Help please - worried about bright red newborn

[Worryingaboutbaby]

Our 2/3 day old is beautiful but bright red! We noticed it on day 1 before discharge but looking at photos it wasn't obvious on the day/evening of day 0.

She just looks very dark and "ruddy" all over, not just when crying and it's not improving (maybe slightly worsening but I don't think so). Pointed it out to midwives and they said as long as not yellow it's fine and she's a great colour but I'm just a little bit concerned there's another reason.

She's normal birth weight, feeding really well, alert when disturbed but generally very settled, plenty of wet and dry nppies, average birth weight. I've had no complications in pregnancy nor similar

Just a bit worried it's an indicator of polycythemia or hyperviscodity as it's really noticeable and I think unusual. Might call midwife team in the morning and ask again but would welcome experiences please!

I know I wrote this in middle of night when most asleep but thought I'd bump before calling midwives

The more I look at pictures the more it does look just like polycythemia, especially in the images of twin to twin transfusion (obviously that doesn't apply here but it's the best visual representation)

If you are concerned you should ring.

How do you know about those conditions? Have you been up all night with Dr Google?

It's completely normal to be worried about your baby, but you've been told by trained professionals that all is ok.

Get it checked out but if all is ok you might need to look at how you manage your anxiety so you have an easier time.

Speak to DR. This is MN, not a health service!

I am going to ring at about 8 either way but just wanted to hear whether anyone had experienced anything in their baby that was similar but resolved as that would be reassuring.

Not been up all night on google, but been up at night with a two day old and googled from time to time. I don't think I have anxiety particularly but am seeing something that doesn't appear right over a sustained period but may to midwives appear normal when they are doing checks etc at a brief moment and the baby is crying.

Our first child had a rare condition that we noticed and was missed by health professionals for months before diagnosis so it is possible, equally it may be I'm looking at something very common but hearing about other's experiences is often helpful I find!

I think you should try and get the midwives to get you seen by a paed. Midwives are not experts at baby health, only really in the antenatal and delivery period. Of course they can flag big things but it is still equally possible that they miss something.

Other things: what is her temperature like? Is she settled/unhappy? Is she feeding ok? Is the ‘rash’ all over and does it blanch?

My dd wasn't bright red, but very deep pink all over after she was born, midwives were not concerned about her colour at all, and over time she settled into a more normal skin colour, it just took a couple of weeks. I noticed it because ds wasn't like that when he was born. Anyway dd is a year old now, and completely fine, and a normal colour. Definitely ask if you are worried, but it may be nothing.

Mothers instincts- call the midwife and if you're not satisfied call the doctor

@Flamingolingo thank you, I will. Otherwise she's great! Normal temperature, feeding really well, plenty of wet and dirty nappies, she's very settled after feeds and sleeping in between but also very alert and responsive if I change her nappy etc. It's all over, she just looks like a red screaming baby but all the time! I'll see if it blanches but don't think it's a rash as such

@katmarie thank you, that's reassuring to hear!

@Worryingaboutbaby please ignore the couple of unhelpful comments here. Of course you are free to ask questions on MN snd see if others have had similar experiences. I didn't experience this with my DD but hopefully the MW will be able to offer advice/reassurance.

Congrats on your new baby :)

She's waking for feeds and giving cues too herself, not had to wake her

@nightmonkeydaymonkeyy.. it is not unhelpful to point out this is not a health service. It is potentially dangerous to get health advice from here. The amount of threads I see like this followed by a series of replies talking absolute crap is unbelievable. Asking people if they had something similar is not going to help. It may be fine,it may not. You will only know when you see a Dr, not a midwife and not a random on MN.

Have a chat to your midwife or GP for sure, but just to reassure you, my DD2 (now 13 weeks) was v similar, they said it was actually normal levels of jaundice and it went away after a few days.

If you are concerned about the health of your baby and whether she has a health issue that requires clinical diagnosis please contact your GP and take her in for a clinical opinion from a suitably qualified Dr.

Definitely contact your midwife this morning and explain why you’re concerned about her colour - if the midwife says it’s normal ask them to explain why it’s normal, when should it settle etc.

One of my twins was born with a very rare condition which was picked up because he was already in NICU. I know other parents who have been sent home with their babies with the same condition normally, and it was only the attentiveness of the parents that meant they got the vital treatment they needed. I’m not saying there’s something seriously wrong with your baby by any means, I have no idea, but you can’t be too careful. I hope it’s nothing to worry about, but I would definitely call. I’m assuming she wasn’t born very early or you wouldn’t be at home yet - was she overdue? I know both can cause visible issues with the skin but not sure if bright redness can happen with overdue babies. And of course even if others have had it, it doesn’t mean it’s the same cause. Definitely seek medical advice @

Or the alternative is your GP but again, they are not experts in newborn babies. Chances are it’s nothing unusual, but sometimes things do get missed, a friend of mine had a baby who required open heart surgery that was missed by the midwifery team. It happens sometimes, and if your mama senses are tingling then do push.

If you are worried, call the midwives and ask them to check her over again. They would rather double check a healthy baby than not check a potentially poorly one.

How many of you have been pregnant and had a baby in 2020? I don’t mean that rudely but health services are very limited at the moment and you are fobbed off a lot. Maybe twelve months ago there would be a ‘just’ about seeing a GP or midwife. Trust me, not now there is not!

My ds was unusually red when he was born and for a couple of weeks afterwards. Every midwife, health visitor and medic commented on it. No one seemed worried about it and eventually he turned a more normal colour. I can't remember exactly when. No one provided an explanation as to why and he has no medical needs.

One of my twins was very ruddy. The docs said it's basically just because they're full of blood (in a good way) from delayed cord clamping. His twin was paler (but healthy). They're 11 months old and I'd say the colour difference is still there ever so slightly but the full on red baby thing did fade.

However i think given your older child (trust me, i get that) I'd ask someone to come and look at her just to reassure you because I'm not sure lots of anecdotes of red babies is going to be enough for your head.

Sending huge hugs. I know how hard it is having a poorly one and then one who is just.... Typical.

@welcometonowhere I do take your point but we have repeatedly been told by the government and indeed the NHS CEO that we locked down again in November to protect the NHS and to ensure ALL it's services are available to everyone. Therefore if there are problems accessing parts of the NHS I think it is essential that those facing access issues shpuld write to their Mps. We have lost our liberty again to protect the NHS and therefore we need to work and protest together to make sure it is 100% tip top and no parts of it are claiming they are unable to go to work or provide the services they are commissioned to provide.

Good luck op. I hope its nothing but you are allowed as a very new mummy for the issue to be clinically considered and if necessary for your mind to be put at rest.

Can you post a picture or her arms/legs or tummy so we can tell you if we think she's red? Fresh eye's might help

Was she overdue? My ds2 was 9 days over and he was bright red and stayed that way for 2 weeks. It’s fairly common in overdue babies as the vernix has come off them and their skin gets reddened by the amniotic fluid.

Photos of my son at 2 and 10 days old. Very red as you can see. It didn’t last and he’s a perfectly normal colour bow l