Are You Concerned That Your Baby May Be Sick? Here Are Signs Your Baby Might Be Unwell

Please be mindful that this article is just a guide, if you have a concern about your baby’s health or wellbeing please contact your GP or PHN. Trust your gut, you know your baby best. In an emergency ring 999 or 112.

That being said it can be hard to tell if your newborn is sick. Pay attention and watch them closely for any of these signs of illness. How to recognise if your baby is unwell:

• If your baby has a high temperature over 37.8 or your baby’s temperature falls below 36 C, call the doctor.
• Not settling as normal
• Not feeding efficiently
• Having less than 6 wet nappies a day
• A change from baby’s normal bowel habit
• Not back to birth weight after 2 weeks
• If your baby has an unusual rash get it checked out
• If your baby is crying a lot and won’t settle
• If your baby is very sleepy ( all baby’s should cry when you change their nappies for example).

One of the main things to look for in your newborn is if he or she looks or acts in any way that seems abnormal to you. If this happens, call your baby’s doctor right away. 

Some of the ways he or she could look or act abnormal include:

• Changes in how they cry: this could be crying more often, having a weak cry, sounding strange, or frantically crying without stopping.
• Irritability
• Coughing
• Diarrhea, or vomiting. If your newborn vomits green (bile), call the doctor right away.
• Changes in feeding. Newborns usually eat frequently. If you have to wake your newborn to eat or they can’t finish their feedings, they could be sick.
• Weak sucking or not being able to suck for very long.
• Sweating while they eat.
• Sleeping more than normal (needing to be woken up to eat, for example).
• Decreased muscle tone or floppy limbs.
• Moaning or grunting noises when they breathe.
• Decreased urination (fewer wet diapers) and dry mouth (dehydration).
• Any change in color, such as pale, bluish, or gray arms and legs.

If you are worried about your baby, do not hesitate to contact your GP or public health nurse for advice. Many GPs will provide advice over the phone or will try to fit a baby or young child in without an appointment.

Never worry about bothering them. They would prefer to advise you now and prevent a baby from getting seriously unwell later.

For more information on how many times your baby should wet their nappy per day, sign up to our FREE Baby Essentials Class. In this free LIVE class, you’ll learn all the necessary basics on how to care for your baby during their first few days of life. Click here to sign up for FREE!