Bleeding? Or, What Could It Be?

[bmcneal]

DS was born Friday, January 09. We came home yesterday, and since we've been home, there has been twice when I changed his diaper where there was reddish colored spot(s) in the diaper, about where his penis is. He's not circumcised, and the hospital has information posted/they give you information that says if the babe isn't circumcised, you don't need to retract/do anything special to clean, so I don't think the problem would be something like that. (Besides, for the most part, he stayed with us in the room.) It doesn't look like he's got any cuts or anything. DH said it might be in his urine, but that doesn't make sense to me, because it's just in a spot or two, and the urine isn't tinted. Should I call a pediatrician? Keep an eye on it? Not worry at all, it's completely normal? We are in the process of changing insurance, so I would/will have to find someone who takes the insurance we have now, because our ped doesn't take the insurance we have anymore. (I don't mind doing that, if it's what needs to be done, but I don't want to go to a pediatrician I'm not familiar with if I don't need to.)

[Fellow Traveler]

Congrats on your new boy. Could it be 'brick dust'? http://life.familyeducation.com/nurs...46.html?page=4

[Anastasiya]

Agreed. I'll bet it's brick dust. All my kids had the same thing a few times in the first week; I also thought it was blood with my first baby.

Congrats!!!

[Night_Nurse]

I agree w/ pp that it's most likely brick dust. Just keep an eye on it. If he was born Friday and you're breastfeeding, it should start to get better in a day or two as your milk production increases (I'm assuming you're bf, if FF, go ahead and call the doctor).
Congrats on your new son and on your VBAC!

[glongley]

New parents often worry about the orangey "brick dust"-looking residue that is sometimes seen in the diaper in the first few days. It is not blood, it is uric acid crystals. It means that the baby is somewhat dehydrated. When a baby is dehydrated, the urine is concentrated and the concentrated uric acid forms into colored crystals which wash out with urination, getting deposited in the diaper where the urine comes out of the urethra. Once the milk comes in, the urine should become more dilute and the orangey wash should go away. Keep an eye on it. If it's extensive, or iit doesn't go away in a few days, I'd check with a lactation consultant to make sure you're getting adequate milk transfer.

Gillian