The following list of symptoms has been written to guide you; this will be discussed with you by your midwife within 24 hours of your baby’s birth.
Immediate action required: Emergency action
See a doctor urgently (consider calling 999 for an ambulance).
If you experience any of the following:
- sudden or profuse blood loss, particularly if feeling dizzy as well
- fever, shivering and abdominal pain especially if combined with offensive vaginal loss
- severe or persistent headache
- shortness of breath or chest pain
- calf pain with redness or swelling
- widespread rash
- severe depression, severe anxiety and panic, restlessness, disorientation, confused and disturbed thoughts, suicidal thoughts or desire to hurt others (particularly if you have a history of mental illness)
Or you are concerned that your baby:
- is limp and lethargic
- is unresponsive
- is floppy
- has abnormal breathing (faster than usual or grunting)
- has blue lips
- has a fit
- has got visible jaundice (orange-yellow colour of the skin) in the first 24 hours of life, or severe jaundice after 24 hours
- has not passed meconium (baby's first stool) or urine in the first 24 hours of life
- has a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass
- vomits green fluid
- has a bulging or very depressed fontanelle
- has a temperature higher than 38°C
- has passed blood in the stools
- feeding less than usual / nappies much less wet than usual
- with the exception of hands and feet, feels cold when dressed appropriately for the environment temperature
Urgent advice: Urgent action
Call your community midwife, Clinic 23, or NHS Direct for advice, or see your GP within 24 hours
If you experience any of the following:
- fever, shivering, abdominal pain and/or vaginal discharge that looks or smells unpleasant
- severe perineal pain (area between vagina and anus)
- severe haemorrhoid (piles) pain
- problems passing urine or faeces, particularly if you are unable to get to the toilet in time or have incontinence
- unable to pass any urine within six hours of the birth
- 'baby blues' not resolving after two weeks
- mastitis lasting more than a few hours
- severe breastfeeding difficulties
Or you are concerned that your baby:
- is sleepy and not feeding well
- has jaundice starting after 7 days or lasting longer than 14 days
- has constipation (if bottle fed) or diarrhoea
- has got redness around the umbilicus (cord area)
- is excessively and inconsolably crying
It is important that these problems are discussed with your midwife or GP and that your baby is seen on the same day.
Non-urgent advice: Non-urgent action
Call your community midwife for advice, ‘wait and see’ whilst taking simple measures, or see your GP
If you experience any of the following:
- painful sex
- perineal pain/discomfort
- haemorrhoids
- headache or backache
- persistent fatigue
- constipation
- cracked or painful nipples
- engorged breasts or inadequate breast milk supply
Or you are concerned that your baby:
- has mild jaundice (orange-yellow skin) when the baby is feeding well and not sleepy
- has any jaundice after 14 days of age if a term baby (delivered after 37 weeks) or 21 days if a preterm baby (delivered before 37 weeks)
- has got thrush
- has blood in the nappy
- has nappy rash