Newborn Worries Not to Lose Sleep Over

Welcoming a new baby brings an overwhelming amount of love, joy and, oh yeah, stress, worry and questions. Even the most prepared parents don’t have all the answers all of the time. Most new parents find themselves up late into the night Googling the best diapers to prevent diaper rash or texting their mom to see when a fever is too high. Although it’s normal to worry, don’t lose sleep over these common newborn worries.

Umbilical Cord

Umbilical cords tend to be a common worry for new parents. They stress about caring for it correctly and wondering whether it should have fallen off already or whether it should be that color. The good news is caring for the umbilical cord is quite simple: keep it clean and dry. Sponge baths, airing it out and not covering the cord with the diaper are all easy ways to care for the cord. More than likely, your baby’s umbilical cord will dry out and fall off by the time your baby is 3 weeks old.

Crying

It can be overwhelming when your newborn cries, but keep in mind it’s completely normal for babies to cry. It’s their way of communicating what they need. Before you start to worry, make sure your child’s basic needs are met. Do they need to be fed, changed or burped, or are they too tired? More than likely, their crying will stop when you address their need. If you find your baby’s crying is not getting better or you feel something is really wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.

A 2019 survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Mead Johnson Nutrition found that moms spend 1,400 hours worrying, which includes 220 frantic Google searches and 227 calls or texts to their mother. The survey found 58% of moms were concerned about their infant’s overall health, 54% worried about their child’s reaching milestones at the right age, 52% worried about the amount of milk/formula their baby consumed, and 47% were concerned whether their infant was growing as they should.

Loose Stools

Your baby’s diaper can leave you puzzled and wondering whether it’s normal. I remember Googling at 3:00 a.m. one night whether my daughter’s stool was normal or not. Your baby’s stool may seem way too loose when you compare it to an adult’s stool. However, it’s important to remember your baby is on an all-liquid diet, so softer stools are normal. As they grow older and begin eating solids, their stool will become thicker in consistency.  If your child is experiencing extremely hard poop or overly watery stools, you might reach out to your pediatrician to see whether they really are having trouble with constipation or diarrhea.

Hiccups

The sweet little sound of a baby’s hiccups can be so adorable, but is it something to be worried about? More than likely, your baby’s hiccups are completely harmless. Hiccups are especially common in newborns and normally don’t bother them. If your baby is happy and seems comfortable, hiccups are not a cause for concern. Infant hiccups are caused by spasms of the baby’s diaphragm. They can be caused by overeating, eating too quickly or gulping air during feeding. If you still don’t like the idea of your baby hiccupping, you can try sitting your baby up to feed in a more upright position, burping more frequently and repositioning the bottle so the air isn’t near the nipple. Generally, hiccups alone are not something to worry about. If your child experiences hiccups along with other symptoms like spitting up and crying more than normal, they could be experiencing GER, gastroesophageal reflux. 

Breastfeeding

We’ve all heard the saying, “Breast is best,” but that can be concerning for a mother who has decided not to breastfeed or for a mother who has tried her best to breastfeed but it just isn’t working out. New mothers can feel so much pressure regarding the breast vs. bottle decision. When I was pregnant, I had no idea how hard breastfeeding would be for my daughter and me. Once she was born, she wasn’t latching correctly, and I had supply issues. I was so worried she wasn’t getting enough. After multiple consultations, I learned she really wasn’t getting enough, so pumping and supplementing was the best choice for us. I found myself feeling stressed and guilty until a lactation consultant said to me, “Fed is best.” As long as your child is getting enough to eat and growing, that is what is most important. The source of their nutrition doesn’t matter, and the stress simply isn’t worth it.

Hitting Milestones

It can be easy to compare your baby to other babies around the same age and worry your child isn’t progressing as quickly. All babies hit milestones at different times, so there’s no need to compare or worry about when your child hits one milestone compared to another child. My daughter is one week younger than my niece. I often found myself wondering why she wasn’t as vocal as my niece. We found that my daughter excelled quickly with fine motor skills, while her speech came later. Now she is 2 and can’t stop talking!

Listening to Other’s Opinions

When you have a newborn, especially your first child, you will receive unsolicited advice from friends, family and even strangers at the grocery store about how you should do everything from feed to bathe to put your baby to sleep. Some of this might be good advice, but some of it might just leave you worrying your parenting is not up to par. It’s important to remember that what works for one child might not work for another child. No one knows your child the way you do. It’s up to you as the parent to decide what is best for you and your baby. The next time you receive unwanted advice, feel free to let it go in one ear and out the other.

Regan Lyons is a girl mom and freelance writer. She lives with her husband, Cale, and daughters, Atley, 8, and Ensley, 2, in St. Joseph, Missouri.

As always, please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns.