Help for Expecting and New Parents

Signs of Serious Illness in Pregnancy

Your body will go through many changes while pregnant, but if you develop these symptoms, tell your health care provider:

• Sudden weight gain of more than two pounds within one day
• Severe swelling of the face, ankles, legs, or feet
• Severe or frequent headaches that last more than two or three hours and do not get better after taking the medication your health care provider has recommended
• Fainting
• Blurred vision, flashes of light, or spots before your eyes
• Pain or burning while urinating
• Sudden increase in thirst
• Dramatic increase or decrease in urination
• Unusual vaginal discharge
• Light vaginal bleeding or spotting

Tell your provider or go to the hospital right away if you have any of these symptoms, as they may be signs of premature labor, which is when contractions cause your cervix to open earlier than normal:

• Uterine contractions (strong tightening in the abdomen) every 10 minutes or less
• Repeating or constant menstrual-like cramps in the lower abdomen
• Abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea
• Pelvic pressure that feels like the fetus is pushing down
• Increase or change in vaginal discharge
• Sudden gush of watery fluids from the vagina (water breaking)
• Feeling like the fetus is "balling up"

Other signs you should immediately seek care:

• Heavy bleeding from the vagina
• Constant severe lower abdominal pain or cramps on one or both sides
• Dimness or blurring of vision that lasts two or three hours
• Dizziness or double vision
• Severe or continued vomiting
• Chills and/or fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or more
• Fever of 101 degrees F or more with pain or burning while urinating
• Sudden severe swelling or puffiness of the face, hands, legs, ankles, or feet, especially if you have a headache or vision change
• After six months of pregnancy:
  • The fetus moves a lot less than before, or
  • You think the fetus has not moved in eight hours or more

Signs of Serious Illness in a Baby or Toddler

If your child has any of the symptoms listed below, contact their health care provider right away:

• Your baby's temperature is high:
  • But their feet and hands are cold
  • And the temperature does not come down with acetaminophen or ibuprofen
    • Do not give acetaminophen to a baby younger than 2 months or ibuprofen to a baby younger than 3 months or under 11 pounds, unless prescribed by a doctor
  • And they are younger than 2 months old
• Your baby's temperature is very high or very low
• Your child feels hot or cold to touch, or is shivering
• Your baby has breathing problems:
  • Rapid breathing or panting
  • Dry, raspy noises while breathing
  • Your child is finding it hard to get their breath and is sucking their stomach in under their ribs
• Blue, pale, blotchy, or gray skin
  • On brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
• Your child is hard to wake up, or appears disoriented, confused, or listless
• Your child is crying constantly and you cannot console or distract them, or the cry does not sound like their normal cry
• Green vomit
• Not eating normally
• Diapers that are drier than usual are a sign of dehydration

Vaccinations

Expecting parents are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu and other infections. Getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect you and your baby:

• If you are considering getting pregnant, make sure to be up to date on routine vaccinations, such as measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), and varicella (chickenpox).
• Pregnant women can get the flu vaccine during any trimester and should get it as soon as it becomes available each year.
  • Babies born to vaccinated mothers are one-third less likely to get sick with the flu than babies of unvaccinated mothers.
• Pregnant women should get the tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine in the third trimester, preferably at 27 to 26 weeks gestation.
  • This will allow your body to create and pass on disease-fighting antibodies to your baby, protecting them until they can be vaccinated at 2 months.
• RSV can be dangerous for infants and some young children. An estimated 58,000 to 80,000 children younger than 5 years are hospitalized due to RSV each year in the United States. CDC recommends you use one of these two tools to protect your baby from getting very sick with RSV:
  • An RSV vaccine given to the mother during pregnancy
  • An RSV vaccine given to infants and some older babies

Find a location offering immunizations near you on the NYC Health Map.

Other Ways to Avoid Illness

Everyone in the household can prevent infections by washing their hands with soap and water often, especially after:

• Using the bathroom
• Touching raw meat, raw eggs, or unwashed vegetables
• Gardening or touching dirt or soil
• Handling pets
• Being around people who are sick
• Getting saliva on your hands
• Caring for and playing with children

Learn about Vaccine-Preventable Childhood Diseases.

Many families find pregnancy stressful, which is normal. But some pregnant people’s partners react violently toward them because of that stress.

Domestic violence includes all types of violence that happen at home or to someone who lives in your home, including child abuse, partner violence, and elder abuse. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is any violence or coercive behavior by someone against their partner. Both are types of abuse.

Some women remain in abusive relationships during and after pregnancy out of a desire to be a good mother and to protect their children. But abuse during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, early birth, low birthweight, or physical injuries.

If you think you might be experiencing abuse, get help.

Call 911 if you are in immediate danger.

Call 800-621-HOPE (4673), the City’s domestic violence hotline, to find out more about getting help and getting safe when you are not in immediate danger.

Assistance is available in multiple languages and includes help with:

• Temporary housing to get away from an abuser
• Leaving the relationship, temporarily or permanently
• Counseling or other social services
• A court order of protection or an arrest warrant

You can also call 311 and ask for the hotline. Both are available 24 hours a day.

Talk to a health care provider about your fears. Health care providers include your regular doctor, a nurse, or any other medical professional at an emergency room, hospital, clinic, or doctor's office.

Learn more about the signs of abuse and organizations that provide safety:

• March of Dimes: Abuse During Pregnancy
• Community Support Network

Mobile Milk is a text messaging campaign to encourage and support breastfeeding. To sign up, women who are pregnant or have given birth can text "MILK" to 55676. You can also call 311 to request a Mobile Milk Postcard.

Text messages are delivered between 28 weeks of pregnancy and 4 months after giving birth. During pregnancy, women receive one to two messages per week, which provide information and tips for preparing to breastfeed. After delivery, mothers receive text messages three to four times per week, providing guidance and support during the first weeks and months of breastfeeding. Message and data rates may apply. Users can text "STOP" to quit.

• Mobile Milk Postcard (PDF)
  Other languages: Español
• Mobile Milk Poster (PDF)
  Other languages: Español

Before bringing a new baby home, parents should make sure they have the essentials to keep their baby safe and comfortable. These items include:

• Crib or bassinet and fitted sheets
• Diapers, baby wipes
• Clothing, such as sleep sack, onesies, hats
• Infant car seats
• Strollers/infant carriers
• Infant feeding supplies, such as bottles, a breast pump, and storage bags
• Health and hygiene, such as infant-safe soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, first-aid kit, thermometer, nail cutter

Many of these items are available for no- or low-cost in New York. Find out where on the Community-Based Organizations List (PDF).
Other languages: Español

In NYC, an average of 37 babies die each year from suffocation and other injuries related to how and where they were placed to sleep.

All babies younger than 1 year are at risk of dying from a sleep-related injury. Babies who are most at risk include those born preterm and babies younger than 4 months. These babies lack the body strength to move out of dangerous situations and may have health conditions that make them more vulnerable.

Most deaths related to infant sleeping are preventable. To keep your baby safe during naps and at night, follow the below practices. Also, make sure everyone who cares for your baby follows them as well.

Follow the ABCs when putting your baby to sleep:

• Alone: Co-sleeping increases the risk of sleep-related death.
• Back: Babies should be put to sleep on their backs.
• Crib: Babies should always sleep in a crib or bassinet on a firm mattress covered with a fitted sheet. If your baby falls asleep elsewhere, such as in their car seat or a with you on the couch, move him or her to the crib as soon as possible.

Learn more on the Infant Sleep Safety page.

Licensed group child care allows children to learn and play in a healthy, secure, and friendly environment.

Child Care Connect can help you figure out the best option for your family and check that the program you choose follows regulations.