First Few Days After Birth

The plastic cord clamp on the umbilical cord is removed within 24 hours after birth. The stump should be kept clean and dry. Doctors no longer recommend applying alcohol or other antiseptic solutions to the stump. The stump falls off on its own in a week or two. Rarely, the umbilical cord can become infected, so any signs of redness, swelling or discharge should be checked by the doctor.

Circumcision, if desired, usually is done within the first few days of life, often before the newborn is discharged. The decision about having a newborn circumcised usually depends on the parents' religious beliefs or personal preferences. The main medical reason for circumcision is to remove an unusually tight foreskin that is obstructing the flow of urine. Although circumcised males also have a lower risk of cancer of the penis and urinary tract infections, these risks can be minimized with proper hygiene.

About 2 to 20 boys per 1,000 have some complication, usually minor bleeding or local infection. However, serious infection, scarring, and, very rarely, accidental amputation of the penis tip can occur. Some uncircumcised males require a circumcision later in life.

Circumcision should not be done if the boy has not urinated or has a bleeding disorder or if the penis is abnormal in any way, because the foreskin may be used for any plastic surgical repair that may be needed later. Circumcision must be delayed if, during the pregnancy, the mother had been taking drugs that increase the risk of bleeding, such as anticoagulants or aspirin. The doctor waits until all such drugs have been eliminated from the newborn's system.

Most newborns have a mild rash sometime during the first week after birth. The rash usually appears in areas of the body rubbed by clothing—the arms, legs, and back—and rarely on the face. It tends to disappear without treatment. Applying lotions or powders, using perfumed soaps, and putting plastic pants over the diapers are likely to make the rash worse, especially in hot weather. Dryness and some skin peeling often occur after a few days, especially in the creases at the wrists and ankles.

Newborns who are otherwise normal may develop a yellow color to their skin (jaundice Jaundice in the Newborn Jaundice is a yellow color to the skin and/or eyes caused by an increase in bilirubin in the bloodstream. Bilirubin is a yellow substance formed when hemoglobin (the part of red blood cells... read more ) after the first day. Jaundice occurs because the newborn's liver needs to shift from functioning inside the womb to functioning outside the womb. However, jaundice that appears before 24 hours of age is of particular concern and may indicate more serious problems. If the newborn develops jaundice, the doctors usually do a blood test to measure the level of bilirubin, which is the main pigment in bile. If the level of bilirubin is above a certain number, treatment with phototherapy, in which the newborn is placed without clothes under special lights ("bili" lights Phototherapy or "bili lights" Jaundice is a yellow color to the skin and/or eyes caused by an increase in bilirubin in the bloodstream. Bilirubin is a yellow substance formed when hemoglobin (the part of red blood cells... read more ), is begun. The lights may be needed for 2 days to a week.

In the first 2 days, urine produced by a newborn is concentrated and often contains chemicals called urates, which can turn the diaper orange or pink. If a newborn does not urinate within the first 24 hours of life, the doctor tries to find out why. A delay in starting to urinate is more common among boys.

The first bowel movement is a sticky greenish black substance called meconium. Every baby should pass meconium within the first 24 hours after birth. If a baby does not do so, the doctor may do tests to determine whether there is a problem. Occasionally, for instance, a birth defect may cause a blockage of the intestines.

Most newborns lose 5 to 7% of their birth weight Weight Physical growth refers to an increase in body size (length or height and weight) and in the size of organs. From birth to about age 1 or 2 years, children grow rapidly. After this rapid infant... read more during the first few days of life, mostly because fluid is lost in urine and also because meconium is passed. Newborns return to their birth weight in about 2 weeks if they are breastfed Breastfeeding Breast milk is the ideal food for newborns. Although babies may be fed breast milk or formula, the World Health Organization (WHO) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend exclusive... read more and in about 10 days if formula-fed Formula Feeding In the hospital, newborns are usually fed shortly after delivery, then ideally on demand thereafter. During the first week after birth, babies take ½ ounce to 2 ounces at a time, gradually increasing... read more . After that, they should gain about 20 to 30 grams (1 ounce) each day for the first few months. Infants should weigh twice their birth weight by about 5 months of age.