Worries · first 3 months
Is this normal for a newborn?
Checked against current guidance on October 8, 2026. General information, not medical advice.
The 10-second answer
- Most newborn surprises are normal: sneezing, hiccups, noisy breathing, startles, spots and peeling skin.312
- Short pauses in breathing during sleep, up to about 10 seconds, are normal in newborns (periodic breathing).63
- Trust your instinct: a baby who is hard to wake, isn't feeding, or is working hard to breathe needs urgent help. If your baby is struggling to breathe or won't wake, call your local emergency number.42519
General information from published guidance, not a diagnosis or medical advice for your baby. If you are worried, call your doctor, midwife or local health line, whatever this page says. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
Tap what you noticed
Sneezing a lot
Why it happens: Newborns sneeze a lot, and it helps keep their small noses clear. On its own, sneezing is not a sign of a cold.
Get help if there is also fever, fast breathing, or a blocked nose makes feeding hard.34
Hiccups
Why it happens: Very common, often after feeds. They don't bother most babies and stop by themselves.
Get help if hiccups come with forceful vomiting or your baby seems distressed.326
Noisy breathing, snorting and grunting
Why it happens: Newborns breathe through narrow noses and make lots of noises, especially asleep.
Get help if there is grunting with every breath, flaring nostrils, skin pulling in between the ribs, or more than 60 breaths a minute at rest. Call your local emergency number.3425
Pauses in breathing while asleep
Why it happens: Short pauses of up to 10 seconds followed by quick breaths (periodic breathing) are normal in newborns.
Get help if a pause lasts longer than 20 seconds or your baby turns blue, grey or limp. Call your emergency number.67425
Sudden jerks and startles
Why it happens: The startle (Moro) reflex: arms fly out, then come back in. It peaks in the first month and starts to fade after about 2 months.
Get help if rhythmic jerking doesn't stop when you gently hold the limb, or comes with stiffness or staring. That can be a seizure: call your emergency number.89
Trembling chin or hands
Why it happens: The nervous system is still maturing, and trembling while crying is common.
Get help if trembling happens a lot when your baby is calm, or with poor feeding.9
Crossed or wandering eyes
Why it happens: Eyes often drift in or out in the first 3-4 months while the eye muscles learn to work together.
Get help if an eye is turned all the time, or it still happens after 4 months, or a pupil looks white in photos.1011
Sticky or watery eye
Why it happens: Usually a blocked tear duct. Wipe from the inside corner outwards with cotton wool dipped in warm water, using a fresh piece for each eye. Most clear by 1 year.
Get help if the eyelids are red or swollen, or there is yellow-green pus. In the first month, get an urgent appointment the same day.121314
Tiny white spots on the nose (milia)
Why it happens: Blocked oil glands. They disappear by themselves within weeks. Don't squeeze them.
Get help if the spots become red, swollen or filled with pus.12
Baby acne
Why it happens: Small red or white spots on the face, usually in the first 6 weeks (often weeks 3-5). Harmless and clears by itself. Just wash with water.
Get help if there are blisters, or your baby has a fever or seems unwell. Under 3 months, a temperature of 38°C or more needs help now: see the fever guide.252527
Blotchy red rash with small bumps
Why it happens: Often erythema toxicum: red blotches with little yellow-white bumps in the first days. It comes and goes and is harmless.
Get help if your baby has a fever, blisters or seems unwell: get medical advice now. If the rash doesn't fade under a pressed glass, call your emergency number.12
Peeling, dry skin
Why it happens: Very common, whether your baby was born early, late or on time. It usually needs no treatment.
Get help if the skin is cracked and bleeding, or very red.1
Pink patches on the eyelids or neck
Why it happens: Stork marks (salmon patches). Those on the face fade in the first year or two; neck patches may stay but are harmless.
Get help if a mark is raised and growing quickly, or is near the eye and getting bigger.115
Blue-grey patches on the back or bottom
Why it happens: Slate-grey patches, common in babies with darker skin. They are harmless and usually fade over the years. Ask your doctor to note them in the record.
Get help if new patches appear later, or a patch is swollen or painful.115
Swollen breasts or genitals
Why it happens: Hormones from pregnancy can make breasts and genitals swollen, and a little milky fluid can leak. It usually settles within a week or two. Don't squeeze.
Get help if a breast becomes red, hot or hard: call today. With a fever, get advice now.1
A little discharge or blood (baby girls)
Why it happens: Hormone changes can cause white discharge or a little blood from the vagina in the first week or two.
Get help if it continues after 2 weeks or there is more than a little blood.1
Cone-shaped or uneven head
Why it happens: The skull bones overlap during birth. The head usually rounds out within days to weeks.
Get help if the soft spot is bulging or sunken: get medical help now. Call your doctor if a flat spot is getting worse.1161719
The soft spot pulses
Why it happens: You can sometimes see your baby's heartbeat in the soft spot (fontanelle). It is protected by a tough membrane, and gentle touching is safe.
Get help if the soft spot bulges when your baby is calm and upright, or looks sunken. Get medical help now.16119
Blue hands and feet
Why it happens: In the first days, blood flow favors the center of the body, so hands and feet can look bluish, especially when cool.
Get help if the lips, tongue or face look blue or grey. Call your emergency number.5425
Straining and going red to poop
Why it happens: Babies are still learning to coordinate pushing. Grunting and turning red is normal if the poop is soft.
Get help if poop is hard pellets, there is blood, or your baby seems in pain.20
Yellow, flaky scalp (cradle cap)
Why it happens: Greasy yellow scales on the scalp are harmless. Rub in a little plain emollient, mineral oil or coconut oil, then brush gently with a soft brush and wash off with baby shampoo.
Get help if it spreads, looks inflamed or weeps, or your baby seems itchy.2122
Yellow skin or eyes
Why it happens: Mild jaundice from day 2-3 is common. Read the jaundice guide.
Get help if it starts in the first 24 hours, or your baby is very sleepy, floppy or not feeding: call your local emergency number now. Yellow after day 1: tell your midwife or doctor the same day.2324
Add a note in Ella with the time, so you can show the doctor when it started. Open Ella
Get medical help now if
- breathing pauses longer than 20 seconds, or blue or grey lips, tongue or face76425
- your baby is floppy, unresponsive or very hard to wake25
- jerking or stiffening that doesn't stop when you hold the limb9
- your baby is under 3 months with a temperature of 38°C or more2519
- your baby is feeding much less or has fewer wet diapers418
If your baby stops breathing, turns blue or grey, is floppy or cannot be woken, call your local emergency number now.
The details
Why newborns seem so strange
Questions parents ask
Why does my newborn sneeze so much?
Newborns sneeze a lot, and it helps keep their small noses clear. It isn't a sign of a cold unless there is fever, fast breathing or trouble feeding.3
Is it normal for a newborn to grunt while sleeping?
Yes, newborns are noisy sleepers. Grunting with every breath, flaring nostrils or ribs pulling in is not normal and needs a doctor.34
Is it normal for a newborn to stop breathing for a few seconds?
Pauses of up to 10 seconds during sleep, followed by quick breaths, are normal. Pauses longer than 20 seconds, or color changes, are an emergency.67
Is it normal for newborn eyes to cross?
Yes, on and off in the first 3-4 months. An eye that turns all the time, or crossing after 4 months, should be checked.1011
Why does my newborn have hiccups so often?
Hiccups are very common in newborns, often after feeds, and don't bother most babies. They stop by themselves. Call your doctor only if they come with forceful vomiting or distress.263
Is baby acne normal?
Yes. Small red or white spots on the face in the first weeks (often weeks 3-5) are common and clear by themselves. Wash with plain water and don't squeeze them.52
