Scary Situation
Change in Breathing or Color
Every baby has respiratory pauses that can last up to 10 to 15 seconds, but if your newborn stops breathing altogether, bring her to a hospital immediately. “It is never normal for a baby to turn blue,” Torre says. Don't freak out if you hear snoring, though: “Babies tend to breathe more out of their noses than their mouths, and when they have snot in the nose it sounds terrible because their noses are so tiny. Suctioning can help, or saline drops. But when there's retraction—either their stomach sucking way in or the knots of their sternum becoming visible on an intake of breath—they’re having difficulty and need to go to the hospital.”
Vomiting
“All babies spit up,” Torre says. “But the vomit should never be dark yellow or green. This is called bilious vomiting, and it’s a sign of a significant bowel obstruction that needs to be corrected immediately.”
Blood
A newborn should never vomit or poop blood. Also, your newborn needs to be seen immediately if he gets a laceration from being dropped or bumped in any way.
Significant Change in Behavior
A baby’s eating, sleeping and behavior habits change a great deal during the first few weeks of life, but you may notice your newborn is suddenly lethargic, not waking for a feed, or is gray in the face. Phyllis Rabinowitz, mom of three, founded R Baby Foundation, a charity focused on saving babies' lives by improving care in emergency rooms after her daughter Rebecca was misdiagnosed with a cold in the ER. She died a few days later from a common virus that can be life-threatening in newborns. “You know your baby best,” she says. “A parent’s gut instinct is everything. If your baby is limp, sleeping differently, eating a lot less or her breathing changes, go to the ER.”
Next: 5 Things to Know When You Get to The ER
You Might Be Seen Very Quickly
Hospitals are busy places, and having both your own and your baby's medical records can help. A doctor might ask to see the newborn test records, and you may be asked if you incurred problems during your pregnancy. Rabinowitz also encourages parents to speak up. “Sometimes a newborn can have an illness with symptoms that come and go. If your child is exhibiting alarming behavior at home you want the doctor to see, it may cease upon examination. Don’t be afraid to advocate for your baby by requesting to stay longer, so that if something happens you can ask politely for a nurse.” Torre agrees: “Some parents have video cameras on their phones, and show us footage of their baby having a seizure or another medical symptom.”
Testing
If a newborn comes into the ER with a temperature of 100.4 or above, a doctor might prescribe tests such as urine analysis, bloodwork or a spinal tap. “An infection can be very serious at a young age,” Torre cautions. “We need to do lab testing to rule out problems.”
