How to Understand Your Newborn's Appearance

Most mothers agree that newborns look a bit funny when they come out. Sometimes the head is shaped like a cone or the newborn may have little white bumps scattered on her nose. Parts of his head are very soft and dented in, and white cheesy stuff may cover his body. The following steps will help you understand the normal appearance of your newborn.

Instructions

1. Look at her head. Throughout the birthing process, your baby's head is shaped (molded) when coming through the birth canal. She may have what is called molding, which just means her head may have a weird cone shape because it conformed to the birth canal in order for her to pass through. Molding will go away within a few days and your baby's head will be nice and round. If you had a forceps or vacuum extractor delivery, your baby may have light markings on the side or top of her head. These, too, will disappear.

2. Feel his fontanel. The fontanel is commonly known as the soft spot. During the birth process the baby's head conforms to the birth canal to allow the baby to pass through safely. The soft spot on the baby's head is simply a space in which the bones haven't grown together yet. Touching the soft spot on a baby's head will not hurt the baby. The bones usually grow together and this spot disappears as the baby grows larger.

3. Look at her eyes. Your baby will most likely have dark blue eyes at birth, but can change within a few weeks after birth. Her eyes may be very puffy and swollen, or even reddish. This is all a very normal part of birth. Her eyes will return to normal within a few days.

4. Look at his nose. The baby's nose may appear to be very flat shortly after birth. This is normal as it allows him to breastfeed more easily. You may also notice that he has little white bumps on his nose. These bumps are called milia, and they are also very normal.

5. Look at her body. She will probably have a nice plump chest and a small waist. Her legs may look curved or bowed, but this is very normal. She may still have vernix, a white creamy coating, on her body. The vernix has protected her skin from becoming very dry before she was born. You can wipe it off or rub it into her skin.

6. Look at his skin. He may have little red blemishes on his skin, but this is very normal. His skin is especially sensitive for the first week. He may also have little red/purple marks which are commonly called stork bites and are completely harmless. Some parts of his skin, usually around the feet and ankles may appear to look dry and flaky. This is common and will disappear within a few days.

7. Look at her hair. Some newborns are born with plenty of hair and others have very little to none. Newborns can also have hair on their faces, backs, shoulders and butts. This is a soft body hair called lanugo, and it protects your baby's skin. This fine hair will fall off within a few weeks.

8. Look at the cord. The cord that is still attached to your baby will be very small, one to three inches long, and will stay on until it completely heals and falls off. The cord will turn from a purple color to a dark black as it dries and prepares to fall off. The cord will fall off normally within the first two weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• Enjoy your baby.

• If you notice something about your baby that you are unsure of or think is not normal, ask your doctor.