with young children or animals.
• Never place your baby on a waterbed.
• Do not pour hot liquids when your baby is close by.
• Do not leave your baby in the sun for more than a few minutes.
• Do not leave your baby in a parked car.
• Wash flame-retardant clothing according to the label directions.
• Do not leave medications within your baby’s reach. Use a medicine box, preferably one with a safety lock.
• Store cleaning products out of baby’s reach.
• Get rid of any houseplants that could be poisonous.
• Have the telephone numbers of your pediatrician, rescue squad, and poison control center posted near your telephone. In Louisiana, the Poison Control Center’s phone number is 1-800-256-9822.
• If you have gas appliances or heat in your home, consider installing a carbon monoxide detector.
• Consider taking an infant/child CPR course and first aid class.

Fire Safety

Use the following tips to protect your newborn from fire:

• Never leave your infant alone in the home - even for a minute.
• Install a smoke detector on every level of your home and in your infant’s room.
• Keep chair or rope ladders on upper floors to permit escape.
• Locate several escape routes from each area of the house, including your infant’s room, and plan a meeting place once outside.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and out of children’s reach.

In case of fire, get everyone outside immediately — do not stop to dress or try to put out the fire. Most deaths occur from suffocation due to smoke, and not from direct burning. Call 911 from a neighbor’s house.

Visitors

Many friends and family members will want to visit you and your baby when you get home. Try not to let this disturb the baby’s sleeping or feeding schedule. Babies can become fussy if their routines are interrupted. Try to limit the number of visitors you have during the first few days. Ask friends and family members who are sick or who have been around others who are sick to wait and visit when they are well.

Smoking

Smoking is harmful to both smokers and nonsmokers. Your baby’s lungs are very delicate. The lungs can be hurt if they have to breathe smoke. Babies who breathe in smoke may develop frequent respiratory infections. Do not allow anyone to smoke anywhere in your home. Smoking should only be done outside of the house. Babies can breathe in smoke, even if you smoke in a different room than the baby. Also, never smoke in the car with your baby.

Outings

Unless your baby has health problems, you may take him out when you like. Generally, short trips to the doctor, homes of family and friends, and around the block are less tiring for you and your baby than more extended outings.

Many pediatricians advise against taking a new baby to crowded places during their first 2 months to lessen your baby’s exposure to germs and illnesses.

Programs Just for Parents

As your baby grows and changes, so will your parenting skills. Woman’s Hospital offers a number of opportunities for new parents to learn more about caring for babies as they grow into toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children, and teens.

Keep informed of the many classes offered through the hospital. We look forward to seeing you soon!

It’s not only the new baby who needs care. As a parent, you need to take care of yourself too, and let others know how they can help.