Signs to look for after bringing your newborn home

Your newborn baby is going through many changes as he or she gets used to life in the outside world. This adjustment almost always goes well, but there are certain warning signs you should watch for with newborns. Those can include:

• Not urinating (this can be hard to tell, especially with disposable diapers)

• No bowel movements for 48 hours

• Rectal temperatures of 100.4 °F (38 °C) or higher or less than 97.5 °F degrees (36.5 °C)

• Fast breathing or a bluish skin coloring that doesn’t go away

• Pulling in of the ribs when taking a breath (retraction)

• Wheezing, grunting or whistling sounds while breathing

• Odor, drainage or bleeding from the umbilical cord

• Jaundice (yellowing in color) of the skin on the chest, arms, legs or whites of the eye

• Crying or irritability that doesn’t get better with cuddling or comfort

• A sleepy baby who cannot be awakened enough to nurse or bottle feed

• Signs of sickness (for example: cough, diarrhea, pale skin color)

• Poor appetite or weak sucking ability

• Vomiting, especially when it is yellow or green in color

Call your baby’s healthcare provider if you see any signs that are worrisome to you. You can also click here to learn how to schedule an appointment with a Legacy Community Health provider or come to our Legacy Southwest Pediatrics Walk-in Clinic, located at 6441 High Star Drive.