HAVING a new baby can be stressful.
A good way of tracking your newborn’s health is by taking a peek inside their nappy.
Paramedic Nikki Jurcutz has shared some tips on what you can learn from your little one’s nappy
Babies’ pee isn’t the same as adults for some time, so new parents may be concerned about what they find in nappies.
From yellow to red – there are many shades of a baby’s wee, and not all are good.
In a video, shared on social media, Tiny Hearts Education founder and paramedic Nikki Jurcutz shared some tips on what you can learn from your little one’s nappy.
1. Yellow
If your baby’s nappy has been stained yellow this means everything is “normal”, the expert explained.
The more pale your little one’s wee is the more hydrated they are, the NHS says.
2. Cloudy
When the urine looks a bit cloudy, this can be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI), a common infection that can affect the bladder, the kidneys and the tubes connected to them.
Cloudy pee can also be a sign of dehydration, Nikki explained.
In either case, it’s important to see a GP straight away.
3. Dark yellow/brown
Brown pee could also be a sign of dehydration or even a side effect of antibiotics, the expert explained.
4. Green/blue
Green or even blue urine is “very rare”, Nikki said, “but could be because of certain foods”.
Healthy vegetables, including asparagus, can cause green urine in some people.
5. Orange/pink
In the first few days after birth, you may see orange, pinkish, or chalky urine in your baby’s nappy, the expert said.
According to the NHS, this isn’t blood but urate crystals and is completely normal.
These crystals develop because babies’ urine is concentrated until they start taking in more fluids.
6. Red
Red pee could be the result of eating beetroot or blueberries.
Newborn baby girls can also get some vaginal bleeding in the first few days which is perfectly normal, the NHS says.
However red urine could also be a sign of something more serious.
See GP if can’t be explained from their diet.
How much should infants drink?
From after the first week until around six months old, your baby needs around 150 to 200ml of formula milk a day for every kilogram they weigh, the NHS says.
So, for example, a one-month-old baby weighing around seven kilograms might need between around 1,000 and 1,800 ml of formula a day, spread over several feeds.
What are the dangers of dehydration?
Babies and children are more at risk of dehydration than adults, because of their small size.
Dehydration can lead to serious complications in infants, including:
Urinary and kidney problems: Prolonged and repeated dehydration can cause urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones and even kidney failureSeizures: Electrolytes help carry electrical signals from cell to cell. If your electrolytes are out of balance, the normal electrical messages can become mixed up, and can lead to involuntary muscle contractions and sometimes to a loss of consciousness.Low blood volume shock (hypovolemic shock): This is one of the most serious, and sometimes life-threatening, complications of dehydration. It happens when low blood volume causes a drop in blood pressure and a drop in the amount of oxygen in your body.