Tips For Tinies

Scary Things Babies Do That Are Normal: 

1. Rash (Erythema Toxicum)- looks like little bug bites, they come and go. Completely normal and do not itch or cause pain. Just leave them alone and they will go away. 

2. Cross their eyes- Do not worry. They will outgrow this. 

3. Blue hands and feet- It is not normal for their faces and chest to turn blue. 

4. Holding breath- Sometimes when babies sleep they will hold their breath and then breathe rapidly and gasp, this is called Periodic Breathing of the Newborn; It is scary but normal. 

5. Peeling skin

6. Strange color stools- Can be ANY color of the rainbow except black, white or red. 

7. Facial skin rash– small red bumps, worse at 1 month of age 

8. Goopy eyes- most commonly due to a clogged tear duct. Massage the corner of the eye with a warm, wet swaddle several times a day when it is flared up. 

9. Sneezing/Hiccuping- this is a sign of a healthy baby 

Feeding a Newborn: 

Feed every 3 hours or on demand (if breastfeeding). Do not wake at night to feed unless told by your doctor. Place them to bed on a nice firm mattress, swaddled tight with arms in, sound machine on and a nice dark room. No blankets, no stuffed animals, no bumpers. Only lay them on their back, not on their side or tummy. I recommend a swaddle that zips up the front to make swaddling easier. Owlets are not necessary and can sometimes cause increased parental anxiety. 

Mixing formula - ALWAYS add water first and then the scoops. This is very important, I add 4 ounces of water and then 2 scoops of formula. Shake gently (not too

much or you will make lots of bubbles). There is no need to heat the water, you can use tap water (only if city water), bottled water, or nursery water. For preemies- you can use boiled water, nursery water or bottled water. You can make large batches up to 24 hours before giving. Once the bottle is used then dispose of leftover formula within an hour of 

feeding. 

1 Month Old - The Witching Hour, the PURPLE p (starts around 2-4 weeks of age)

1. Fussiness, usually at the same time every day, particularly in the evening hours. 

2. Can last a few days or a few weeks. Very rarely does it last up to 3 months of age.

3. Their bellies can protrude and they can be very gassy. 

4. Holding them on your chest or over your leg can help. Putting slight pressure on their tummies can help ease pain. 

5. Do not change formulas. Very rarely does this help. More than often it causes abdominal pain. 

6. Gripe water, mylicon drops and probiotic drops are safe and can all be used. 

7. Your baby might start pooping less - they can go up to 7 days or more without pooping and this is normal. As long as when they finally poop it is soft, and not hard, little balls then there is nothing to worry about. 

8. Do not wipe for wet diapers, wipe only for dirty diapers. This will greatly decrease their chances of having rashes. 

9. Babies might strain to poop and they can turn bright red, this is called Infantile Dyschezia and it is completely normal. 

10. Breastfeeding moms can try reducing dairy from their diets 

Ways to Calm a Crying Baby: 

Watch on Youtube “The Happiest Baby on the Block” by Harvey Karp to learn the 5 S’s 

       1. Swaddle 

2. Sway 

3. Suck

4.Side (only in your arms, never to sleep) 

5. Shhhhhhh 

Other methods: 

A nice warm bath before bed or Infantile Massage. I used coconut oil and found this to really help with the night time fussiness. Also, I can not stress babywearing enough. 

My Baby Has A Fever. What Do I Do? 

1. A Fever is >100.4 

2. If your baby is less than 8 weeks, then call the Doctor 

3. If your baby is older than 8 weeks, you can try giving Tylenol and call us if needed DO NOT GIVE MOTRIN UNTIL 6 MONTHS OF AGE 

What To Do With A Cold: 

1.There are NO safe over the counter cough/cold medication for babies 2. Zarbees is an all natural brand you can try, but it is not always helpful. 3. Nasal saline drops/spray 

4. Nasal suctioning if lots of mucous. If no mucus then don’t over suction - this can make it worse. 

5. If they are refusing formula/breast milk you can try giving pedialyte for 24 hours. If you normally give 3 ounces of formula then you would give 3 ounces of pedialyte. It is a direct substitution. 

6. Vicks baby can be applied to babies feet 

7. Cold mist dehumidifier can be helpful 

8. Colds are worse on days 3-5 and then they should start to show signs of improvement. Coughs can linger for up to 3 weeks though.

Spitting Up: 

1. Normal up to 20 times a day. 

2.Three things that are NOT normal; the three P’s 

a. Pain - your baby should not scream out in pain when they are spitting up 

b. Projectile- should not shoot out every single time 

c. Pounds - should not be losing weight because spitting up too much 

3. If it is none of the above then we say they are a “happy spitter” and they will eventually outgrow it. 

4. Be sure to feed no more than 6 ounces per feed. A good rule is about an ounce per hour. For 1 month old babies it can be 2-3 ounces every 2-3 hours. For older babies, about 3-4 ounces every 3-4 hours. 

When To Call Dr. Tidwell: 

1. It has been all day and your baby is refusing all formula/breast milk 

2. They are not making at least 4 wet diapers a day 

3.They are working hard to breathe. You can lay them down and look at their chest, if it looks like their ribs are sinking in then call me. A little bit of belly breathing is normal but if you see it sucking in between the ribs this is NOT normal. 

4. If your baby is less than 8 weeks old and has a temperature more than 100.4 then please call 

5. If your Mom/Dad gut tells you something is not right, please do not hesitate to call.