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Newborn checklist: weird but normal, and when to call

Twelve things that scare new parents but are usually normal, and the seven that are not. Keep it open for those 3am moments.

By the Swaddle team · Reviewed October 25, 2026

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Newborn: is this normal?

Usually normal

Call the doctor

  • A rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby under 3 months: call your pediatrician right away, even if they seem fine.
  • Breathing that stops for 20 seconds or more, or lips or face turning blue or gray: call 911.
  • Working hard to breathe: grunting with every breath, ribs pulling in, flaring nostrils.
  • Yellow skin or eyes in the first 24 hours, yellow that spreads to the belly or legs, or a yellow baby who is very sleepy or not feeding well.
  • White, pale gray or chalky poop, red blood in poop, or black poop after the first few days.
  • Fewer wet diapers than expected, or a baby who will not feed or is hard to wake for feeds.
  • Redness spreading around the cord stump, pus, a bad smell, or bleeding that will not stop.

General information, not medical advice. If something feels wrong, trust that and call your pediatrician.

Why newborns do such strange things

A newborn's breathing, eyes, skin and gut are all brand new to life outside the womb, and they are still running on mom's pregnancy hormones for a few weeks. Most of the odd sounds, spots and swellings are signs of that change, not of something wrong.

Breathing: the one that scares everyone

Newborn breathing is irregular. In active sleep it can speed up, slow down and pause for 5 to 10 seconds before a burst of fast breaths. Skin color stays the same. That is normal periodic breathing, most common in the first weeks, and babies usually outgrow it by about 6 months. A pause of 20 seconds or more, or blue or gray lips, is not normal: call 911.

Poop and pee

Poop changes color a lot in the first week. See the baby poop color chart for every color and the three that need a call, and how many wet diapers to expect by day.

Yellow skin

Mild jaundice is common in the first week and usually fades on its own. Yellow that shows up in the first 24 hours, spreads down to the belly or legs, or comes with a sleepy baby who will not feed well needs a doctor the same day.

Questions parents ask

Is it normal for a newborn to stop breathing for a few seconds?

Short pauses of about 5 to 10 seconds during sleep, followed by quick breathing, are normal and are called periodic breathing. Skin color stays the same. A pause of 20 seconds or more, or blue or gray lips, is an emergency: call 911.

Why does my newborn grunt so much while sleeping?

Most grunting is normal: newborns spend a lot of time in active sleep and are learning to move gas and poop. Grunting with every single breath, especially with ribs pulling in or flaring nostrils, is different and needs a doctor the same day.

What temperature is a fever in a newborn?

A rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. In a baby under 3 months, call your pediatrician right away even if your baby seems well.

When does the umbilical cord fall off?

Usually within about 1 to 3 weeks. Keep it clean and dry. Call your pediatrician if the skin around it gets red, it oozes pus, smells bad or bleeds more than a few drops.

Sources

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics: Phases of sleep, periodic breathing (healthychildren.org)
  2. Cleveland Clinic: Periodic breathing
  3. American Academy of Pediatrics: Newborn reflexes (healthychildren.org)
  4. Nationwide Children's Hospital: Newborn appearance
  5. American Academy of Pediatrics: Baby's first days, bowel movements and urination (healthychildren.org)
  6. American Academy of Pediatrics: Umbilical cord care (healthychildren.org)
  7. American Academy of Pediatrics: Jaundice in newborns (healthychildren.org)
  8. American Academy of Pediatrics: Fever, when to call the pediatrician (healthychildren.org)

This page is general information from the sources above, written by the Swaddle team and last reviewed October 25, 2026. It is not medical advice and it is not a substitute for your pediatrician. Every baby is different. If something feels wrong, call your doctor. In an emergency, call 911 (US) or your local emergency number. How we write these pages.

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