If you are unsure about anything, contact your local health visiting service
Hertfordshire health visiting service: 0300 123 7572
West Essex health visiting service: 0300 247 0122
New baby - what to expect
Try putting the back of your hand on your baby’s tummy, this will tell you if they are hot or cold. It is common for babies to have cold hands and feet.
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Your baby should feel warm to touch. |
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If your baby feels hot or cold try adding or removing a layer of clothes or blankets. |
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Seek immediate advice from your doctor if your baby feels hot after you have removed some layers OR if their body remains cold after adding layers. Measure their temperature if possible. |
*The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
It is common for newborn babies to make all sorts of sounds, from occasional snorts to grunts, gurgles to whistling.
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It's normal for newborn babies to take slight pauses in their breathing lasting for a few seconds, or to go through short periods of rapid breathing. Babies tend to develop a more regular breathing pattern by 6 weeks of age. |
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If your baby is struggling to breathe (constantly rapid breathing rate above 70 breaths per minute, flaring of the nostrils, making a grunting noise every time they breath out or too breathless to feed), or if they are going blue (especially their tummy, lips or tongue), you need to call 999 for an ambulance. |
*The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
In the early days your baby might have some involuntary movements and may appear very jumpy – this is normal. It is common for them to sneeze, stretch and hiccup.
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They will be able to grasp your hand and will enjoy touching and stroking. |
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Your baby should never be floppy or stiff for a prolonged period. Call a doctor if this applies to your baby, or if your baby’s shaking is rhythmic and doesn’t stop when you touch it. If you are unable to wake your baby, call 999 for an ambulance. |
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* The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
Some babies may become yellow and this can be a sign of a condition called jaundice. About 50% of new born babies can develop jaundice.
Yellowing of the skin may be more difficult to see in darker skin tones. It might be easier to see on the palms of the hands or the sole of the feet.
Visit our page on the Healthier together website to get more information on New born Jaundice.
The NHS website provides more information on Newborn Jaundice that is useful.
Health for Under 5's page on Jandice provides information on the Yellow alert for babies.
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Your baby should be a normal skin tone. Babies may have hands and feet that are blue for about 24 to 48 hours after birth. |
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If your baby is yellow but waking for feeds, feeding well and having wet and dirty nappies, contact your midwifery or health visiting team* who will monitor your baby closely. |
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Call your midwife or your health visitor* if your baby isn’t feeding well, is sleepy and not having wet and dirty nappies. They will need to assess your baby today. |
* The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
It is normal for babies to have poor control over their eyes and appear cross eyed at times. Eyes look grey - blue, or brown in colour. They will develop their eye colour from six to 12 months. Your baby's eyes will be checked during the newborn baby check and again during the 6 to 8 weeks baby check. They will check for any clouding of eye and also a red eye reflex. You might see the red eye during flash photography.
Tear ducts can become blocked causing watery eyes with discharge. When cleaning the eyes it is best to clean with cooled, boiled water from inside to out.
If sclera become pink or red this can be an emergency.
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Your baby can have a small amount of discharge from their eyes. This is normal and needs to be cleaned with cool boiled water and cotton wool. |
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If there is a lot of discharge clean your baby’s eyes regularly and contact your midwifery or health visiting team*. |
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If your baby’s eyes look red and swollen call your doctor. This could be a sign of infection. |
* The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
If your baby’s mouth is moist it means he/she is feeding well. You might even notice a blister on their top lip, which may even be present from birth. This is due to sucking and is normal.
Epstein's pearls, also known as gingival cysts. These protruding bumps are actually quite common in newborns. They are very small white/yellow bump on their gum line on the roof of their mouths. More information can be found here.
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A white tongue is normal after a feed. |
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If you see white spots in your baby’s mouth which do not disappear in between feeds, contact your midwife or health visitor*. |
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If the mouth is dry and your baby isn’t feeding well, call a midwife or health visitor* urgently. |
* The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
Value of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding provides protection for mother against some forms of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, osteoporosis & heart disease and protection for baby against gastroenteritis, infections, obesity, diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and necrotising enterocolitis.
WHO and UNICEF recommend that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life. From the age of 6 months, children should begin eating safe and adequate complementary foods while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years of age or beyond.
It may feel that you are feeding your baby all the time. However, the frequency with which your baby feeds changes as they get older, please discuss this with your midwife or health visitor*.
Click here for advice on breast feeding
Click here for advice on bottle feeding
Click here for advice on colic
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A well fed baby will be content during and after a feed and have wet and dirty nappies. |
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If you have any feeding concerns, visit a breastfeeding support group or call your postnatal coordinator who will contact your midwifery or health visiting* team. If your baby is vomiting up a lot of milk, you should also inform your midwife or health visitor*. |
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* The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
The contents of your baby’s nappy changes from day to day in the beginning. Breast fed babies often poo after every feed. You should expect:
- Day one to four: Baby’s nappies are usually black/green in colour. It can look like thick tar or marmite!
- Day four to seven: Your baby’s nappies will start to change colour from black/green to yellow.
- Day seven onwards. A baby’s nappy will be yellow. It will be soft and seedy if you are breastfeeding, or look like play dough if your baby is formula fed.
Baby poo colour – not just yellow, may be a variety of healthy colours.
In the unhappy column, could there be a link between the number of wet nappies and illness. Reduced urine output can be a sign of infection and sepsis.
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Babies will normally have several wet nappies a day. Some baby girls can have a small bleed or a discharge from their vagina. This is because of maternal hormones and usually only lasts a few days. You may even notice a yellow or dark orange urine stain in the nappy. This is normal. |
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If you are worried that your baby has not passed much urine (wee) you should feed them frequently. Put a little cotton wool in their nappy and you will know if they have passed urine. |
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From day 6 your baby should be having at least 6 heavy wet nappies in a 24 hour period. If you are concerned your baby is not passing enough urine (wee) contact your midwife, health visitor, the 111 service or your GP. |
* The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
The umbilical cord will start to dry out and will usually fall off by the time your baby is two weeks old. The cord needs cleaning with cool boiled water and drying afterwards.
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The cord can be sticky underneath, this is normal. There may be a spot of blood when the cord falls off. This is normal. |
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If you notice signs of infection, such as swelling, heat, redness and a smelly discharge contact your GP. |
* The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
It is normal for your baby to have dry skin. Flaking is common and usually lasts 1-2 weeks. Babies under 4 weeks should be bathed in water only. This does not need to be every day, every 2-3 days is enough. Your health visitor can discuss the use of emollients and moisturisers for eczema.
Not sure? If your baby's skin is very dry, speak to your health visitor or pharmacist.
Unhappy? If the skin is itchy, sore, uncomfortable or broken contact your health visitor, pharmacist or GP.
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Wash your baby with water. Avoid using cleansing products. |
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If your baby's skin is very dry ask your midwifery or health visiting team for advice at your next appointment. |
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* The midwifery team will transfer care to the health visiting team within the first month of your baby being born.
BABY BUDDY
Baby Buddy is your personal baby expert who will guide you through your pregnancy and the first six months of your baby’s life. It has been designed to help you give your baby the best start in life and support your health and wellbeing.
For more information and to download the app - click here
TOGETHER WITH BABY
Together with baby is a service for new parents concerned with their relationship with their new baby. It is a service for parents in Essex. Click here for more information.
MY BABY'S BRAIN
My Baby's Brain have resources for parents of new babies and offer support and advice for parents in Hertfordshire. Click here for more information.