The birth of a newborn baby is always a thing of joy!
As paediatricians, we are privileged to share the joy with the new parents and their families.
Sometimes, however, we often have to share their pains as well if things go wrong. One of the things that can go wrong is the baby developing infections.
Infections in the newborn or what we call Neonatal Sepsis in medical jargon is one of the leading causes of deaths in the newborns.
In places like Nigeria and generally in the developing countries of the world, we tend to have a high rate of newborn deaths as high as 50 for every 1000 newborns.
That is disastrous compared to developed countries with figures in single digits. To make sure our babies live and survive, we must prevent newborn infections and treat promptly if/when they occur.
This post is based on our online Ask the Paediatricians Facebook Group Discussion by a Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist, Dr Patricia Akintan on infections in the newborns.
It addresses this very important topic with emphasis on our roles as parents and caregivers.
Who is a newborn (neonate)?
A newborn is a baby less than 28 days old. Newborns are prone to infection because they have a poor body defence. Infections in the newborn can occur during pregnancy, during delivery and after delivery.
Common infections in newborn
-
Infection of eyes: pus or discharge from eye
- Boil or pus containing swelling on the body
- Infection in the blood (sepsis)
- Neonatal Tetanus
- Meningitis (infection of the brain)
What are the factors that can lead to infections in newborn?
These are important to know because most of the preventive strategies will be directed at these factors. These can be either from the mother, events that occur during the time of delivery or after the delivery
Factors in mother
- Fever in mother around time of delivery
- Painful urine in mother or mother passing urine frequently – this can be a sign of urinary tract infection in mother which she can pass to baby
- Rupture of membrane; if mother breaks her water long before baby is delivered
- Vaginal discharge in mother before delivery
- Some infections in mother e.g HIV can be passed on to the baby if mum not on treatment
Factors during delivery
- Dirty delivery area
- Using Unclean hands to deliver baby
- Unclean or dirty cloth use to receive or clean babies skin baby
- Delivering babies on the floor
- Unsterile (unclean) instruments like scissors blade etc
Factors after delivery
NOTE: The cord is the easiest route of infection.
- Poor care of the umbilical cord like the use of dirty rope or thread to tie cord.
- Use of cow dung to treat umbilical cord
- Also the use of toothpaste, Robb, mentholatum, alabukun, aboniki on the umbilical cord
- The use of charcoal or lantern Not cleaning cord well or regularly
- Poor skin care: Touching baby’s skin with dirty hands
- Allowing everybody to carry baby without washing hands
- Giving baby water or native concoction “Agbo” can cause diarrhoea
- Putting breast milk in eyes can cause an eye infection.
In the next part, we will discuss how to recognize symptoms of infections in the newborn, what to do and more importantly HOW TO PREVENT INFECTIONS in the newborns.
Keep reading and sharing this article. Together we can reduce the unnecessary deaths of our newborns.
If you have questions, drop it in the comments section or email me at drgbemisola@askthepaediatricians.com.
Thanks so much for this information. But I have a question. what could be the cause of *water* leaking, long before baby is due?
There are few causes most often infections or at times it can happen without any obvious reasons. If the amniotic membrane rupture too early, you should go and see a gynaecologist immediately
My baby of 9months is having cough, she coughs especially at night it usually makes her to vomit. I bought neofylin, but I dont see any changes
Hello Mrs Akinola….Please stop the cough syrup and see a Paediatrician who will examine the baby thoroughly including the chest to treat the underlying cause of the cough. Cough syrup is just a symptomatic relief and is not recommended for infants as it will just be masking the symptom while the dangerous underlying cause of the cough for example pneumonia may go untreated which can lead to fatal consequences. Read more about Pneumonia and cough in children here
Hello Dr, I know this is an old post but I need to ask something and I hope you reply. Please, since my baby’s cord fell off my mum in-law has been applying mentholathum on his navel directly and I’ve not been cool with it. I saw on ur post that this shouldn’t be applied and I also know it contains some essential oils that are not ok for babies. But when I tried to say no she got angry with me and walked away and hubby is caught in the centre of it. Please am I right? Is she right? She has done some other things that I’ve not been fine with buy I just go with the flow. She wanted to give my baby agbo but I insisted on not doing it so she just bathed him with it, he’s almost 2wks now.
Hi Paula….It is hard when you are caught in the mother-in-law and new mothers battle. You are right but you need to apply wisdom in dealing with grannies. I usually encourage new mothers to tell the grandparents this is what the baby’s doctor say and if possible take them along with you to the hospital and ask your doctor in front of the mother-in-law so it is clear it is not just you but what the doctors said. All the best but at the end of it all; it is your baby and you should be firm in your stand.
Thank you so much Doctor for educating us.
Please what causes Jedi Jedi (Nla) in infants and how can it be treated completely?
Thank you!
Hi Mrs Osoka. As much as possible, I don’t use local names for medical diagnosis because they are often not specific….for example you have called Jedi-jedi same as Nla which even for the local people are not the same thing. I will rather when asking question to simply state your own observation in the child and I can then advise on what is the best for your child.
Read about so-called Jedi-jedi here
Also read about so-called Nla here
Afterwards, you can ask your specific questions.
Good evening ma.Please I will like to find out what drugs to use to boost a four month old baby whose pcv is 25.The test results read that platelets slightly high.
Kindly see a Paediatrician first to evaluate the cause of the anaemia in the child. Treatment depends on the cause of the anaemia.
Tnkz Dr. Gbemi mine was multi factor or causes.ie I had yellowish discharges mostly in d last trimester, rupture membrane,frequent urine .how do I prevent my other babies from newborn infections, whydid my membrane rupture long before delivery. I did not like the feeling after delivery at all cos I took great care of d pregnancy and it was a case of primary infertility .I almost feel into post partum depression. Pls enlightenment pls.
Hi Mrs Olaniyi! The first part of the question can be answered by your gynaecologists. Ensure you register early and attend Antenatal care regularly. Avoid stressful or traumatic conditions though sometimes membranes can still ruptured early for no apparent reasons despite the best effort. Sometimes, it just happens and no one’s fault but with your gynaecologist proper management and the Paediatricians’ involvement with the baby’s early, we hope to limit the chances of neonatal infection. Don’t worry, it does not mean it will happen again. All the best!
Good evening doctor, you are doing an amazing job! Pls how can one care for the umbilical cord so it gets healed on time?
There is Chlorhexidine gel that can be applied once daily for 7 days and that will be all! alternatively where the Chlorhexidine is not available, please use methylated spirit every 2 – 4 hourly to clean the umbilical cord. Keep the cord exposed and not covered with the diaper. There is no need to apply ht water or cow dung or powder or druy heat!
thank u ma for ds, but I have been using d Chlorhexidine gel which I was given at d hospital before we were discharged (bcos on d day three of birth d umbilical cord started bleeding, tho d affected part was cut off by d nurse), my baby is 26 days old but d navel hasn’t healed yet
There seems to be more issue with your own baby going by the bleeding and all you said. Please kindly take the child to see a Paediatrician for further evaluation and management.
Please, I was given nitrofurantion by my Dr.
I want to buy it and they told me is not good for me,
Please can breastfeeding mother take it.
Always direct your questions to your doctor. There are drugs that may be recommended in a breastfeeding mother if the benefits far outweigh the risk. Discuss with your doctor who prescribed for you and let the doctor know you are breastfeeding so he can advise you on what to do.
This is what a Google search will show just to buttress the point I made earlier
The use of nitrofurantoin in breastfeeding mothers is generally safe, as only small amounts transfer into the breast milk. … In infants younger than 1 month, an alternative antibiotic might be preferred; however, if an alternative were not available, the use of nitrofurantoin would not be a reason to avoid breastfeeding.
Using nitrofurantoin while breastfeeding a newborn – NCBI – NIH
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4055319/
Hello doc, I’m a FTM and my baby is 12days old and her navel has fallen off. my mum is applying metholatum on it. Pls is this right? And also my mum said her stomach is hard and massages her stomach with hot water and metholatum during bathing. Is this practice okay?
It is not right. Tell her to stop. You do not need to apply anything or do any massages. For more information on care of newborns, please get a copy of our FTM CompanionFTM COMPANION
Please doc, I’m a first time mom and my baby girl is presently 3 months plus and we’re on exclusively breastfeeding but I’m get discouraged as to whether to continue or divert to formula. The reason is that everyday I’ll wake up as early as 3a.m to express milk so that I can send it with her to daycare while I go to work but the milk is not coming out enough. I really want to do exclusive for 6 months but this problem is discouraging me. Please doc what can I do. Please I really need assistance. Here’s my number 08148249183 please.
Hi I am sorry for your experience. You may want to take baby to creche closer to you so you can go and breastfeed on demand. Alternatively, you can try and use electric breast pump that would make the pumping easier. Please check our Facebook group and do the UNIT course on breastfeeding on how to increase your breast milk production and express and store breast milk.
Thank you so much ma’m for this information. Please I have a question as regards my 21 weeks old baby. During delivery, the doctor on duty said she showed sign of distress and as such was given Lunacin injection for three days *morning and night. But now, I noticed she’s constantly having this pus in her left eyes. I took her to see a doc *a gp and not a pead though. He prescribed an eye drops as well as flemming antibiotics which I used for her righteously. The pus stopped for a while but it’s back again and I’m a bit sceptical with this continuous administration of antibiotics. So my question is could it be as a result of her being distressed during delivery or is it an infection during pregnancy? What can I do in order to have a permanent solution to the pus? will showing sign of distress have any implication on her developmental milestones? I follow your page religiously and so far she has achieved ALL and even some for six months old baby. I lost my first baby through what I’m sure could have been avoided if I was as knowledgeable as i am now with the things I’ve learnt from you ma and I just want to do right with the one God has blessed me with now. *Sorry for the long post
Hi Gladdys. Thank you for following us religiously and I am happy you are learning.
Your baby appears to have conjuntivitis which should clear with eye drops. You should apply it regularly every 4 hours for at least 7 days. Also clean the eyes before doing so. It has nothing to do with any distress at birth. Since your baby is achieving all milestones, I would not worry about him at all.
Hallo doctor, my Name is Beth, i gave birth 2 weeks ago through CS but my baby developed relatively fast breathing she was later diagnosed with Neonatal Sepsis, she was kept in the New Born Unit, but upon discharge 2 days later she started coughing and some blocking, we went back and we were prescribed to Ampiclox which after 3 days of use she couldn’t change how she was coughing. We went back and some blood test was done and she had some infections, we were prescribed to penamox and some cetrizine. How long do the infection clears from her? Please advice me and kindly make me understand on neonatal sepsis doc, Thank you
The infection should have cleared. The cough does not always mean that there is still ongoing infection. Cough is a sign of irritation along the throat. I think you should breastfeed your baby exclusively and keep warm. You should not be given too much medications. If you have not seen a Paediatrician, please see one immediately to follow up your baby
Good afternoon doctor… I am so glad reading all the questions and answers here… but I have a question to ask, my baby is just 11 days old, ever since I put to bed she has been pooing but few days ago it increased to thrice a day and it’s giving me a whole lot of concern ma… please what can be the cause and how do I prevent this???
Secondly, she has so many rashes on her body and I don’t know what and what to give her to clear the rashes cos we are on Exclusive breast feeding.
Please help a first time mum
Newborn babies can pass stools up to 12 times a day and that is normal. You should just keep breastfeeding exclusively. There is no need to be concerned.
As regards the rashes we need to see it first before we can decide the appropriate treatment. For urgent answers, please post your questions on our Facebook group.
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