Most of the time, none of this applies, and you can read on with an easy mind. But call your pediatrician right away if baby looks deeply yellow or the yellow reaches the legs, is hard to wake or very floppy, will not feed, has a fever, or seems to be getting worse rather than better. When something feels wrong, trust that feeling and call.
If you are here because something worried you, that instinct is a good one to trust. Here is the reassuring part: most of what a newborn does looks strange and turns out to be nothing. The hiccups, sneezes, spit-up, squeaks, blotchy skin, the eyes that cross for a second. When you are not sure, asking is always the right call. That is what your pediatrician is there for.
Most babies spit up, hiccup often, and sneeze to clear their tiny noses. As long as baby is feeding, having wet diapers, and gaining weight, these are normal. Spit-up that shoots out forcefully every feed, or a baby who seems in pain, is worth a call.
More than half of newborns look slightly yellow in the first week as their liver catches up. This is called jaundice. It usually shows up day 2 to 4 and fades on its own, but every baby should be checked for it, and some need a quick follow-up after leaving the hospital.
One weird-looking diaper or a single fussy evening rarely means something is wrong. What matters is the overall pattern: feeding, wet diapers, weight, and how baby seems day to day. If that pattern shifts, call.
Call your pediatrician right away if baby looks deeply yellow or the yellow reaches the legs, is hard to wake or very floppy, will not feed, has a fever, or seems to be getting worse rather than better. When something feels wrong, trust that feeling and call.
A lot of the worry in these weeks is really about feeding and sleep, so those pages might answer the next question. And if it is your own mind that feels loud, there is a page for that too.