Newborn Care Tips

Additional comments on Bumper Pads - Summer Newborn Care Tip
In the days when infants could get their heads trapped between the slats of a crib, bumper pads made sense. Since 1986, however, crib slats have been required to be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Since the danger of head entrapment is gone, there is no good reason for parents to cushion the sides of the crib. Parents are afraid that children will hit their heads on the rails or get their arms or legs stuck between the slats and break a bone. The truth is, it would be difficult for a small child to suffer a serious head injury bumping into the side of the crib and few children would have enough strength to break a bone if stuck through the slats. If you sleep in the same room with your infant, the bumper pads interfere with your ability to see the infant. In addition, when they are able to pull themselves up, children can use the pads as a stepping stone to be high enough to crawl over the rail. Although bumper pads are cute, I think the safer decision is to leave them off the crib.

Spring Newborn Care Tip - 2010
As temperatures and humidity rise in the spring and summer, newborns can break out in a heat rash, which my mother called "prickly heat". Newborns do not sweat well. They have sweat glands, but in hot weather the glands plug up. This results in tiny red, raised dots in areas of the body that are the warmest, such as the neck, the groin, under the arms, in the fold of the elbows or behind the knees. Occasionally these can look like itty bitty blisters. Sometimes the rash itches, which can make your baby irritable.

Prevention is the best treatment. Do not overdress your newborn. The level of clothing in which you are comfortable is exactly what the baby should wear. Overdressing your newborn, making him/her too warm, can cause or worsen a heat rash. Keep as cool as possible. In the hottest or most humid days stay in air conditioning if you can. Avoid oily or greasy creams in rash areas. Give daily baths with lukewarm water followed by scrupulous drying. A light dusting of powder applied with your hand, not by shaking the container, might help dry out the area.

The cardinal rule is that we cannot diagnose a rash over the phone. No matter how carefully you may try to describe it, your pediatrician will have to see it in person. Sometimes areas of heat rash can develop a yeast infection, which might need treatment with a prescription cream. If the skin is uniformly slightly red you might be told to use an over the counter cortisone cream for a couple of days. Be concerned if there are large, soft blisters with yellowish fluid inside. This may signal a staph infection and should be treated immediately.

Winter Newborn Care Tip
As a pediatrician, I will never say there is a bad time to have a newborn. However, there might be "better" times than winter. At this time of the year, new parents have to be extra careful exposing their newborns to lots of people as there are a number of infections that are prevalent. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common cause of respiratory infections in infants and babies. It can be mild in older child and adults but has the potential to affect infants much worse. There is presently no vaccine to prevent RSV, but premature babies and babies with underlying health conditions can be given monthly medicine during the winter to try to prevent infection.

Rotavirus is an intestinal infection that gives children severe diarrhea It is the leading cause of severe diarrhea worldwide. The concern with this type of infection is its potential to cause dehydration. A vaccine does exist and can be administered as early as 6 weeks to provide protection. Influenza is also common during the winter. H1NI has decreased in prevalence in the U.S., but the seasonal flu season has not begun yet. There is a yearly flu vaccine available but babies cannot receive their first dose until 6 months of age. Therefore, be careful exposing your newborn to lots of people, especially other children. Make sure everyone's hands are washed before touching your baby. Most importantly, vaccinate all household contacts against the flu.

Newborn Care: New Year Tip
Happy new years! With a new year comes a newborn in your life. In 2009, many families are still recovering from our economic situation. Based on what economists are saying, 2010 may also be difficult financially. Preparing for your newborn's arrival and caring for your newborn is expensive. Furniture, clothing, food and doctor visits - both obstetrics and pediatric, contribute to the expenses of new parents.

Start to consider the additional costs in your monthly budget. By planning ahead you will be more prepared for this new adventure, which will decrease the amount of stress new parents may encounter. It is also important to be aware, after the newborn arrives of your stress level as new parents. Different levels of stress are illustrated in my "Parental Comfort Zones", which are important to monitor for new parents. The key is to get parents of the newborn to be in a healthy "Zone" which will make the experience of newborn parenting more enjoyable.

Family and friend support is also essential. With a newborn on the way and after the newborn's delivery, it is important to reach out to family and friends who can be an instrumental support network in reducing stress of new parents. If you are able, 2010 is also a great time to give to those families in need. Newborn Care 101 is donating a portion of its proceeds of the newborn video to The American Academy of Pediatrics - Friends of Children Fund. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) section for more information which will help reduce a new parent's stress.

Newborn Care Holiday Tip - December joys and hazards for newborns
One of the good things about the holidays is families getting together, especially with their children. However, if you have a newborn, you may be exposing your infant to a virus ranch. Toddlers and preschoolers, particularly those who are in childcare or nursery school, are often either just coming down with something, going through a viral infection or just getting over one. The problem is that they shed virus before and after you even know they are sick.

Newborn infants are not able to overcome infections as well as older children. If you go to family gatherings or have people to your home, minimize your newborn’s exposure to people. Insist that adults wash their hands and/or use a hand sanitizer before handling your newborn and keep small children at a distance. They can look but not touch. Check out our newborn vaccinations page for more information.

Newborn Care Fall Tip
By now you have probably been bombarded with information about the swine flu and seasonal flu. Alarmingly, about 50% of parents say they will not get their children immunized against the flu, although vaccination is recommended for anyone over 6 months.

If you have a newborn under 6 months, that child is at risk for the most serious complications of flu but cannot be immunized. Parents, siblings and other household members and caregivers must be immunized themselves to decrease the risk of any newborn or child under the age of 6 months from contracting the flu. You can get both seasonal and swine flu vaccinations at once. Your pediatrician, local health departments, drug stores and a variety of other venues can take care of it. Check out our newborn vaccinations page for more information.

Newborn Care Summer Tip - 2009
How do you care for a newborn during hot weather?
This is a question that frequently comes up in my practice during the summer months. Newborns can't regulate temperature like you and I can, so it is up to us to keep the newborns comfortable. Parents rarely under-dress their newborns and usually err on the side of dressing their newborns too warmly. A newborn should be dressed in the same amount of layers as you are dressed. This goes for both inside and outside. This is especially important during a newborn's sleep, as overheating during sleep can increase the incidence of SIDS. Another frequently asked question in my practice is whether or not a newborn needs water, in addition to its regular feeds during the hot weather. The answer is no. One of the largest components of breast milk and formula is water. If your newborn is urinating frequently, he or she is adequately hydrated and does not need excess fluid/water.

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