A newborn baby can pass upto 10-15 golden yellow semi-solid watery stools with slight curdy-looking solid particles. They often pass while being fed. This is due to the gastrocolic reflex. It is normal. The frequency reduces as the baby gets older.
You only have to be concerned if:
- the baby isn’t gaining weight, or
- there is blood in the stools, or
- the baby is on feeds other than breast milk
It’s normal for newborn girls to have bleeding vagina any time from 2-10 days. It is known as a false menses. It lasts for 3-4 days. It happens due to withdrawal effect of the mother’s hormone after birth.
Contact your doctor if the bleeding:
- lasts more than 3-4 days, or
- is associated with foul-smelling discharge or smelly urine, or
- is associated with fever in the newborn
For the first few weeks, it is recommended you should feed your baby every 2-3 hours. If your baby hasn’t woken up after 4 hours, we recommend you wake your baby up. After 4 weeks, feed the baby on demand and the interval between feeds should not be more than 4-5 hours long.
This is normal. It can occur in both boys and baby girls. It’s due to residual effect of maternal hormones that have passed onto the baby.
The swelling can last for 2-4 weeks.
Please do not squeeze the breasts or try to express milk as this can cause an abscess or infection.
The swelling is benign and disappears by itself in 2 weeks’ time.
If your baby:
- Passes urine more than 5-6 times a day
- A minimum of 3-4 stools per day
- Happily sleeps after each feed
- Gains weight by 150-250 grams per week until 4 months of age
- Regains birth weight by day 14 of life
