Home Care Instructions for Newborn Care

You as the parent are the best at knowing when your baby just does not seem to be acting the same as usual. A change in your baby’s response or behavior could be a sign that he/she is sick.

Call your baby’s doctor for:

Extreme irritability

Refusal to eat, not gaining weight, or losing weight

Fever (greater than 100.4 degrees F or 38.0 C)

Diarrhea (frequent loose stools)

Vomiting

Difficulty in breathing (breathing fast, retracting, noisy)

Skin or lips are persistently blue, pale, or mottled

Decreased urine

Blood in stool or vomit

Redness, swelling, foul smell from:

·  Circumcision

·  Umbilical cord

·  Any wound

Whenever in doubt, call your baby’s doctor or 911. If your baby is having difficulty breathing, call 911 immediately. It is always better to be on the safe side.

Taking your baby’s temperature:

For babies 6 months or younger, use the axillary (under the arm) method unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Putting a thermometer in the rectum may cause injury.

A normal temperature for an infant is 98.6 degrees F (36.5 C) to 100.4 (38.0 C) degrees F. Using your digital thermometer, place it in the baby’s armpit so that the end of the thermometer is completely surrounded by the skin, hold the thermometer in place until it signal that it is done.

Notify your baby’s doctor if the temperature is greater than 100.4 degrees F (38.0 C) or below 97.5 degrees F (35.5 C)

Clean the thermometer according to manufacturer’s instructions. If the need arise that you may have to take a rectal temperature, use a thermometer for taking rectal temperature (red tip). Lubricate the tip using a lubricant like Vaseline and insert the tip until the probe is covered, hold in place until it signals it is done.

Using a bulb syringe:

The bulb syringe is used to clean mucous or secretions that have accumulated in your baby’s mouth or nose.

To use the bulb syringe, squeeze the round bulb until it collapsed.

Clearing the noise: place the tip of the syringe in the baby’s nose (do not hold the opposite side of the nose closed, this could cause painful pressure in the ear) and release while pulling the bulb syringe from the nose.

Clearing the mouth: place the bulb syringe to the sides of the mouth (not the back of the throat, this could cause your baby to gag and throw up), release the bulb for suction while pulling it from the mouth.

DO NOT use excessive force when squeezing the bulb syringe.

Squeeze secretions into tissue.

After use clean the bulb syringe with soap and water and squeeze out the excess water from the bulb syringe.

Umbilical cord care:

Your baby’s cord was cut off and clamped at birth. The stump will become dark and hard. It will dry up and fall off in one to two weeks. Fold baby’s diaper below the stump to expose it to the air as much as possible. Keep the cord dry at all times. To cleanse the cord and stump use a cotton ball moistened in water. Start at the base of the cord and clean the entire cord.

Give your baby a sponge bathe until the cord falls off and the area is dry. Look for signs of infection and report them to the baby’s’ doctor.

·  Oozing ( blood, pus, yellow drainage)

·  Bleeding

·  Redness around the cord

·  Foul odor

Never try to pull off the stump

Circumcision Care:

Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin from around the tip of the penis. Your baby’s penis may appear red and swollen after his circumcision, and it may bleed during the first 24 hours.

·  Change your baby’s diaper as soon as it is dirty.

·  Gently cleanse the area with water, gently pat dry and apply vaseline to the tip of the penis. Do this for the first two to three days after the circumcision.

·  Avoid soap, lotion, powder, and baby wipes until the penis is healed.

·  Give sponge baths until penis heals.

Call your baby’s doctor if the baby’s penis has increased bleeding, yellowish-green drainage, foul smell, increased swelling and redness, little or no urine (your baby should urinate within 4-6 hours after the circumcision) and if the head of the penis is blue or black.

If your baby has a plastic bell cleanse with warm soap and water. The bell should fall off in five to seven days.

Changing diapers:

After removing the old diaper cleanse the genital area with warm soap and water or moisten wipe. When cleaning use a front to back stroke to prevent getting stool in the diaper area (especially for girls). This prevents infections in the urinary tract.

Bathing your baby (sponge bath):

You do not have to bathe your baby everyday. You will need to cleanse your baby well after each diaper change. Washing every two or three days is plenty. You may also want to spot clean daily the areas that get particularly sweaty, oily, or dirty (face, neck, and skin folds).

·  Assure the room is warm and gather all your supplies.

·  Place your baby on a clean towel.

·  Begin by washing the baby’s face; especially wash behind the ears, under the chin, and around the neck. Wash your baby’s chest, arms, under arms, hands, making sure you wash between the fingers and any creases very good. Wash the baby’s back and continue to the legs and feet, remember same as above, wash between toes and all creases good. Wash the genital area using a front to back stroke. Pat dry, vigorous rubbing may cause irritation to the skin.

·  During the sponge bath keep the infant covered as much as possible to prevent the baby from getting cold.

·  To wash the baby’s head squeeze a small amount of water on the top of the head and add a small amount of shampoo (no tears formula) gently message the scalp, remove all traces of shampoo with a washcloth dipped in water.

·  Do not use bubble baths; they may cause irritations and urinary tract infections.

·  Do not use q-tips in the ears.

·  Always test the water with your wrist or elbow, never with your hands.

·  Wet babies are slippery (place a sponge insert or towel in the bottom of the bathtub)

·  Never leave the baby unattended during the bath!

Other important information:

Always:

·  Wash your hand before handling your baby

·  Make sure visitors and other relatives wash their hands before handling the baby

·  Strap your baby in a secured car seat

·  Follow user’s manual for proper car seat placement and fit

·  Put your baby to sleep on their back

Avoid:

·  All sick people

·  Well water

·  Strong odors

·  Cigarette smoke

1120 15th Street, Augusta, Georgia 30912 706-721-CARE grhealth.org/womens-health

2 last revised on 2/14/2012