Don’t worry about spoiling your newborn

The feel and scent of a parent brings special comfort to a baby. Touch tells your infant they are not alone. Try these tips when your baby is crying:

• Use music and motion. Sing and sway.

• Let your baby hold or suck your finger.

• Offer a pacifier.

• Swaddle your baby snugly in a thin blanket. 

• A feeding may stop a newborn’s tears. If it's been 2 hours since the start of the last feeding, you can try offering a feeding.

• Stay calm. Your baby can sense your mood.

When cries don’t stop

• If you feel that your baby is crying too much or might have colic, contact your baby's doctor. The doctor might want to see your baby. And they can offer suggestions and support.

• Carry your baby in a sling or in a front pack. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure that your baby's nose and mouth are kept clear. This is to prevent suffocation.

• Give your baby a breath of fresh air. Take your infant outside. Walk around a bit. If it’s cold, make sure you’re both bundled up.

• Most babies like motion and background noise. Take your baby for a ride in the car. Or run a vacuum cleaner or a clothes dryer so that your baby can hear it.

• Put your baby down for a rest in a safe place. Leave the room, but listen outside the door. If the cries start to lessen, your little one just needs some time to settle.

• If your baby’s constant crying makes you angry or very upset, get help. Ask your partner, a friend, or a family member to watch the baby. Then take time to calm yourself. You may want to talk with your doctor for support.

• Take care of yourself so you can care for your baby. Eat healthy foods and try to nap when your baby sleeps.

• Contact the hospital, new parent groups, or a lactation consultant for advice.

• Stay away from homeopathic or herbal remedies, such as gripe water or colic tablets. These are not standardized and may contain harmful substances.

• Shaking your baby will not stop the crying and it can cause serious brain damage or death. Never shake your baby.

• Check your baby's diaper. In the first few months, babies soil their diapers frequently.

• Check to see if your baby is uncomfortable because of pain, illness, or injury. Check your baby’s skin to see if it's too hot or too cold. Make sure their clothes or diaper aren’t too tight. Look for any hair wrapped around a finger, toe, or their penis. This is called a hair tourniquet. It can cause pain.

• Check your baby's temperature. Sometimes excessive crying may be a sign that your baby is sick. See Fever and children below.

• If you are unable to console your baby, contact your baby's doctor for advice.

Fever and children

Use a digital thermometer to check your child’s temperature. Don’t use a mercury thermometer. There are different kinds and uses of digital thermometers. They include:

• Rectal. For children younger than 3 years, a rectal temperature is the most accurate.

• Forehead (temporal). This works for children age 3 months and older. If a child under 3 months old has signs of illness, this can be used for a first pass. The doctor may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.

• Ear (tympanic). Ear temperatures are accurate after 6 months of age, but not before.

• Armpit (axillary). This is the least reliable but may be used for a first pass to check a child of any age with signs of illness. The doctor may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.

• Mouth (oral). Don’t use a thermometer in your child’s mouth until they are at least 4 years old.

Use a rectal thermometer with care. Follow the product maker’s directions for correct use. Insert it gently. Label it and make sure it’s not used in the mouth. It may pass on germs from the stool. If you don’t feel okay using a rectal thermometer, ask your child's doctor what type to use instead. When you talk with any health care providers about your child’s fever, tell them which type you used.

Below is when to contact the doctor if your child has a fever. Your child’s doctor may give you different numbers. Follow their instructions.

When to contact the doctor about your child’s fever

For a baby under 3 months old:

• First, ask your child’s doctor how you should take the temperature.

• Rectal or forehead: 100.4°F (38°C) or higher

• Armpit: 99°F (37.2°C) or higher

• A fever of ___________ as advised by the doctor

For a child age 3 months to 36 months (3 years):

• Rectal or forehead: 102°F (38.9°C) or higher

• Ear (only for use over age 6 months): 102°F (38.9°C) or higher

• A fever of ___________ as advised by the doctor