With so many books on the market talking about how to care for a newborn, it’s hard to know which ones to read and trust. While most books tend to focus on a specific topic like Sleeping, behavioural issues and so on, it’s hard to come by a book that is more generalized yet helpful for all topics that are important to parents of a newborn. After reading several of these books when my oldest son Kyle was born, I came to realize that I’m better off just taking pieces of advice from each book based on whatever worked best for me, my husband and kids.
However, I have recently come across a book, Baby Care Basics, that is well rounded, nonjudgmental and full of accurate and relevant information about a wide range of topics! The book really acts as a complete baby guide. It’s categorized by topics that occur in a chronological order in a baby’s first year of life. The book was written in collaboration by three Doctors from SickKids Hospital in Toronto, one of the most highly regarded hospital institutions in Canada and around the world. The book covers topics ranging from planning for a baby, a baby’s first few days, feeding, teething, playtime, safety and sleep. But what I found most useful is the chapter detailing how to take care of your sick baby.
Whenever I go on any parent forums on Facebook, the majority of questions sound something like this: “My Kid’s fever is high, should I go to the emergency?” or “What’s this rash on my daughter’s skin?” Not surprisingly, seeing your child sick is probably one of the most troubling and difficult issues to deal with as a parent, especially when your child is a newborn baby that can’t express or communicate their feelings. You often feel so helpless for your child and wish so badly that you can take away their pain if you could. I’m fortunate to have a father-in-law and a brother who are Doctors who I can call up whenever I have a concern. However, I don’t want to call when something happens at 2AM. Luckily, Baby Care Basics provides lots of guidance and support on how to care for your sick baby. Here are some of the ways you can help your sick child:
FEVER
The best way to manage a baby is to firstly, comfort and cool your baby. Remove heavy clothes and allow body heat to escape. However, don’t bath your baby in cold water. Provide your baby food frequently and administer over-the-counter medication to provide comfort such as Acetaminophen and ibuprofen which can be ordered here. If your baby is less than 3 months old and these symptoms occur, make sure to seek medical attention immediately and before you administer any medication.
WHEEZING
“Wheezing is a whistling or sighing noise made by air-passing through narrowed small air passages in the lungs.” If your baby is exhibiting signs of wheezing, take them to be checked out by a physician immediately to determine what caused it and to receive the appropriate treatment. In most cases, infants wheeze due to bronchiolitis. However, repeated episodes of wheezing may be a sign of asthma.
CONSTIPATION
You can help you child pass their stools more easily and more frequently by making some simple dietary changes such as “substituting barley for rice cereal and adding 1 to 2 ounces of prunes to the diet.” If this doesn’t appear to help, you can ask your physician for a prescription to Polyethylene glycol 3350 or Lactulose.
RASHES
Eczema
While there are no specific treatments to prevent eczema, you can help manage your baby’s symptoms. Avoid irritants to the skin like bubble baths, harsh soaps or using fabric softener. There are several over the counter moisturizers that are gentle and especially formulated for a baby’s skin. You can also keep the skin lubricated with petroleum jelly to trap the moisture in. If an area is particularly inflamed, ask your doctor if they would recommend the use of topical steroid creams or ointments.
Diaper Rash
You can treat your infant’s diaper rash by making simple changes like changing their diaper frequently and gently cleansing the area with a cloth soaked in warm water. At every change, make sure to apply a diaper cream that contains zinc oxide as a layer of barrier between the skin and diaper. If the rash doesn’t improve within a few days, consult your physician as you might need to apply a mild topical steroid ointment as well.
EAR INFECTIONS
If your child is older than 2 years, the ear infection should resolve on its own within a few days without any treatment. However, for younger kids, an oral antibiotic may be prescribed. To keep your child comfortable, you can give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
These are only some of the symptoms covered in this great chapter and you can read in more detail about how to treat other illnesses like coughs, vomiting, stomach flu, rashes and so on. There’s also a whole section that covers how to give your baby medication and red flags to be alert for when your baby exhibits any sickness. The book, which retails for $19.95, is available on either Amazon or through Robert Rose Inc.
GIVEAWAY
I’m giving away a prize pack valued at approximately $50 that includes the Baby Care Basics book and a few products that will help you treat your sick baby, courtesy of Well.ca. Contest is open to all Canadians. Enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter (please give it a few seconds to load). Contest ends Tuesday September 29, 2015.
lisa bolduc says
mine is knowing when its teething or a cold.
angela m says
I was concerned when they got a fever.Or they were very congested.
Holly MacRitchie says
My biggest concern was that I wasn’t doing enough to keep baby happy.
kristen visser says
my biggest concern was overall taking care of my baby girl. I was never around kids or babies and so my husband and I were always worried we wouldnt know what to do when she was sick etc but parental instincts definitely do kick in to play 🙂
Elizabeth Matthiesen says
I think my biggest concern was whether I’d be able to breast feed or not – I so wanted to and I did too 🙂
Anne Taylor says
I worried about everything with my first born, but mainly when she got a fever I was always unsure of what to do.
Cheryl says
I always worried when my son had a fever
Courtney says
I always stressed out about fevers and how to bring them down. Still do actually
Erin W says
I was always worried about my newborns temperature! Was she too hot? Too cold?
lyndac1968 says
I was always worried about every little cough and my biggest fear was sleeping, can she breath will she be warm enough, and the list goes on!!
Gillian Morgan says
I was always stressed with constipation. It was and is an ongoing issue.
Angela Mitchell says
I was always worried about my kids sleeping in the crib at night.
Juliee Fitze says
I worried about everything when he was little now I have a granddaughter to worry about when she sleeps here.
Journeys of The Zoo says
We travel a lot and in remote areas in foreign countries so I worry that we will need medical attention (like a hospital) and we won’t be able to get there in time.
We don’t take risks so the chances of this happening is slim but it’s always in the back of my mind.
Besos, Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
Judy Cowan says
Wondering whether or not they need to go to the doctor with fevers, cough, colds etc or if it could be treated at home.
Stephanie LaPlante says
I would definitely say fever!
butterflyamyc says
My biggest concern was when the baby was sick especially with a fever.
SueSueper says
My biggest concern was worrying simple things were way bigger than they were. A cold is more than a cold, a fever is a sign of something huge, etc.
409cope says
I used to worry that they wouldn’t get enough to eat.
angelmom7 says
I worry when they have any kind of fever or are congested
Darlene S. says
I was worried if she was eating enough..
lilfifi says
My son had lots of colds and I always woried that he wasn’t breathing properly, or getting enough air.
Soozle says
Severe illnesses would be concern
kathy downey says
My first born had breathing problems and sometimes had problems feeding,so my big concern was feeding him
Robyn Bellefleur says
My biggest concern was if my daughter was eating enough.
JaimeeM says
My biggest concern was early teething, very early teething. caused fevers alot.
Athena says
fevers and what they meant
Bo Simms says
My biggest concern or worry as a first time parent is their breathing, and SIDS, to make sure they are okay when sleeping.
Jennifer P. says
My biggest concern was my baby dying. I still always worry about something bad happening to my kids. Born worrier I guess…
nomnombearinyvr says
I was always worried about breaking my baby’s neck whenever I dressed him!
JodiMitro says
My biggest concern is my son getting sick and I won’t know what to do. I can’t imagine yet how it feels to be unable to take your child’s pain and discomfort away. Here’s to lots of healthy little ones but being prepared when when they aren’t 😀 Thank you for a great giveaway!