When your baby is brand-new (and your parenting skills are too) it's tempting to call your pediatrician for every sniffle and achoo! And that's okay; if you're unsure whether something is serious enough to warrant a call, it's best to pick up the phone and play it safe. (Plus, your pediatrician really doesn't mind hearing from you.) Eventually you'll find that a drippy nose or even a mild fever can usually be treated at home without your doctor's help, but you should check with him or her if your baby won't eat, is waking much more frequently at night, or cries excessively. Until you learn the ropes, here are some tips on making the call about when to call.
Coughs and colds: Check in with your doctor if your baby has a dry cough that's been hanging around for more than a week, or if the cough becomes wheezy or productive (meaning she's coughing up mucus). Also call if her runny nose lasts more than about ten days, if there's green mucus from both sides of the nose for more than ten days, or if the mucus is streaked with blood.
Constipation: Call for help if your baby passes hard small balls of poop regularly or if you notice blood in the stool. Note that it's normal for breastfed babies to go several days without pooping, or to strain and grunt — as long as when they do poop, it's soft.
Diarrhea or vomiting: A few episodes are usually not a big deal. Seek your doctor's help if either vomiting or diarrhea (very watery, sometimes mucus-tinged stools, occurring more frequently than your child's normal pattern) lasts for more than 24 hours or is accompanied by a fever, or if stools contain blood. Call right away if you see signs of dehydration: few or no wet diapers (or urine that is yellow instead of clear), dry skin, lack of saliva or tears, or sunken eyes or fontanel (the soft spot on your baby's head).
Fever: For babies under two months, call the doctor right away for any fever and go to the emergency room if you can't reach your doctor. For babies under six months, you still need to call for advice for any fever. Beyond six months, call if the fever:
• Is higher than 102° F (taken rectally)
• Has been low (under 102° F ) but suddenly spikes
• Was preceded by a cold
• Isn't responding to medication (Tylenol or ibuprofen, as directed by your doctor)
• Lasts more than 24 hours and there are no other symptoms; or three days, if accompanied by mild cold or flu symptoms.
See all baby health and safety tips.