Gotham Pediatrics Newborn Instructions

Feeding
Feed the baby “on demand”. If you think he/she is hungry, feed him/her. If he/she sleeps more than 3 hours or so during the day, wake and stimulate him/her, then feed. If he/she sleeps during the night, then God bless him/her!

Umbilicus (Belly Button)
Clean the junction between the dry stump and umbilicus three times a day with rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball. The baby will cry or startle because the alcohol is cold, not because it burns. Move the stump back and forth to facilitate separation. Fold the diaper down, out and below the stump so that it won’t get wet when the baby urinates. The stump will fall off in about 10-14 days. There may be some blood seepage for a few days. Continue cleaning with alcohol three times a day for two more days. Wait a minimum of 24 hours after the stump falls off to give the baby a submersion bath. If the umbilicus oozes or you notice a wart-like growth, call.

Genitalia
Male: Uncircumcised: Gently retract the foreskin during routine bathing. Eventually a creamy cheese-like substance (smegma) will be secreted to separate the foreskin from the head of the penis. Peroxide facilitates the removal of the smegma. With time, the foreskin will completely retract behind the head of the penis for routine cleansing.

Circumcised: Apply Bacitracin ointment at least three times a day, stroking from the penis tip to the shaft. Gentle pressure will prevent the foreskin’s cut surface from reattaching to the head of the penis. In approximately one week, circumcision will be healed and the ointment application is no longer necessary.

Genitalia
Female: Gently clean between the labia majora and minora with a cotton ball and warm water once or twice a day to remove the vernix and feces. A milky, mucousy discharge comes from the vagina for approximately one week. Remove this with a cotton ball and warm water as necessary. Some babies will have a bloody discharge from the vagina with a cotton ball and warm water.

Illness
Babies under six weeks of age show sometimes only subtle signs when they begin to get ill. Decreased strength or interest in sucking, lethargy or fussiness are cause for concern. Take baby’s rectal temperature: if above 100.5 degrees F. CALL!

Jaundice (Yellowness): If the whites of the eyes are yellow, call immediately.

Emergency!!
Call the office at any time you feel you have an emergency. If no doctor returns your call in 15-20 minutes, call the answering service back to make sure they have your correct phone number…then please stay off the phone.

Questions
For routine questions and general advise, call the office. Dr. Felix or Dr. Gonzalez will be more than happy to help you correctly care for your baby…at least till entrance to college!