One of new parent’s biggest fears when they come home with their newborn baby is the worry that they won’t recognize if their baby becomes ill and needs emergency help. That’s a serious legitimate worry, too. Babies this young have no way to directly communicate with you. You can only watch their body language and learn to understand the difference between a ‘need cry’ and a ‘distress cry’. Fortunately, that takes very little time to learn.
3 Common Newborn Health Issues
So what should a new parent expect to look out for in those early days? The good news is that for a generally healthy baby, you shouldn’t have to worry about too many mystery issues presenting themselves. Just the most common three.
Formula Intolerance/Colic – Many babies who are bottle-fed will have issues with adjusting to their formula. And just as many other baby’s will be breastfed and still suffer with gassy, colic type issues of discomfort. You’ll usually recognize this type of cry as unusual because the pain factor may raise baby’s voice an octave or two, and you’ll notice the cries come in burst. (like gas bubbles do) You’ll definitely want to learn ways to get your baby through a bout of colic, but you’ll adjust. Other than an initial visit back to your pediatrician when the formula intolerance or colic fussing begins, a colic bout is no cause for the ER.
Ear Aches – Unfortunately, our little bodies don’t begin life in our most functional form. This means most babies will eat while slightly or completely declined, they’ll lay on their little backs while traces of liquid dribble down their Eustachian tubes while they are sleeping, and in general spend the first few months of life in the exact perfect position and circumstance to have none stop ear aches and infections. Before you know it, your little guy or gal will be waving their arms around their head and crying with one of those new distress cries you’ve grown to absolutely fear.
Take it easy. While this does likely merit a call to the pediatrician, and most likely a visit to check on the ear canal and the rest of the baby to ascertain that it’s not a larger issue, eventually you’ll grow used to the rituals you’ll be performing through the ear aches baby does have. As well as when to break out the right medication and when it does merit an ER visit. If baby seems to be desperately tugging on her or his ears, screaming high-pitched and never ending and running a fever, that’s time for the ER if your pediatrician isn’t immediately available to you.
Teething – While it is sort of a rare thing, babies can begin teething very, very early in life. This is an easy one to recognize. Baby will begin to gnaw on everything, even their own hands if nothing is made handy and you’ll notice one sure symptom that will let you know baby is working on new teeth. The drooling. It’s incessant and it’s epic. Follow your pediatricians advice on which pain relieving medications to use and learn to grit through these teething periods with toys, distractions and as many different teething rings and items as you can find. Those that can be frozen provide a great relief to baby. Have a few ready for rotation.
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