Newborn Care

Newborn Information Care

The following information may be helpful to care for your newborn in the first few days and weeks of their life.

Please visit other sections of our website www.nmh.ie or the HSE website www.hse.ie for more resources and information!

Click HERE to view a video for safe skin-to-skin practices after birth.

Vitamin K

Offered to all newborns at birth to prevent haemolytic disease of the newborn (a bleeding disorder). For more information click HERE.

RSV immunization

Offered September to February to all newborns. It is given as an injection at birth. Protects against the RSV virus causing bronchiolitis (a lung infection) during winter months. For more information click HERE.

Feeding

Breastfeeding is encouraged, but combination feeding or exclusive formula feeding are also options. Know your baby’s feeding cues e.g. hands to mouth or mouth movements. More information on feeding, including bottle-feeding, is available on our website. Ask your midwife about combination feeding. Your baby should feed about 8-12 times per day (2-4 hourly). Wake them up if it has been 4 hours. If you need help breastfeeding your baby, please ask the midwives. If needed they can refer you to our lactation consultant. Poor feeding can lead to weight loss, jaundice and dehydration. For more information click HERE.

Crying

Your baby may cry because they are hungry, have a dirty nappy, wind, reflux or for other reasons – the following link gives great advice and a video on how to soothe your baby! Click HERE.

Nappies

Your baby should have at least one wet and one dirty nappy within the first day of life. If not, please inform the midwives. Your baby should then have at least 2 wet nappies on day 2 and then at least 3-4 wet nappies every day. Some babies poo with every feed, others only poo every 5 days or longer. Get your baby checked if they have not had a poo for 5 days. Make sure the soft, not pale in colour and that there is no blood. Poo colour will be either black or green for the first few days (known as meconium) then it will change to a yellow colour.

Mucous

Babies often appear snuffly because of a build-up of mucous and milk (they cannot blow their nose!) This can be normal and doesn’t always mean they have a cold or allergy.

Sticky eyes

Babies' tear ducts haven’t fully developed yet! Just wipe each eye with cotton wool soaked in cooled boiled water from nose to ear. Only wipe once with each cotton wool. Contact your GP if this doesn’t resolve in the first week.

Umbilical cord

A stump is left after the cord was cut at delivery. It will fall off by itself at about 5 to 15 days after birth. Wash your hands before and after you touch the cord. Clean around the base of the cord if needed with cotton wool and cooled boiled water. Keep it dry. Inspect with every nappy change to make sure there is no redness. Fold your baby’s nappy down, away from the stump.

Safe sleeping

Make sure your baby is asleep on their back, feet at the foot of the cot/crib/moses basket/pram with their face and head uncovered. The ideal room temperature is 16-20 °C at all times. A babygro and vest are sufficient to keep them warm with one blanket. For more information click HERE.

Soothers/Dodies/pacifiers

Advised to start after breastfeeding has been established (at 1 month of age)
May help prevent cot death
Can affect jaw and teeth development
Can lead to more respiratory infections
Advised to remove between ages 1-4years

For more information click HERE.

Before going home

Your baby will get a hearing test

A Paediatric doctor will do a head-to-toe examination.

Common questions you might be asked:

Is there a family history of hip dysplasia? If so, or if your baby was born breech, or if the doctor found that your baby has an abnormal hip examination, a hip ultrasound will be booked and done at 6 weeks of age.
Did you have any medical conditions/did you take any medication during pregnancy?
Were your scans normal during pregnancy?
Has your baby had at least one wet nappy and one dirty nappy since birth?
Is your baby feeding well and how are you feeding your baby?
Do you have any concerns about your baby?

Tongue tie

Your baby's mouth will be assessed for a tongue tie if indicated. No intervention is needed if a tongue tie doesn't interfere with feeding.

Your baby will be offered a heel prick test between day 3 and 5 of life. This screens for some conditions that, when managed early, would benefit the baby and prevent serious consequences. For more information click HERE.

Tummy time

When to start? As a newborn at home for 1-3 minutes at a time up to 3 sessions a day. Increase it to 15-30 minutes at 2 months of age.

Weight loss

Babies can lose up to 10% of their birth weight in the first week of life and gain this weight back to their birth weight by day 10-14 of life. If your baby loses more than 10% a blood test might be needed.

NMH Baby Clinic

We do not offer a walk in service. If you are concerned and would like more advice, kindly speak to your GP or public health nurse. They can refer you in to our baby clinic. We usually see babies for concerns about jaundice, weight loss, and feeding concerns.

Our outpatient service is Mon-Fri 9:30-15:00 – (01) 637 3440 Please contact your nearest out-of-ours GP or children's hospital for after-hours concerns.

Vitamin D

Give 5 microgram of Vitamin D to your baby per day if you are breastfeeding or combination feeding (giving more breast milk than formula). It can be mixed with their milk. 300 ml per day of formula provides 5 microgram of Vitamin D. You can get it over the counter at the pharmacy.

Baby baths

Ask your midwife about bathing your baby.