Newborn Baby Complications To Be Aware Of

In an ideal scenario, your baby won’t have any issues when they’re first born. Unfortunately, problems can exist for some babies. While it isn’t good to become too worried about these possibilities when you’re expecting a child, having knowledge of them can help. This way, you can better prepare should you need to face them. We explain a few newborn baby complications to be aware of for this reason.

Birth Injuries

Birth injuries occur when your baby experiences physical harm of some sort during labor and delivery. They can result from a number of factors. Premature babies, for instance, have a higher likelihood of getting injured because their bodies are less developed and more delicate. On the other hand, babies that are bigger than normal can also get hurt during delivery. Sometimes, the mother’s pelvis shape or a general difficulty during labor can also lead to birth injuries in the child. The injuries themselves range from bruises and swelling to nerve damage. In most cases, birth injuries can heal, though some nerve issues can be more serious.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a condition where blood sugar levels in a baby are abnormally low. Since the baby’s body and brain need a good supply of glucose sugar to function, this can weaken them. Hypoglycemia may manifest as difficulties with breathing and feeding, as well as a blueish color in the skin. What causes hypoglycemia to develop as a newborn baby complication to be aware of, though? Often, there is a link between a mother’s poor diet or diabetes and hypoglycemia. A mismatch between the mother’s and baby’s blood types may also sit at the root of the problem.

Jaundice

Jaundice causes a baby’s skin and eyes to appear yellow. It occurs when an infant’s body doesn’t get rid of bilirubin, which is a product of broken-down red blood cells, quickly enough. The bilirubin collects to a point where it creates a visible color effect on the baby. Jaundice can often occur naturally as a baby adjusts to life outside the womb. However, it can also arise from poor feeding on the part of the infant, a lower-performing liver, and a disease called hemolytic disease of the newborn. Doctors may be able to spot this last condition early on through a direct antiglobulin (DAT) test. If a baby gets a positive DAT, this means that their blood is incompatible with their mother’s and that they’re at risk of developing jaundice.