Even from birth, babies can communicate with us. A newborn doesn’t realize they are a separate person. Infants in the first eight weeks have no control over their movements, and all their physical activities are involuntary or reflex. Since their body development depends on their care, it is important to be aware of the healthy stages of development. You should be aware of what to expect, from your baby’s vision to taking their first steps.
A newborn still needs natural nutrients, which if they do not get, weakens their body and leaves loopholes in their development. A baby cannot communicate in words; he or she simply uses the body language to express how they feel.
Parents and caregivers taking care of that baby need to be extra careful because minor negligence could result as major deficiencies.
These are 11 of the most common health issues in newborns?
- Skin problems
Babies, as well as the infants, have very sensitive skin, so it is very likely that they experience some skin problems. The most common skin issues your baby may encounter is the diaper rash.
Diaper rash is very painful, and a baby will keep crying until they are given some relief. One way to avoid it is the regular change of your baby’s diaper. Use a diaper rash cream in case your baby does develop a rash. If you choose to use a cloth diaper, try to use fragrance and dye free detergents.
Another common skin problem is this cradle cap, which gets reduced if you wash your baby’s hair every day and use a mild shampoo.
- Fever
It is not a big problem, but it is an indicator that your baby’s body is in the process of fighting off an infection. Mild fevers often do not even require medical intervention.
In case the baby gets a high fever, you need to consult your doctor to have a look. High temperature, such as 102F, is something you need to worry about.
- Constipation
When the baby is straining while passing stool then there must be a problem of constipation. It could affect the baby and might induce kidney problems or eye problems in babies. Do not worry, as your little one will outgrow this vulnerable phase before you even realize it.
- Colic
In case the baby keeps crying without a break, it may be blamed to colic. Colicky babies are otherwise healthy, and they do not show any signs of discomfort.
You simply need to check if the baby is allergic to the formula you are using as that can cause colic in babies as well.
- Abdominal distension
Most of the newborns have protruding bellies. If you feel that the baby’s belly is hard and swollen in between feeds, you need to do some sleuthing.
Nine out of ten times it is simply gas or constipation, but sometimes it indicates severe problems like nasal congestion, etc.
- Birth injuries
Difficult labor time can leave some birth injuries in the newborn. After they use the portable baby scale, they find a lot if the baby is to be kept under supervision or can be with the parents.
Even though they recover quickly, so there is nothing to worry about. Some birth injuries include broken collarbone, muscle weakness, forceps marks, etc.
- Bluish skin
It is very common for the newborns to get their hands and feet bluish, but this may not be a serious concern.
In some cases, they develop blueness around their mouth and tongue since they keep crying all the time. If the baby does not get the pink skin back, you need to consult a doctor.
- Coughing
The baby might start coughing while feeding because the milk comes in too fast, but if your baby has a constant cough and refuses to go back or if they often gag during feeding it is time for you to go to a doctor for the checkup.
It sometimes indicates a problem with the digestive system or even the lungs. If the little one coughs incessantly especially during the night time, you may need to rule out whooping cough.
- Jaundice
Several infants have high bilirubin levels at birth as their lives are still immature. Most of the cases of jaundice resolve with time, but it also causes serious problems sometimes. If you see any symptoms let your doctor prescribe treatment to cure jaundice. An earlier theory that neonatal jaundice causes brain damage is proved to be a false alarm.
- Respiratory distress
For a newborn to breathe, usually, it takes time. Once the baby learns to breathe, he or she has no more difficulties. Such breathing problems in newborn babies take place due to many reasons.
When you find the baby has some breathing problem, check the baby’s nasal passage. It occurs due to the blockage in that passage. Saline drops can treat this problem.
- Vomiting
It is normal for the babies to spit up milk after feeds. Frequent vomiting is not a good sign. To prevent frequent vomiting, make sure your baby is not lactose intolerant or allergic to breast milk.
You also need to burp your baby frequently to prevent his or her from throwing up their entire meal. In case the baby is not gaining adequate weight, medical intervention is needed.
Hi Marysa, quite informative. I really struggled with my baby due to colic. I changed the baby formula and still changed the bottles. Air vented bottles are good for babies as they reduce colic. I wish new moms can research about colic first just to know how to handle their baby when it occurs.
Thank you for shairing these great insights. During our first year, my daughter had issues with cradle cap. We really struggled combating it until we invested in a good baby hair brush. I came to realize that most of the skin issues can be solved by proper hygiene on the baby as well as the mom.