Keeping Your Baby Healthy

Babies develop rapidly in their first year of life. Just when you think you have a clear idea of what is going on and what to expect, everything changes monumentally. Change becomes the norm. Still, there are some changes that aren’t necessarily positive, and things you should keep an eye out for in order to keep your baby as healthy as possible.

In their first few months of life, babies who have been fed breast milk typically have mustard like, soft poop. It isn’t diarrhea. It’s normal. Diarrhea is very loose watery poop that happens more frequently than normal bowel movements. Diarrhea has many different causes. If you suspect that your baby really has diarrhea contact your family doctor because loss of fluids can lead to dehydration which is quite dangerous.


You’ll get an idea of how much sleep your baby typically will require very quickly. You’ll adjust mentally for what will be normal for baby. If you notice he or she is sleeping a lot more than usual, you should talk to your doctor and see if there might be some underlying cause. The same can be said for babies sleeping much less than usual.

How are your baby’s eyes? It is fairly common for a baby to be born with one, or both tear ducts blocked. They will normally open within a couple weeks, when the baby starts producing tears. If they do not, you may see some mucus around the eyelid. Normally, this isn’t harmful. It could, however, lead to infection if the tear duct remains blocked. If you notice anything unusual around his or her eyelids, call your baby’s doctor.

You may not be aware of it, but baby acne is a common newborn condition. If there is an outbreak of small, red pimples or whiteheads on your baby’s cheeks, chin or forehead, usually appearing between 3 weeks and four weeks of age, this is baby acne. It is usually a result of the mother’s hormones crossing the placenta into the baby late in pregnancy, and these hormones then stimulate glands on the baby’s skin and produce acne.

Baby acne most noticeable when the baby is hot or fussy or the baby’s skin is irritated. Avoiding overdressing your baby, and keeping your baby clean with mild soap can minimize baby acne. It is not a serious condition, and generally, unless there are other symptoms, you don’t need to take baby to the doctor.

Dehydration can be caused by heat exposure, or by illness, such as a fever or diarrhea. It is very important to keep baby from getting dehydrated. The following symptoms indicate mild dehydration: baby pees less, plays less than usual, doesn’t have any tears, has dry skin, dry mouth, and dry tongue, sunken eyes, grayish pallid skin, or a sunken soft spot on the head (fontanel). If these symptoms develop, contact your baby’s doctor. Dehydration can lead to serious health problems if not dealt with immediately.

Fevers are one of the most common baby ailments. If your baby seems especially cranky or warm, take his or her temperature. It is nature’s way of saying baby may be ill. If your child has a fever of more than 102 Fahrenheit or 39 centigrade, definitely contact your doctor.

You know your baby best, so if you experience anything out of the ordinary, you should definitely consult your health care professional. In this way you can assure you are doing all you can to help keep your baby as healthy as possible.

By: Maria Cummings