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Sent to Health Experts September 21 06:51 PM

My baby is 1 week old. Her hands are usually cooler than the rest of her body...Today when giving her a rince bath, the palms of her hands actually turned blue. Should I be concerned?

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September 21 7:00 PM (8 minutes and 59 seconds later)
         
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Hi

All it means is that her internal thermostat isn't totally mature yet. Be sure you keep her warm. After a bath put her right into a warm towel. You might even want to keep her hands covered. You will probably be going for a doctor visit soon, so bring it up there too. She should grow out of it in a week or two, but it's worth mentioning to the doctor.

Blue Color That Does Not Go Away

When a baby is first born, the skin is a dark red to purple color. As the baby begins to breathe air, the color changes to red. This redness normally begins to fade in the first day. A baby's hands and feet may stay bluish in color for several days. This is a normal response to a newborn's immature blood circulation.

Blue coloring of other parts of the body is not normal. Occasionally, a baby's face or lips and mouth may turn purplish with very intense crying. However, this should turn back pink when the baby stops crying. If the baby's color does not turn pink again, or there is an overall blue tinge to the baby, this may signal a problem. The blue coloring is called cyanosis and is often seen in babies with a heart defect, because the heart cannot pump the oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. Breathing difficulties may also cause cyanosis. Consult your baby's pediatrician immediately if your baby has any blue coloring.

http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/info/skin/diagnose/getskin.htm

Hope that helps! And congrats!

Kerry




Kerry, RN
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September 21 7:10 PM (9 minutes and 55 seconds later)
         
Reply to Kerry's Post: Kerry....Thank you so much. Brings tears to my eyes and a prayer in my heart thanking God that you were there to give me some piece of mind.

Thank you and God Bless....

Shelley Kienzle
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