Midnight Baby Support

Birth Injuries

 Sometimes, during the birth process, a baby may suffer a physical injury. It is called birth injury or birth trauma. A birth injury could result from the use of forceps while getting the baby out of the birth canal. Most babies recover quickly from the trauma of childbirth. Babies delivered normally may have swelling on their scalp due to vacuum; they may also get injured due to the use of forceps 

Jaundice

 Jaundice is very common in new-borns and infants. It occurs when there is an excess of bilirubin in the baby’s blood, which causes a yellowish pigmentation of the skin. This is a fairly common problem as many babies are born with neonatal jaundice. It occurs because the baby’s liver is not mature enough to get rid of the excess bilirubin in the blood. Neonatal jaundice normally resolves with time. In most cases, it should disappear within 2 to 3 weeks of the baby’s birth. However, if it persists longer than 3 weeks, it could be a symptom of an underlying condition, and parents should check with their baby’s doctor. 

Common Cold

Most babies will get several colds during their first year, but a common cold is usually not serious in an infant older than 3 months. Remember there are thousands of variations of the common cold.

A baby with a common cold will usually have mucus-filled breathing passages, leading them to cough, wheeze and breathe fast. Because a baby cannot blow their nose the way an adult can, you will want to use a nasal aspirator to suck out the mucus. You can also sit your baby on your lap while your shower runs for 10 minutes, allowing steam to loosen the congestion, or wrap them up and take them for a long walk in the fresh air. Most babies will get over a cold quickly especially if your breastfeeding. Never give a baby cold medicines without talking to your doctor first.

Colic

Colic is very common in babies,  but that does not make it easier for parents to handle. When a baby cries continuously for no apparent reason, especially in the evening, he may have colic. The exact cause of colic is not known and some theories behind it suggest that it could be because of gas, hormones that cause stomach pain, overstimulation by light or sound, or a growing digestive system. Colic starts at 2 weeks in full-term infants and should subside by the time the baby is 3 months of age. However, if this condition persists, it could be because of intolerance to milk formula or some other underlying condition. It is best to consult a doctor to get the condition diagnosed.

Ear Infections

 Ear infections are common in babies. When a bay has an ear infection he may tug at his infected ear and will be very fussy. Viral infections are common, but they subside within a few days. Bacterial infections, however, can persist for long  and may need antibiotics.   

Oral Thrush

 Oral thrush is a yeast infection occurring in the mouth of the babies. Also known as oral candidiasis, this infection is common in babies. It causes white lesions on the tongue or inner cheeks. If your baby has oral thrush, check with the doctor if it is serious enough to administer anti-fungal medication. If your breastfeeding both you and baby will need to be treated simultaneously as you will continue to pass it between you. Mums would  know you have thrush in their nipples by you experiencing  severe pain in your breast tissue approximately 30 mins after a feed, and your nipple may look pinker than normal.

Croup

 Croup is a common viral infection that affects the upper airway, particularly the vocal cords and windpipe (trachea). It often causes a distinctive barking cough, hoarseness, and difficulty breathing, especially at night. Croup is most common in infants and young children, typically occurring between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. While most cases of croup are mild and resolve on their own within a few days, severe cases may require medical intervention, such as oral or inhaled corticosteroids to reduce airway inflammation or nebulized epinephrine to alleviate breathing difficulties. 

 Gastroesophageal Reflux  (GER)

This is another common baby illness that new parents should look out for. GER occurs when the acidic stomach contents regurgitate back to the oesophagus. Baby illness symptoms for GER include frequent spitting up or vomiting, movements indicating pain, frequent wet burps or gagging noises in the throat.

GER is usually mild enough to be treated with simple home remedies: feeding your baby half as much, twice as often; keeping your baby upright and quiet for at least half an hour after feeding; and breastfeeding, if possible. GER will usually subside when your baby is around 7 months of age

RSV( Respiratory Syncytial Virus)

While most common baby illnesses are relatively harmless, RSV is one of the most serious infant illnesses out there. It is a major cause for hospitalization for respiratory illness in children under 1 year old. RSV baby illness symptoms are similar to those of the common cold, but they can last for several weeks and eventually infect the bronchial passages. When it spreads to the lungs, RSV can cause pneumonia.

In many ways, early treatment of RSV is the same as treating the common cold. However, if your baby is under 3 months old, or if they are struggling to breathe, seek out immediate medical attention.

 Constipation

 This is most common when babies are either formula fed or once they start eating solid foods. If a baby refuses to go to the bathroom, their intestines will start to stretch, weaken their muscle tone and make it more difficult to pass the stool.

If their stools become infrequent, try changing up their diet — switching baby formulas, decreasing constipating foods (like bananas and rice cereal), or increasing high fibre foods (like pureed prunes and pears).

Formula fed babies can have small amounts 5-10mls of cooled boiled water to help with constipation, try putting Vaseline on baby's bottom, a warm bath, nappy free time and bicycling baby's legs to ease constipation.