notes from baby bootcamp at pediatrician's office

carafern · November 2014

I posted this in the Monday randoms but per @lovebuggies1 recommendation, I am making a new thread. Feel free to add your own advice that you've heard. Based on our pregnancy experience, we know doctors in different places might have different guidelines but I thought it might be helpful especially for those lucky ladies with outside babies already!!!

So this Saturday DH and I went to a little class at our pediatrician's office held by the super awesome nurse (she's been a nurse in that office for 30 years!). She said she started holding these sessions of most frequent issues/questions/freak outs new parents have and that it cuts down on unnecessary worry and phone calls for them. There is way too much info to share here but a few things that might be helpful (*apologies for the novel…):

things that are totally normal: peeply skin (esp babies going late), purplish feet (as long as they're warm), mild jaundice, erratic breathing (as long as color is good), fussy evenings, pulsating soft spot, pinkish discharge in girl diaper (hormones).

spit up is often overflow, If spitup is accompanied by super fussy behavior, arching back...then it might be reflux. Sometimes they spit up a little blood. This is often from cracked or bleeding nipples and gross, but no cause for worry if its just a little.

About poop, after a while (I can't remember how long) some babies don’t poop for a long time, even 5 days. That doesn’t mean something is wrong...infrequent pooping is not ideal because baby is often unhappy but it is in the range of normal as long as the poop is mushy (not hard, not watery).

Diaper care, the butt needs air, try to air out baby’s butt. Also she suggested using kleenex after a wipe to make sure you got all the moisture off.

Add a little apple cider vinegar to bath water, once you’re doing full baths can help prevent rashes.

Colic remedies: Mylicon (generic is simethicone) are the gas drops she recommends having on hand.

If baby is inconsolable do a naked head to toe check, maybe something is poking them or irritating them; then swaddle and dance with them…

Bath, babies don’t need daily bath but be sure to wipe between skin folds every day.

Encourage longer sleep shifts at night by offering food more frequently during the day, wake them up during the day if they have napped longer than 2.5 hours. It sounds counter intuitive but it will give you more uninterrupted sleep at night and help them adjust to night being the time for sleep (they come out backwards because they are rocked to sleep by our movement during the day. It takes them a while to adjust to day/night routines)

Baby acne is totally normal. There’s nothing you can do. It shows up between 2 weeks and 2 months. Call dr. only if it looks oozy.

Any fever on an infant is a big deal. Over 99.5 lasting 10-15 minutes is a reason to take them in. But if they are a little warm and look fine, just make sure they aren’t over bundled. She also mentioned that lots of digital thermometers can measure high. Check yourself first…

Other things: babies do not need extra water (aside from BM or F) until they're on solid foods at 4-6 months; probiotics are a good idea for c/s babies; mama should check her vitamin D levels if BFing.

MmmPopcorn · November 2014

Thanks for sharing. Our baby boot camp wasn't quite so helpful because the lady was rushed (the office accidentally double-booked newborn boot camp and a CPR class). I'm looking forward to everyone else's advice.

jac409 · November 2014

Great post! With regard to baths, one thing I would add is to avoid using much, if any, soap on them for awhile. Newborns don't really get that dirty (unlike my 22 month old) and dont need much more than warm water to get clean. Soap also dries out their skin, which is very sensitive.

silverwings72 · November 2014

Great thread. I'll be using this a lot when baby gets here.

rox825 · November 2014

Thanks for sharing, I bookmarked!

schrijiver · November 2014

Thanks for this!

missnacholover · November 2014

Good stuff, thanks!

sAAmFam · November 2014

Someone told me I wasn't suposed to take baby anywhere for a week after having her. I think because of immune system. But thanksgiving is right around the corner. Has anyone else heard of this???

carafern · November 2014

jlk6 said:

Do you know why the suggestion for probiotics for c section babies? I've never heard that one.

There are some new studies about the healthy bacteria that babies get when born vaginally. They get bacteria from mom by coming out that way that looks to be helpful for them. Obviously they don't get this in a c/section.

I remembered hearing a news story about that a couple months ago, so when Nurse Judy mentioned it it made sense to me. If you google it, you'll find some of the stories.

lissydee said:

i totally upped my Vitamin D supplementation. its now winter in New England and when my levels tend to dip. that and I'd rather her get what she needs from my breast milk than from supplements herself.

@lissydee, it stuck out to me when she mentioned this because I had low Vitamin D before my BFP and I was taking extra D for a while but figured the prenatals were enough. Do you take extra D in addition to prenatal vitamins, which I was planning to continue while BFing

cweeety · November 2014

Baby"s poop can be green =normal! (Scared me the first time My DD had it)

MalachiteDrake · November 2014

Thanks for this!

turtles7 · November 2014

sAAmFam said:
Someone told me I wasn't suposed to take baby anywhere for a week after having her. I think because of immune system. But thanksgiving is right around the corner. Has anyone else heard of this???

.

LO's peds advised not to take her anywhere a month. Curious to see what others had told them.

sAAmFam · November 2014

Maybe it would be a good idea to give baby probiotics altogether??? Has anyone else did this? I would think that would help with gas.

jsears2009 · November 2014

I take extra vit d with my prenatal vitamin as there actually very much in it.

jsears2009 · November 2014

jsears2009 said:
I take extra vit d with my prenatal vitamin as there actually very much in it.

****not very much in it

abbyful · November 2014

carafern said:

@lissydee, it stuck out to me when she mentioned this because I had low Vitamin D before my BFP and I was taking extra D for a while but figured the prenatals were enough. Do you take extra D in addition to prenatal vitamins, which I was planning to continue while BFing

Most vitamins are pretty low in vitamin D compared to what many experts are now recommending. (The "official" recommended amount is 400 IU. Many doctors/researchers are now recommending at least 1,000+ IU, often more, for the average person.)

For breastfeeding, that amount is 4,000-5,000 IU for the mom to take. Or you can give baby 400 IU.