Your newborn baby is going through many changes in getting used to life in the outside world. Almost always this adjustment goes well, however, there are certain warning signs that you should watch for:
– no urine in the first 24 hours at home. This can be difficult to assess, especially with disposable diapers.
– no bowel movements in the first 48 hours
– a rectal temperature over 100.4 F or less than 97.5 F
– a rapid breathing rate over 60 per minute, or a blue coloring that does not go away. Newborns normally have irregular respirations, so you need to count for a full minute. There should be no pauses longer than about 5 seconds between breaths
– retractions, or pulling in of the ribs with respirations
– wheezing, grunting, or whistling sounds while breathing
– odor, drainage, or bleeding from the umbilical cord, discharge from eyes, bleeding from circumcision site
– yellow coloring of eyes, chest, or extremities
– crying, irritability, lethargic or twitching which does not improve with cuddling and comfort
– a sleepy baby who cannot be awakened enough to nurse or nipple
– any signs of sickness (i.e., cough, diarrhea, constipation, rashes on skin)
– the baby’s appetite or suck becomes poor or weak