ABANDONED baby Charlotte, who was named after the police officer who raced to her rescue, is "feeding well and sleeping well", nurses said.

Midwives said the newborn, weighing a relatively small 5lb 7oz, appeared to be healthy but was given antibiotics as a precaution.

Staff at Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary are urgently trying to track down the newborn's mother after the infant was found in the Wester Hailes area of the city behind a block of flats called Kilncroft.

Maria Wilson, chief midwife for NHS Lothian, said the baby seemed to have been unaffected by her traumatic ordeal.

She said: "She is doing really well and being looked after by the neonatal unit. She looks like a full term baby. I think she is fairly newborn. It's hard to be too specific, but she looks like a healthy, newborn baby.

"It's been a long time since a case like this has happened. Because of the situation she arrived in she has been given an antibiotic. She was in a good condition when she arrived, it doesn't seem to have affected the baby and she was in a very comfortable position.

"She was admitted straight away to the A&E and all her newborn baby checks have been fine. She is doing all the things we expect a newborn baby to do. She had a very restful night, is feeding well, sleeping well, and she is warm and happy – she's okay."

Baby Charlotte was born just within the healthy weight range. Poor nutrition and a lack of antenatal care in pregnancy can be contributing factors to having a lower weight infant. Teenage mothers are also more at risk of having a small baby.

Residents have spoken of their shock following the discovery.

Lawrence Liddell found the baby. He said: "It was a really tiny newborn wrapped up in a blanket.

"I think the mother must have wanted the child to be found judging by where she had left it. Thank goodness the baby was found unharmed."

Chief Inspector Richard Thomas of Police Scotland, East Division, is leading the inquiry and said the mother would be unlikely to face any legal action but she would receive support.

He said: "We are greatly concerned for the wellbeing of this baby girl's mother, and are urging her to seek medical attention. We would ask anyone who might know who the mother is to encourage her to see a doctor urgently."

Mr Thomas said that at this stage "the important thing is the welfare of the mother".

He added: "We are asking her to go to a doctor or a hospital. This type of case rarely reaches the prosecution stage, as in the long term what is most important is the welfare of the child."

Complications in an unaided birth can lead to severe medical problems and can be fatal for the mother and medical staff urged the woman to come forward to receive medical attention.