Even if you follow all of the precautions, your baby may still get ill. But do not worry - you will know when something is really wrong. Do watch out for: -
- Temperament: Baby who has a runny nose and a big smile is probably not as sick as a a baby who has a runny nose and is lethargic.
- Unusual crying: If your baby suddenly starts crying and you can't comfort her in usual ways, or if her cry is weak or unusually high-pitched, or if baby doesn't cry but is unusually inactive and difficult to wake from sleep, call your doctor.
- Appetite: A baby who tires easily from sucking is probably sick. Also, if your baby vomits food more than usual, or if the vomitus is greenish, baby may be sick.
- Abnormal bowel movements: If your baby has diarrhoea (watery stools), not accepting feeds or if baby is acting sleepy and has small, hard bowel movements, or if stool is streaked with blood or mucus, call your doctor.
- Difficulty in breathing: If your baby's breathing is laboured or if the baby is having trouble breathing at all, get help immediately.
- Fever: Although fever is a signal that baby is sick, the fever alone is usually not conclusive. A baby can have a low-grade fever and be seriously ill or a high fever and be only mildly ill. However, a fever higher than 100 °F, needs action.
- Unexpected: Injuries, ingestion (poisons, foreign bodies etc.), burns, bites, allergy, convulsions, drowsy and anything unexpected, unpredictable, unknown (!)
If you're still in doubt see your doctor anyway. Do not try medications on
your own. It's important for you to get peace of mind, and doctors expect to see tiny babies quite often. They know that they can become ill quite quickly and get better quickly too.
A stitch in time saves nine!