Learn a handy guide to your newborn’s nose, mouth, and chest in this article.
If a newborn baby has problems like sneezing, cough or mucus, it is not necessary that he has a cold or his digestion is poor. The internal structure of the baby’s nose, mouth, and chest is very complex and delicate, hence it is very important to know the reason behind any problem. Our expert, Dr. R.K. Anand has told a lot about this subject in his book – A Guide to Childcare. In this article prepared on the basis of this book, our effort is to tell you about the problems related to the nose, mouth and chest of the newborn baby.
Let us first know, what are the reasons for changes in the nose, mouth and chest of the child.
Changes in a baby’s nose, mouth, and chest
Newborn babies are familiar with a new environment after coming out of the womb, so it may take some time for them to adjust. During this time, some changes may be seen in their nose, mouth, and chest like –
1. Changes in the nose
Some normal babies have a slightly sticky discharge from the nose. It can also cause a baby’s blocked nose. It does not interfere with breathing and goes away after 2 to 3 months. Sneezing is normal in newborns and so is the occasional cough. Babies can also vomit milk through the nose and mouth, so they should be patted on the shoulder after feeding so that the gas comes out through burping.
2. Changes in the mouth
Your baby may be born with teeth. This should generally be left normal. Don’t worry that your baby will bite or hurt you while breastfeeding.
3. Tongue tie or tongue-related problem
Children repeatedly sticking out their tongue or showing signs of tongue discomfort may be due to a congenital problem called tongue tie. Some tissue connects the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, when too much of it connects, the problem of tongue tie arises. This restricts the movement of the tongue, and the baby may have difficulty speaking, eating and breastfeeding. This condition often resolves on its own. If not, it can be treated with surgery. If the child can touch the roof of the mouth with his tongue, surgery is not needed.
Even if surgery is required, it should be postponed until the child is 3 years old. The tongue becomes larger as the child grows. A uniform white coating on babies’ tongues is normal. No attempt should be made to clean the tongue with glycerin or a piece of cloth.
Some babies may have thick, blisters on the lips. These are normal and disappear after a few weeks.
4. Hiccups
Hiccups are normal in newborn babies. Some babies have mucus cysts (also called epithelial beads) near the gums or edge of the palate in the first week after birth. This gets better with time.
5. Bloody vomit
Some babies may vomit blood after birth. This is possibly caused by irritation of the stomach by amniotic fluid or by the baby swallowing the mother’s blood. If bleeding does not recur then the child is normal. Some babies swallow blood from the mother’s cracked nipple, this also does not require any treatment. Sometimes a baby may have a haemorrhagic disease and tests may be needed to identify it. It may also be due to a deficiency of Vitamin K.
6. Regurgitation
Sometimes the baby’s milk becomes a curd-like substance after one feeding. This is known as regression. This should not be a matter of much concern. After feeding, make sure you burp the baby and only then let him lie down. If the baby has fallen asleep without burping, place him on his right side. If the baby is awake, he can be placed on his stomach.
7. Chest changes
Sometimes swollen breasts and breasts full of milk can be seen in 2 or 3-day-old babies. Do not attempt to express milk or massage the breasts. Failure to follow such advice can result in serious infection and the need for surgery has been seen. This swelling disappears on its own after some time.
Your doctor can hear the heartbeat over the chest. It is not necessary that the child has heart disease. Most murmurs may disappear within a few days. If necessary, your doctor will ask to do some tests. The breathing rate of a newborn baby is about 45 breaths/minute. This may vary from child to child. Sometimes, the rate speeds up, followed by a slower rate. Such changes are usually normal.
So we hope that this information will be useful to you in understanding your child’s problem. One should not panic if a child vomits milk through the nose and mouth or has a blocked nose. If the doctor himself doesn’t mention any serious problems, it may be a simple problem that will go away with time. Do not use any medicines and do not adopt any home remedies or dietary supplements without consulting your doctor.