Newborn care
Caring for your newborn
BCG vaccination
This is a vaccination that will be offered to you if you live in an area with high rates of tuberculosis (TB), or your family originates from a country with high rates of TB. The vaccination may be offered to you in the hospital after the birth, or arrangements will be made for you to have your baby vaccinated elsewhere. Your health visitor can provide up-to date information regarding this.
Other vaccinations
When your baby is eight weeks old he/she will be offered an immunisation programme. This information will be given to you directly from your health visitor and/or GP.
For more information visit NHS Choices to view a vaccines timeline.
Screening tests
When your baby is between five to eight days old, your community midwife will offer the ‘newborn blood spot’ test. The test involves collecting four small samples of blood from your baby’s foot on a card.
The test screens for nine rare but serious conditions, such as sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis and congenital hypothyroidism.
For those babies identified with any of the conditions screened for, we know that early treatment can improve their health and prevent further serious or life threatening complications. If your baby was born early (before 37 weeks gestation) the test may be done in hospital by the neonatal team. More information can be found in the ‘Screening tests for you and your baby’ booklet.
Jaundice
Newborn jaundice is a common condition which presents at two to three days after birth, and can be noticed as a yellow colouring of the skin in the face, the upper body and often the whites of the eyes. It is caused by a substance known as bilirubin, which builds up in your baby’s blood as a product of the fast breakdown of red blood cells. After a baby is born it can take a little bit of time for their liver to mature enough to efficiently breakdown bilirubin, thus causing newborn jaundice.
Newborn jaundice is common and will normally resolve spontaneously within 10-14 days.
A small number of babies will develop jaundice that is significant and requires treatment in hospital. Jaundice can make babies sleepy and reluctant to feed, leading to dehydration which can make the jaundice worse. It is important to offer regular feeds, at least every three hours, if you think your baby has jaundice.
If you are worried about your baby’s jaundice, or if you notice that your baby’s stools are pale/white speak with your community midwife or call NHS 111 for advice.
For more information, visit NHS Choices.
Vitamin K
Soon after birth, your midwife will offer to give your baby vitamin K. This is to prevent a rare but serious blood disorder, and can be given by injection or oral drops. If you opt for oral drops your baby will need to receive further doses. Speak to your midwife if you’re not sure if your baby will need this.
Vitamin D supplementation is recommended for all breast fed babies from birth. You can ask your midwife or health visitor about how to get these vitamins and what the correct dosage is.
The umbilical cord
After your baby is born, their umbilical cord will be secured with a plastic clip. The cord will then take between three to ten days to dry out and drop off. It is normal for the cord to be slightly sticky and smelly as it dries out. The area can be cleaned with plain water if necessary.
If you notice any bleeding from the cord or redness on your baby’s abdomen, tell your midwife, health visitor or GP.
Skin care and bathing
A newborn’s skin is delicate and sensitive, and the use of any creams, lotions or cleansers should be avoided for at least the first month.
Babies may have dry skin after birth, and this is nothing to worry about.
When bathing, it is best to use plain water and only a very mild and non-perfumed soap if required.
For more information, visit NHS Choices.