Know when your newborn needs help
Care and guidance for your baby
A newborn can become ill quickly. If something seems wrong, contact a clinician promptly and describe what has changed. Do not use routine online booking to wait for urgent medical advice.
For urgent symptoms, follow the assessment instructions below. Routine booking is not emergency care.
Call 911 for a life-threatening emergency
Call 911 for severe breathing difficulty, blue or gray lips or skin, inability to wake your baby, a seizure or another life-threatening emergency.
Seek prompt medical assessment
- Fever in a baby younger than three months. Follow the age-specific fever instructions.
- Poor feeding, fewer wet diapers or unusual difficulty waking for feeds.
- New or increasing yellow color. Review jaundice follow-up.
- Green vomit, blood in vomit or stool, or repeated vomiting.
- A concerning rash with a baby who seems ill, or another sudden change that worries you.
If you cannot reach the pediatrician and your baby needs prompt assessment, seek urgent in-person care. Do not wait for a website response.
What to say when you call
Give your baby’s exact age, symptoms and when they began. Describe temperature and how it was measured, feeding, wet diapers, breathing and alertness. Mention prematurity or other medical concerns and any medicines.
For non-urgent questions, the office number is 347-702-5161. Ask about contact arrangements outside office hours before you need them; do not assume a routine office line provides emergency coverage.
Questions from parents
Should I wait for the next checkup to mention poor feeding?
No. Contact a clinician promptly about poor feeding, reduced wet diapers, unusual sleepiness or a baby who seems unwell.
What if I cannot reach the office?
If your baby needs prompt assessment, seek urgent in-person care. Call 911 for life-threatening symptoms. Do not wait for an online reply.
Can the website decide whether my baby is safe at home?
No. General guidance cannot assess your baby. A clinician needs the symptoms and circumstances, and may need to examine your baby.
Which details help when I call?
Share age, symptoms, timing, temperature and measurement method, feeding, wet diapers, breathing, alertness and relevant medical history.
How can I prepare for a future concern?
Ask the pediatrician how to reach the team, what to do after hours and which symptoms require emergency care. Keep the contact information with your baby’s records.
More newborn guidance
Your pediatrician in Canarsie
Meet Dr. Miole Pierre Pigeot, MD, the practice pediatrician. Gentle Touch Pediatrics is at 9708 Seaview Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11236. Call 347-702-5161 to discuss scheduling and office hours.
Ask the office to confirm your baby’s exact insurance plan, appointment availability and any records needed.
Medical information and sources
Updated September 12, 2026. General information supports a conversation with your pediatrician and does not replace assessment of your baby. AAP: Fever and your baby · CHOP: Fever in a newborn · AAP: Jaundice in newborns.