What are the signs you should call your baby’s doctor immediately? Life with a new baby can be confusing. As new parents, we often find ourselves worrying about our babies over every little thing. The hard part is knowing what the signs of a real issue are, and we should contact our baby’s doctor about it. As a seasoned parent, it is better to be over-cautious and call the doctor if you suspect something is off. Raising a newborn is simply us going through the process of becoming new parents who love their children.
5 Signs You Should Call Your Baby’s Doctor Immediately
These 5 signs you should call your baby’s doctor immediately can help you find peace in those first few weeks.
Fever Before 6 Weeks of Age
If your baby gets a fever, anything higher than 100.4 rectally before 6 weeks of age, is a sign that there may be a potentially life-threatening infection. Don’t wait, you need to take it as one of the signs you should call your baby’s doctor immediately if your baby has a fever. A baby under 6 weeks of age needs to be taken to the emergency room immediately for evaluation to rule out a serious infection. Babies under 6 weeks old are vulnerable because their immune system is still developing. Their immune system isn’t able to fight certain illnesses such as strep, meningitis, urinary tract infections, blood infections, or a viral infection. Untreated fevers in babies 6 weeks old and younger could experience febrile seizures, which also needs immediate attention.
Not Enough Diapers
A baby that is not producing at least 6 wet diapers a day should be seen by your baby’s doctor as soon as possible. However, if you are breastfeeding, it takes anywhere from 3 to 5 days for your milk to come in so it is possible that your baby may not have 6 or more wet diapers. Before your milk comes in, your baby is receiving colostrum, which is a nutrient-packed substance filled with immune factors, protein, sugar, and fats. While this may be as simple as you need to wake your baby up for more feedings, it could also be a sign of a health condition, so your baby’s doctor should be informed if your baby is not producing wet and messy diapers.
Projectile Vomiting
While it is completely normal for babies to spit up there is a difference between regular spit-up and actual vomit. If combined with reduced diaper production this can be a warning that it is more than spit-up. While your baby may vomit here and there if they are projectile vomiting after every meal you should contact their doctor immediately. It is important to have your baby checked to ensure they are not sick, have acid reflux, or have some sort of blockage that leads to milk coming up instead of being digested.
Rash That Doesn’t Go Away
Rashes are very common for new babies. This is because of how sensitive their delicate and often peeling skin is to contaminants in their environment. Things that would not bother us, like fragrances in soaps, lotions, and even air fresheners, leave babies with rashes. While these rashes are normal, they should fade and go away quickly. If they last more than a few days, even with a switch in laundry detergent, you should contact your baby’s doctor to ensure that there is no other related cause for the rash.
Umbilical Cord Issues
Many moms have rushed their baby to the emergency room over an umbilical cord. They have a rather unpleasant smell that they tend to let off as they break down. In most of these cases, the doctor assures the parents that the situation is normal and sends them on their way. But in rare instances, there is something wrong, and don’t wait for more signs you should call your baby’s doctor immediately. Redness or heat around the umbilical cord or fever are signs you should call your baby’s doctor right away. In this case, the doctor will either have you come into the office or send you to the emergency room.
Life with a new baby can be quite the adventure, from lack of sleep to problems that need to be taken care of by a doctor immediately. If your baby is 6 weeks or under, please contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room to have your baby seen. It is always better to be over-cautious than to let these 5 signs that you should call your baby’s doctor immediately wait it out.
