Learn about common newborn problems, symptoms, prevention tips, and signs that require medical attention to keep your baby healthy.

Common Problems in Newborns

Frequent bowel movements

• Newborns may pass stool more than 10 times a day while breastfeeding, twisting their bodies, and passing gas.
• Colostrum during the first 5 days after birth is easily digested and helps relieve constipation.
• Breast milk, especially the foremilk, contains lactose which retains water and causes frequent stools. This can be resolved by letting the baby finish feeding from one breast or discarding the foremilk and feeding only hindmilk.
• Normal stool should look like wet paste, golden yellow in color, without mucus, blood, or foam.

Not passing stool daily

• Healthy infants may pass stool every other day or even once a week, especially when consuming large amounts of formula.
• If an infant does not pass stool daily, there should be no bloating or vomiting with green or yellow color. Stool should be soft like wet paste, not hard.
• If the stool is hard like pellets or the infant strains while passing stool with bloating, a doctor should evaluate for causes such as intestinal obstruction, meconium plug, Hirschsprung’s disease, or electrolyte abnormalities.

Excessive sleep in newborns

Causes

May result from illness, low blood sugar, inadequate milk intake, low body temperature, or prematurity.

Treatment

1. Identify abnormal causes such as lethargy or infection — see a doctor immediately.
2. Ensure adequate milk by waking the baby every 2–3 hours to feed fully, helping establish a feeding and sleeping cycle.
3. Stimulate the infant by gently stroking the head and back, rubbing the soles of the feet, or loosening swaddling.

Fussy infants

Identify and address the cause

1. Insufficient breast milk — hunger.
2. Oversupply of breast milk with high-sugar foremilk causing colic, often presenting with bloating, loose stools, diaper rash with wounds, bloody mucus in stool, frequent gas, and spitting up.

Solution

Pump and discard foremilk first. Compress the areola during feeding to slow milk flow. Avoid completely emptying the breast when pumping to reduce milk production. Keep the baby’s head elevated 30 degrees during feeding.

3. Wet or soiled diapers irritating the skin.
4. Bright light or loud noise.
5. Nasal congestion causing breathing difficulty.

Solution

Use saline drops and a suction bulb to clear mucus. Wipe mucus with cotton swabs. Change baby positions or adjust to prevent airway blockage by neck folding.

Allergy to breast milk protein   

Symptoms may appear from birth but usually occur at 2–6 weeks of age.

Symptoms

Abdominal pain with fussiness, bloody mucus stools, diaper rash, and skin rashes, while the infant otherwise appears normal.

Causes

Genetics — mothers often consume large amounts of dairy products during pregnancy.

Treatment

1. No specific medication available.
2. Mother should eliminate foods one at a time for at least 2–4 weeks while observing the infant. Improvement is usually seen within 3–4 days if responsive.
3. Common allergens include cow’s milk, eggs, nuts, wheat, and chocolate.
4. If responsive, breastfeeding may continue while avoiding the offending foods for 2–4 weeks.
5. After the elimination period, reintroduce foods. If symptoms persist, continue avoidance for 6 months.
6. If severe allergy causes anemia, low blood protein, or poor growth, consider switching to HA formula and refer to a specialist.

Gastroesophageal reflux

A common physical condition in newborns.

Cause

Low pressure at the lower esophageal sphincter causes looseness at birth, which gradually tightens by 6 months of age.

Treatment

Position the baby on their side to sleep. Reduce milk volume per feeding but feed more frequently.

Symptoms requiring medication or surgery

Excessive vomiting causing poor weight gain, severe fussiness, feeding refusal, cyanosis, or apnea.

Umbilical stump care

Clean the umbilical area using 70% alcohol externally and saline inside folds after each bath or when soiled. Clean daily until the stump falls off.

• The stump usually falls off within 7–21 days.
• If the stump remains moist or red tissue appears inside, silver nitrate can be applied. The tissue will dry and turn white or black and fall off naturally within a week. If moisture persists, repeat treatment may be needed.

Symptoms requiring medical attention

• Fever or hypothermia.
• Lethargy, mottled skin, poor feeding, or unusual fussiness.
• Abdominal bloating, tightness, or no stool passage.
• Diarrhea with bloody mucus or foamy stools.
• Green-colored vomiting.
• Severe jaundice, pale stools, or dark urine.
• Breathing difficulty with chest retractions, flared ribs, or cyanosis.
• Any unusual symptoms noticed by the mother or caregiver.