A First Look at the Newborn Baby

After the long awaited arrival of your new little one, you will surely be anxious and determined to count all fingers and toes. It may be hard to believe that they are not exactly as you pictured them to be! Pregnancy takes a toll on the new baby after swimming in amniotic fluid for a whopping nine months and a challenging entrance to the new world. However, the not so expected newborn characteristics are temporary and will go away with time.

Head

A newborns head is not going to be perfectly shaped. It is going to be large in proportion to the rest of the body-just about as big as the chest. Since the baby's head had to mold to fit through the mother's pelvis, the baby's head is most likely going to be somewhat pointed or "cone" shaped. This too, will go away with time. If you need the assistance of foceps or a vacuum, it could be somewhat more distinct. A newborns bones are not fused together, making it easier for delivery through the narrow birth canal. You will feel "soft spots" or fontanels on the top of the head.

Hair

Some newborns are born with a head full of hair, while others are born just about bald. Most babies do have a light covering of soft hair. Newborns do lose their first hair and it will be replaced with new hair. Newborns are prone to cradle cap. It is a white flaking on the scalp and it will go away on its own. Daily washing with soap and water is helpful. There are over the counter remedies for extreme cases.

Eyes

Every baby will have antibiotic eye drops placed in their eyes at birth to prevent infection. This often causes swollen puffy eyes and will also dissapear in a few days. Caucasian babies eyes are almost always blue in color, even if this is not the color that they will be later on in life. Darker skin babies are generally born with brown eyes. You may also notice that your babies eyes don't always move together smoothly. This is normal and will be corrected on its own as the baby gains strength and coordination in the eye muscles.

Ears

The cartilage in a newborn's ears are ery flexible and may cause the ears to look folded. It will probably straighten out on its own.

Mouth