The first weeks of a baby’s life, especially if it is the first baby, are an extra challenge for parents. Many things are unknown, and even if you have heard of them, it is different to experience them in real life. A newborn can look and act in a way that disturbs parents. Here are some common worries new parents have that aren’t worth bothering about.
No poops for a longer time on breastfeeding
While in the first days of a baby’s life, every feeding is followed by a poop, after the sixth week, parents can save on diapers. Until your baby starts eating new foods, stools may not appear even for 10 days. Make sure the baby looks fine and healthy and that its tummy does not hurt. This concerns only breastfed babies, not the ones fed with a plant based formula good for babies.
In the first day of life, the baby is not hungry
If the baby is breastfed for at least 10 minutes after the birth, it has the right not to be hungry for 20 hours. Babies are also tired of the birth process, have amniotic fluid in their tummies, and want nothing from the world except peace. So you don’t have to wake your newborn up.
On the second day, the baby is hanging on the breast
On the second day, the mother may not even have time to go to the toilet. The newborn starts realizing it is no longer in the belly and suddenly starts feeling stressed. It is wearing clothes and diapers — something it has not known so far. Everything is new for the baby. Until now, it didn’t even know what gravity was. Now it has to deal with all these new phenomena somehow. The only way to deal with all this is through breastfeeding. It is not just feeding but also a need for closeness and a sense of security.
Weight loss
This is a physiological symptom that happens to all newborns. Usually, they are discharged from the hospital with a lower weight than the birth weight. The baby loses water retained in the womb, so losing weight is not losing fat.
Skin peeling
A newborn’s skin adapts to new conditions. It can peel off, especially on the hands and feet. That is why it is recommended to lubricate the newborn with a baby lotion or baby oil in the first days of life.
Cold hands and feet
A newborn baby may have cold hands and feet. Moms often worry this is a sign of a cold. This is because the baby still has an immature circulatory system. For this reason, whether it seems to you that a newborn is cold or, on the contrary, too hot, check the neck temperature.
“Spotty” skin
This is another symptom resulting from the immaturity of the circulatory system. Red spots on the legs appear in newborns and infants up to 6 months of age. If it is not accompanied by other disturbing symptoms, it is not worth worrying about. This can also sometimes happen, for example, when a baby cries intensely.
Seizures
They are often a result of the nervous system’s immaturity. These movements disappear as babies age. However, if the seizures are intense, parents should consult a doctor.
Sneezing
This does not mean the baby has a cold or allergy. Sneezing is a result of a newborn’s small septum. It is not a medical symptom. Also, the baby gets rid of the amniotic fluid in this way.
Activity at night, sleep during the day
It is a consequence of fetal life. When a pregnant woman walks a lot during the day, she rocks the baby in her belly. At night it is often active because the lack of rocking wakes it up. After birth, the baby needs to learn to tell the difference between night and day. It takes several weeks for most babies.
