Jaundice in newborn babies is common and usually harmless. Nearly half of term babies and three-quarters of premature babies will have jaundice. It is a yellow colouration of the skin and the white of the eye. It can be difficult to detect in dark babies and those of mixed race. 

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This happens when stomach contents come back up into the esophagus, which can cause regurgitation and be sick. Many babies will have some degree of reflux and not each and every reflux needs treatment. Please if you are breastfeeding do not stop or change to other types of formula. Ask for help and you will get the right support. 

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Bronchiolitis is a common chest infection that affects babies and children under one year of age. It's usually mild and can be treated at home, but in some cases can be severe and requires hospital admission. It is caused by a winter virus called Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Symptoms are increased work of breathing and difficulty in feeding. Your child may sound wheezy.

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What is it? Umbilical stumps can often appear moist & generally take 5-15 days to detach. Importantly, this must be discriminated from infection. Omphalitis is when the cord and/or surrounding skin becomes infected, and can cause the child to become systemically unwell. The most common sign of infection is purulent/offensive discharge from the umbilicus.

Red flags:

• Spreading erythema around cord (periumbilical flare – which is usually a flame shaped erythema usually above the stump)
• Signs suggesting the child is systemically unwell
  • Temperature instability (high or low
  • Poor feeding
  • Reduced wet nappies 
  • Abnormal drowsiness or irritability

Meconium 

The first bowel movement or two will be black or dark green and very slimy. It is meconium, a substance that fills the infant's intestines before she is born. If your baby does not pass meconium in the first forty-eight hours, further evaluation is required to make sure that no problems exist in the lower bowel.

How often do newborns have bowel movements?

You may be surprised at the number of diapers your newborn goes through every day.

Many newborns have at least 1 or 2 bowel movements a day. By the end of the first week, your baby may have as many as 5 to 10 a day. Your baby may pass a stool after each feeding. The number of bowel movements may go down as your baby eats more and matures during that first month.

By 6 weeks of age, your baby may not have a bowel movement every day. This usually isn't a problem as long as your baby seems comfortable and is healthy and growing, and as long as the stools aren't hard.

What do newborn bowel movements look like?

Your newborn baby's bowel movements (also called "stools") can change a lot in the days, weeks, and months after birth. The stools can come in many different colours and textures—all of which may be perfectly normal for your child.

• The first stool your baby passes is thick, greenish black, and sticky. It's called meconium.
• The stools usually change from this thick, greenish black to green in the first few days. They'll change to yellow or yellowish brown by the end of the first week.
• The stools of breastfed babies tend to be more yellow than those of formula-fed babies. They may also be seedy-looking.
• It's normal for your baby's stool to be runny or pasty, especially if he or she is breastfed.

How do bowel movements change as your baby grows?

As your baby grows and begins eating solid foods, you may notice changes in your baby's stool.

• When you breastfeed or formula-feed, the stool can range from soft to loose or even runny.
• When you start to give your baby solid foods, the stools will become firmer and may have a stronger odour.
• If food is not strained, you may see pieces of food in the stool.

What should you watch for in your baby's bowel movements?

Your newborn's soiled diapers can give you clues about your baby's health.

Because a baby's stool does change a lot, it can be hard to know if your baby may have a problem. In general:

• A hard or dry stool could mean that your baby is not getting enough liquids or that your baby is losing liquids because of a fever or other illness.
• An increase in the number of bowel movements or a lot of liquid in stools could be a sign of diarrhea.
• Explosive diarrhea may be a sign of infection with a virus or bacteria. Diarrhea is usually caused by a virus, and medicines don't help. Diarrhea may cause a loss of fluid (dehydration).

All newborns cry, often for no apparent reason. If you've made sure that your baby is fed, burped, warm, and dressed in a clean diaper, the best tactic is probably to hold your baby and talk or sing to him/her until she stops. You cannot spoil a baby this age by giving them too much attention. If this doesn't work, wrap your little one snugly in a blanket or try some other ways that may help calm your baby.

You'll become accustomed to your baby's patterns of crying. If it ever sounds peculiar—such as shrieks of pain—or if it persists for an unusual length of time, it could mean a medical problem. Call the pediatrician and ask for advice.

Every newborn spends most of their time sleeping. They can get up to 17 hours sleeping in 24 hours. As long as he/she wakes every few hours, eats well, seems content, and is alert for part of the day, it's perfectly normal to sleep the rest of the time. But if the baby is rarely alert, does not wake up on her own for feedings, or seems too tired or uninterested to eat, you should consult your paediatrician or GP. This lethargy—especially if it's a sudden change in her usual pattern—may be a symptom of a serious illness. 

Group A streptococcus (GAS), also referred to as Strep A is a common bacterium. Lots of us carry it in our throats and on our skin and it doesn’t always result in illness. However, GAS does cause a number of infections, some mild and some more serious.

Milder infections caused by GAS include scarlet fever, impetigo, cellulitis and pharyngitis. These can be easily treated with antibiotics.

The most serious infections linked to GAS come from invasive group A strep, known as iGAS.

These infections are caused by the bacteria getting into parts of the body where it is not normally found, such as the lungs or bloodstream. In rare cases an iGAS infection can be fatal.

Continue reading...https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2022/12/05/group-a-strep-what-you-need-to-know/

Not necessarily. This depends on many factors; the child's overall health, the severity of infection, and any underlying illness or medications the child takes. If you have suspected Group A strep, then talk to a healthcare professionals and you will get the best advice. 

Healthcare professionals will have a low threshold to review again to decide what to do next for your child. Drip antibiotics is another option if the child is not improving or not getting better. 

• you or your child is having difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs)
• there are pauses when you or your child breathes
• you or your child's skin, tongue or lips are blue
• you or your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake