Unless you work in a hospital nursery, you can’t really describe what newborns look like. For the whole nine months of pregnancy, you might imagine how your baby will really look like after birth.
So what do newborns really look like? What should you expect?
Head
ET or baby? If you give birth vaginally, expect that your baby will have a pointy
head. If it’s your first-time giving birth, it will take longer to get the baby out,
and hence an even pointier head.
If you give birth through cesarean section, however, your baby will have a perfectly
round head as it will not pass through the birth canal.
Don’t you worry, mama. Your baby’s skull is still very soft at this time. Pointy or
round, your baby’s head will change its shape anyway until about two years of age,
so it really doesn’t matter.
Limbs
Your baby spent 9 months inside your womb all curled up and comfortable, when
suddenly your little resident has all the room in the world to spread out.
During the first few weeks of outside life, your baby might still retain some of its
curling instincts which is perfectly normal. In time, your baby will learn to
stretch and make new movements.
Abdomen
It is normal for your baby to lose some weight during the first week, which is
easily gained the weeks after that. After all, a newborn’s stomach upon birth is
only about the size of a cherry, so it can only take in as much at a time.
After 2-3 weeks, your baby’s cord stump will fall off to reveal the belly button.
It’s OK for it to look a little raw or tinged with blood. Do cord care by using a
cotton swab dipped in clean water, let it air-dry, and it will heal perfectly.
Breasts and genitals
The breasts and genitals look swollen with some discharge! Let this not alarm you,
for this another normal finding in newborns. Blame it on the hormones of your
pregnancy.
Skin
Upon birth, your baby is covered in a cheese-like substance called vernix caseosa,
which acts as a protective measure while still inside your womb. It is also not
uncommon to see your baby with very tiny hair called lanugo, which regulates your
baby’s temperature inside the uterus.
Regardless of appearance, welcoming a newborn baby is the best gift you can ever receive. You will be surprised how much a newborn’s physical appearance will change as he or she grows to infancy and later on!
