Your 5-day-old infant may not be fully opening their eyes due to normal post-birth swelling. Here's why:
Eyelid Edema in Newborns
- Puffiness is Common: Most newborns experience some degree of eyelid edema, which means swelling of the eyelids, after birth.
- Difficulty Opening Eyes: This puffiness can make it appear as if your baby is having trouble opening one or both eyes.
- Normal and Temporary: This condition is entirely normal and typically resolves itself over the first few days of life.
- Easy Evaluation: Despite the swelling, a gentle examination will easily allow someone to assess the health of your baby’s eyes.
What to Expect
- The swelling will naturally go down.
- Your baby should start to open their eyes more fully as the swelling decreases.
- There is no need for specific treatment for this normal condition.
When to Be Concerned
Although eyelid edema is common, it's important to note that if your baby's eyes show other symptoms, like:
- Excessive redness
- Discharge or pus
- If the swelling does not decrease over time
Then you should contact your pediatrician immediately.
In summary, if your 5-day-old isn't opening their eyes completely, it's most likely due to normal post-birth eyelid swelling. This is temporary and should resolve on its own. As the reference states, "Most infants exhibit some degree of eyelid edema after birth". This puffiness makes it seem as if the infant has difficulty opening one or both eyes. This edema resolves over the first few days of life.
