Q & A with heather harrison, D.O.

Please email doctor@utahbabyguide.com with your pregnancy, baby, or toddler related questions for Dr. Harrison to answer.

1. When is it okay to give my baby juice?

The recommendation is to hold off on juices until the baby is 6 months old. Never give a baby more than 6 oz/day and make sure to water it down as juice can be very sugary.

2. How long is the average first time mom in labor before the baby is born?

The average labor for a 1st time mom is 12 hours. That is from when contractions start that are causing cervical change to completely dilated (some women may be in latent labor for a day or two before they get into active labor). Average pushing for a new mom is usually from 2-3 hours. This is because nothing has ever been through this area that big before and the tissue has to stretch to allow this little one to come through. If that information just made you think twice about having a baby, just remember that each subsequent delivery is faster. The 1st one really paves the way.

3. How long is the average second time mom in labor before the baby is born?

Again the second delivery is usually faster than the first, on average it only takes about 1/2 the time.

4. My newborn has tiny red dots on her stomach. Should I be worried? Could it be allergies?

Tiny red dots in a newborn are very common. There area several rashes that newborns get that are very normal called Erythema Toxicum Neonatorum and Milia (baby acne). Both are self limiting. No treatments are needed. They resolve with time and are usually due to the infant getting used to the new environment that they are in.

a. Erythema Toxicum Neonatorum: usually develops within 48 hours with red raised bumps that sometimes look like welts. It usually resolves within 4-5 days. They are usually found on the chest, abdomen, legs and arms.

b. Milia: are white bumps that look like little zits that you want to pop, but don't! They are usually on the face, neck, and hairline.