Normal newborn physiology includes distinct behavioral states and specific patterns for bowel movements. Recognizing the difference between simple congestion and serious conditions like pneumonia is crucial for timely care.
Newborn babies have several unique characteristics that may surprise their parents. Because newborns have been recently exposed to a variety of hormones from their mothers, they may have swollen nipples or even release some milk from the nipples.
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Life with a newborn baby would be less stressful if babies came with an instruction manual. Many new parents don't know when to take a newborn to the emergency room -- or to the doctor's office, for that matter. When you have a sick baby, every symptom appears life-threatening to inexperienced parents.
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Your newborn infant’s immune system is still immature when you bring her home from the hospital. Unless you keep everyone who may be sick away from her, she is going to be exposed to illnesses and develop colds or gastrointestinal illnesses.
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Newborns can experience congestion for a variety of reasons including illness and allergies. Congestion may interfere with your baby's ability to feed and cause her general discomfort. Since babies lack the skills and abilities necessary to blow their own noses, you must clear your baby's nasal passages for her.
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A newborn's eyes are not fully developed, according to Lawrence M. Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D. at the University of Illinois Medical Center. The elements of the eyes develop in utero, but the nerve and internal structures continue to grow over the first two years of life.
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Newborn’s bowel habits vary from baby to baby. However, painful bowel movements can affect any baby, disrupting her daily schedule and making feedings and diaper changes difficult.
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A newborn baby’s nails grow continuously. Fingernails, which grow about 0.1 mm every day, grow faster in children, in males and in the summertime. Newborn’s have little control over their arms and hands. Your might notice that your newborn leaves scratches on his or her face.
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The varicella-zoster virus is responsible for chicken pox and shingles outbreaks. Shingles, or herpes zoster, is an after-effect of chicken pox. The herpes zoster virus enters your body, usually when you are a child, causing you to experience the itchy red bumps on your skin.
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A newborn crying throughout the night is alarming, exhausting and frustrating for parents. Most babies will stop crying if you comfort them, but if your baby does not respond to your attempts to soothe him, there may be an underlying problem.
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Newborn infants often have dry skin that appears flaky or peels, according to Daniel Feiten, M.D. of Greenwood Pediatrics. As this is a natural process, most newborns do not generally require lotion to alleviate the condition, but using one is perfectly fine if the appearance bothers you.
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Your newborn may get gassy for a variety of reasons. She may swallow air while feeding, crying or sucking a pacifier; or get gas from milk or food sensitivity.
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Probiotics contribute to the treatment of many conditions, including high cholesterol and digestive problems. However, what may be safe for you may not be safe for your newborn. While probiotics do offer some health benefits, never give your infant any type of supplementation without talking to her pediatrician first.
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Some babies are born with a full head of hair, while others are born completely bald. Both are completely normal, as is a baby born with a full head of hair who goes bald within the first few months. None of this is a cause for concern, as a baby grows hair of several different types in several different stages.
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According to MayoClinic.com, babies can have as many as 10 upper respiratory infections--better known as the common cold--before age 2. It's also common for newborn babies to have some nasal congestion in the first two months of life.
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The summer months often mean outdoor time during family gatherings, barbecues and other social events. Dressing your newborn requires more than a keen sense of baby fashion.
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Newborn babies often experience bouts of hiccups. Luckily babies don't seem to be bothered by the hiccups much. When a baby is in utero and for the first year of his life, several rounds of hiccups during each day is normal and usually not anything to worry about.
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