Spitting Up
It is common for babies to spit up some of their feeding. The milk may appear curdled due to the normal action of the stomach. Milk may overflow from the mouth and even come up through the nose. Spitting up is not considered a problem as long as the baby is gaining weight satisfactorily. Spitting up can be caused by delayed burping, eating too quickly, pressure on the stomach after a feeding or overactivity after feeding.

There are several things you can do to decrease the amount your baby spits up:
• Feed your baby smaller amounts more often.
• Burp your baby midway through each feeding and after every feeding.
• Rest and have quiet time after each feeding.

Call our office if these measures are not helping, or:
• The spitting is getting worse with time.
• The baby is having trouble keeping down all of the feeding.
• The spitting is causing the infant to cough or have breathing problems.

Hiccupping

Babies will often hiccup, especially after feeding. This may bother you much more than the baby. The hiccups usually last for only a few minutes and will resolve on their own. If they are persistent, you can try to burp the baby again, or feed the baby a small amount of formula or breast milk, to break the cycle.

Sneezing

Sneezing is your baby’s way of clearing their nasal passages. It does not mean the baby is sick. If your baby has a fever associated with a discharge from the nose, please contact us.

Crying

Crying is your baby’s earliest form of communication. It is his or her way of making your baby's need for food, affection and warmth, for relief of discomfort known or merely their way of saying “I’ve had too much stimulation; put me to bed.”

After a few weeks you will learn how to interpret your child’s various cries. Crying varies from child to child depending on temperament and physical make up. The average baby cries about 2 to 4 hours a day. Many new parents ask “will it hurt to let my baby cry 10 to 15 minutes?” The answer is a definite NO! Many babies regularly cry 10 to 15 minutes prior to going to sleep. This may be their way of unwinding and should not be interpreted as distress if the baby is otherwise doing well.

Often your baby will have a certain time of day that he or she fusses or cries more. This may be early evening or late afternoon, often a stressful time in many households. Switching your baby’s feeding or bathing schedule may help. Not all crying is secondary to hunger. Things to check include diapers, whether the baby is in pain, is hungry or needs a burp. Often just a soothing voice or touch will calm your child. If your baby cries excessively and you need some help to figure out what is going on, please call us. It is important to remember in the first few months of life holding and cuddling your infant will not spoil them. They need your voice and your touch to establish a sense of security.

Teething

Your baby will usually get their first teeth between 4 to 8 months, some children do not get their first teeth until after one year of age. Your baby may show a variety of symptoms including, chewing, drooling, a clear runny nose, irritability, interrupted sleep, slight fever ( less than 100.5 degrees F) and slightly loose stools.

Dental care should start immediately with the first teeth. Use of a baby tooth brush, gentle brushing and plain water is recommended. Toothpaste with fluoride is discouraged until the child is old enough to spit and not swallow the paste. The first dental exam is usually between 2 to 3 years, but check with your dentist as recommendations vary. If you have well water please check with us regarding recommendations for fluoride supplementation.

Colic
Colic is an unexplained condition which seems to consist of pain associated with symptoms ranging from general fussiness to episodes of prolonged crying. Babies may clench their fists, flex their legs, turn red and make sucking movements as if they are hungry. There may be excessive belching, large amounts of gas and a great deal of stomach rumbling.

Colic usually starts at around 2 to 3 weeks of age. It is most common in the first born and is usually gone by four months of age. It is important to remember that you are doing nothing wrong! Taking care of a colicky infant is tiring and frustrating. These are normal feelings! It is important for parents to support each other and give each other periodic breaks. Don’t be afraid to ask family and friends for help in giving you a break.

There is no proven treatment for colic, but some of the following ideas may help when your child is colicky:

• Cuddle and gently rock your infant.
• Take them for a ride in the car or stroller.
• Place them in the infant swing.
• Burp the baby more often during feedings.
• Use music to help sooth the baby.
• Carry them in a front pack.
• Try to remain calm; your baby can sense frustration and uneasiness and this may affect your baby’s ability to be comforted.

Occasionally a formula change may help with colic. Please talk to us before switching to other formulas.

At times you may feel that caring for a colicky infant is just too much. At these times it is okay to bundle your baby tightly and place the baby in their crib to cry. If you ever feel, day or night, that you may hurt your baby please call us. Sometimes talking with someone can help relieve your frustration, and help to bring things into a better perspective.
Remember your baby will outgrow this problem, and that we are here to help you at this difficult time.

Sleeping

Newborns generally spend most of their time sleeping and only awaken for feedings. As your baby grows, awake time will progressively increase. Babies vary greatly in the amount of sleep required. Anywhere from 10 to 20 hours can be normal. Your baby will probably not sleep through the night at first. Most babies will begin sleeping through the night at 6 months of age or 12 to 14 pounds. Adding cereal to your babies evening feed has not been shown to help babies sleep through the night sooner.

SIDS

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that all newborn babies sleep on their backs or sides. This recommendation was based on a number of studies that suggest a decreased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) with this positioning. There is no evidence that this positioning will harm normal infants. We are very willing to discuss this topic with you. For more information on SIDS, you may contact the Minnesota SIDS Center at 813-6285 (metro area) or 1-800-732-3812 outside the metro area.

Bowel Movements

Bowel movement patterns vary from baby to baby. Many babies may only have one stool every few days during the first year of life. This is normal. Nursing babies tend to have loose, seedy and golden colored stools. They may have them as frequently as after every feeding, or every two to three days. Formula fed babies tend to have soft stools which are yellow or brown in color. Frequent changes in color (yellow, brown, or green), consistency (watery to pasty) and frequency are normal in the first year of life. Many babies will grunt, strain, and turn red with each bowel movement. This is a normal response to the passage of stool and does not mean your child is constipated. In infants, true constipation is hard, pellet-like stools on a consistent basis.