Hello World,
It's not easy for a new parent to be certain when an infant is ill. Health care workers are so used to requests for information that a parent's genuine concern can sometimes be treated too casually. Rather than trust her own instincts, a mother can begin to doubt herself.
The good news is that there are tangible and objective measures of a baby's health.
WEEK ONE From the start, newborns will need to nurse for no less than 15 minutes, 8 times per day during the first week of life. Listen and you should hear the baby swallowing milk. Baby's first sticky-black stool - called meconium - should pass. This will transition from a black-green color to a brown doughey consistency. By day 4 or 5 the color will be yellow. Wet diapers will appear by the second day. By the end of this week, the frequency of wet diapers will increase to 2 or 3 per day.
An ill baby will show definite physical signs of his condition. There is reason to be concerned if a baby has a weak sucking reflex, little or no desire to nurse and cannot sustain a feeding for at least 15 minutes, 8 times per day. Something is likely wrong if there is a clicking sound when a baby nurses, the cheeks dimple when the baby sucks, or the baby falls asleep before nursing for 15 minutes. If the pattern of stools don't progress and transition and there aren't wet diapers within two days of birth, this is not normal. If these symptoms are observed for two days in a row, seek medical assistance.
THE INITIAL 30 DAYS A healthy baby will continue to have healthy signs for the next month. For weeks 2 through 4, the baby will continue to nurse at least eight times a day and have 2 to 4 yellow bowel movements per day. Urine should be clear, not yellow, 6-8 times per day. The suck will strengthen, and you should see milk and continue to hear swallowing during feedings. Your baby's alertness will increase as well as his size.
Take special note of anything out of the ordinary: infrequent feedings, small stools or missed stools, decreased urination or bright yellow urine. You should be able to measure an increase in your baby's weight and length. You'll know something is not right if your baby's sucking becomes weak, you can't hear swallowing at feedings, the baby becomes lethargic and slow to respond or stops sleeping between feedings. If you observe these behaviors for more than two days in a row, contact a health provider for assistance.
WEEKS FIVE THROUGH TEN A baby may change from 8 to 7 feedings per day during this time. This is because he is growing and can take in more milk. Again, you will notice a change in bowel movements to either several small stools per day or a large one as infrequently as every couple of days. In breastfed babies, this is normal because the body assimilates much of the milk with little waste. Six to eight wet diapers will continue daily, but check to be sure there isn't a concentrated yellow color. You should notice that your baby is increasing in his awareness, has a stronger suck, audible swallowing and a little milk dripping at feeding time.
During this 5th to 10th week you may have reason for concern if your baby doesn't nurse at least seven times per day or produce the right amount of wet (not bright yellow) diapers each day. Note carefully whether or not your baby is gaining weight and getting longer. A baby that isn't getting enough nourishment may have a weak sucking reflex and may nurse without an audible swallow. If your baby becomes slow to respond, sluggish and stops sleeping between feedings, contact a health care provider. If you see these things for two days in a row, something is not right with your baby.
MONITORING YOUR BABY Remembering how often and when a baby ate can be a challenge when you are well-rested. It can be overwhelming to expect a new mother to know this with reduced sleep. Have note paper and a pencil near the baby's bed. Whenever mama feeds or changes the baby, note the time and what was done along with your observations. One example of an entry might be: "10:00 a.m. - BIG BM, brownish green, nursed 30 minutes." For clarity, you may want to start a new page each day with the date written at the top.
This way, should anything seem out of the ordinary, you can refer to your notes and present them to a doctor if needed. This is also a good bonding tool for a new mama. Your weariness may make it difficult for your to identify the cause of your baby's crying, but your list will provide you with the information you need to know if it's been too long between feedings or bowel movements - identifying the cry as hunger or constipation. This helps mama learn the different sounds of her baby's cries. In turn, the new mother gains confidence in her ability to identify and meet her child's needs.
However, older mamas give sage advice when it comes to newborns and new mamas. The first few weeks are to be enjoyed to their fullest. Don't worry about filling your day with anything more than getting to know this new little one. They aren't little for long.
About the Author
If you're a new parent, you might like more tips on child training. No Greater Joy has written a best a bestseller called To Train Up A Child that has helped thousands as well as publishing many articles on their website dedicated to helping parents bring up children they enjoy.
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