When to call your baby's health care provider

Call your baby's health care provider right away if your baby has any of these signs:

• breathing difficulties, like breathing too fast or too slow (A newborn normally breathes between 40 and 60 times a minute.)
• grunting or whistling when he breathes
• blue color around the lips and tongue
• yellow or pale skin that is different from what you have seen before
• a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (taken rectally)
• a temperature of 97.6 degrees Fahrenheit or lower
• continuous crying that cannot be comforted
• a change in activity level such as becoming unusually listless, tired, restless, or fussy
• refusing to eat for more than two feedings
• frequent or forceful vomiting
• more than five liquid stools per day if formula fed, more than eight if breastfed
• fewer than four wet diapers in a day when your baby is older than three days
• unusual skin rashes, especially blisters
• red skin or smelly discharge around the umbilical cord
• bleeding, swelling, or foul-smelling discharge from the penis after circumcision (boy)
• reddened skin on the shaft of the penis (boy).

If you call your baby's health care provider because your baby is ill, be ready to answer questions like these:

• What is your baby's age and approximate weight?
• Does your baby have a fever? If yes, what is it?
• How did you take the temperature?
• How long has your baby been ill?
• What are the signs and symptoms?
• Is there any other important health history?
• Is your baby allergic to anything?
• What is your pharmacy phone number?