Common Infant Stage Concerns of a New Mom

As a new mom, we experience many concerning incidents in our baby’s infant stage. Of course once you become a mom of multiple children, you start to understand the common symptoms that many newborns and infants have. Here are a small few that I have personally witnessed from my own baby:

Colic

Colic usually lasts between 2 – 4 months of age. Sometimes before 2 months and a little after 4 months. Nothing to really panic about, but the crying does melt your heart, because you know they are in pain. There are a few over the counter remedies you can give your baby that sometimes helps, but as a first time mom, I asked my doctor what he recommended before going out and just trying anything.

Colic Preventation?

Colic is usually caused by gas. If you slouch while you eat, you are more likely to get gas due to the flow of food through your digestive tract. So it helps to make sure you burp your baby throughout each feeding and try to do your best to keep him or her from slouching.

Rashes or Pimples

Although it isn’t always pretty, rashes are very common, especially in the diaper area and their face. Some parents get really scared, especially when the rashes are on their baby’s face, looking like pimples.

Rash Prevention?

A newborn’s skin is still very sensitive. Many moms feel that using chlorine free diapers have been really helpful and of course changing them as often as possible too. I mean, who wouldn’t feel uncomfortable and perhaps get red marks after sitting in urine for a long period of time?

Newborns and infants may get rashes on their face due to the constant drooling and milk that is spread on their face. During their early stages, babies usually can’t control their saliva and all the activities that are going on with their mouth. So pimples and sometimes dryness and rashes spread. To prevent this could be something as simple as trying your best to keep the drool and milk off of their face.

Cradle Cap

Many newborns have this. Cradle cap is when newborns or infants have dry scalp. Just be patient and it should go away soon enough.

Cradle Cap Prevention?

Patience is a virtue, which is really what you should have here. However, to help ease the process, you might want to stick to shampoos or body wash for babies with sensitive skin. If you can afford it, a trip to Whole Foods or a store that sells organic products might help you choose. There are many concerns about sodium lauryl sulfate and the irritants it causes on people, let alone babies. So perhaps you might want to try to avoid having this ingredient in your baby’s shampoo, at least until the irritation disappears.

Teary eyes or gushing tear ducts

This is when your baby’s eyes look like it’s covered in mucous, but on his eyes. Sometimes you might get scared, because it covers his or her eyes completely, making you think he or she might go blind. It usually isn’t a concern as most babies go through it. Their eyes are still really sensitive and still getting used to our air.

Teary eye prevention?

Again, this will eventually go away. However, some say that a mother’s breast milk sometimes helps if it’s dabbed on the eye(s). Even some doctors believe so as the breast milk has its own natural forms of antibodies. It may or may not work, but wouldn’t it be worth a shot? It is the most natural ingredient you can give to your baby and something that would probably fall into his eyes anyway if you aren’t careful when you feed him.

Rise in Temperature

Many babies have an increase in temperature, which could be the sign of an infection or a growing tooth. I’m sure you must already know the temperatures that are a cause for concern, but if you’re child is less than 3 months old, be sure to contact your baby’s pediatrician if his or her rectal temperature rises at 100.4 or more.

How to Prevent Concerning Temperature Rise

There isn’t really a way to prevent this. Sometimes you could be doing the best you possibly can and your child still gets sick. Awareness is always a plus. And of course, don’t be afraid to pay attention to your motherly (or fatherly) instincts.

Angel’s Kiss

Only a small percentage of newborns might have this, but I will let you know about it anyway, because my baby had this. This is when a baby has a little birth mark on his or her eyelid(s). Sometimes if you look at the back of their neck or lower part of their head, you might also see a slight red mark there as well. It is NOT something to be concerned about as it will go away. It may take a year or even 2, but you will not even notice it after a while and if you do, it will only be that it has disappeared.