When to Call Your Baby's Doctor

Your tiny little infant is red faced and wailing, her nose is stuffed up so badly she sounds just like a mini Darth Vader. You’ve suctioned out her nose, but it hasn’t helped much and you’re at a loss as to what to do. She’s not really feverish, but still, maybe it’s time to call the doctor. No?

Really there’s no easy answer to the question of when to call the doctor. Sure there are some guidelines, but in the end it’s all about your gut feeling, and what you feel your baby needs.

Your child's doctor is there to help, not judge. You know your child better than anyone, so if something feels wrong or you're just not sure don't ever hesitate to call. I believe it's best to be known as the mom who worries too much than the mom who failed to notice her child was in distress. Your phone call won't ever be wasted. At the very least you can get advice over the phone from one of the nurses or from your doctor.

That said, I know how frustrating it is to hear that you should just listen to your gut.

As a new mom you don't have a ton to go on. How are you supposed to know what's normal or not? Take a look at the following guidelines, but don't forget that they aren't the be all end all. Err on the side of caution and if something feels odd, call, call, call!

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, so I collected these guidelines from the staff at my pediatrician's office.)

Call the pediatrician immediately if:

• Breathing becomes difficult and no better after you clear the nose.

• Your child becomes lethargic or starts acting very differently.

• You hear wheezing when she breathes or she seems to be struggling to draw breath.

• His fever skyrockets and fever reducers don't help bring it down.

Call with less urgency if:

• A fever lasts more than 3 days.

• Nose discharge lasts more than 10 days.

• Nose discharge becomes thick yellow for more than 24 hours after the first week.

• The eyes develop a yellow discharge.

• You can't unblock the nose enough for your infant to drink enough fluids.

• You think your child's ears or sinuses hurt.

• Your baby develops a sore throat – baby refuses to drink or cries when he swallows.

• You feel your child is getting worse instead of better.

I said it before, but it's worth repeating: this list is not exhaustive, it just covers the most basic ailments and reasons to contact your doctor. If at any point you have a gut feeling that something is not quite right or you are worried about your child's health, call her doctor's office. You won't be disturbing them, they won't think any less of you, and they will be happy to help. I promise.

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lsmapp     |2008-09-13 23:35:18 Good article! You know in Canada (well at least where I live!) our doctors don't do phone consults and the nurses just tell me to make an appt. Fortunately we do have a great thing called healthlink - you just call a phone number, speak to a registered nurse (anytime of day) and they'll help you either calm down or suggest what you should do.

HeatherK     |69.141.254.xxx |2008-09-17 14:59:16 With my first, I had a similar list taped to the inside of the cabinet. I hated getting a sarcastic nurse, so knowing when to call definitely helps. Great list!

Amanda Cowan  - Mom     |67.161.28.xxx |2008-09-17 15:14:40 We dealt with this just this past year. And while it turned out to just be a virus, I still felt better for having called our helpline here. Their advice was to take her in right then, in the middle of the night. So it ended up being nothing but I don't regret it. Like you said, I'd rather be the one who worried too much than not enough.

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