What Do You Need To Know About Newborns’ Daily Care
Welcoming an infant into the world is precious & can make a significant change in life. If the delivery is smooth, your infant will adapt to life outside the womb favorably. It’s common for an infant to look blue, purple or dark red in the first few minutes right after birth. Sometimes it may stay a day or two. If the baby is breathing well, the skin colour will progressively turn back to pink hence the blood vessels in your baby’s tiny hands & feet take time to circulate blood & settle down. You may notice your baby start crying straightaway after delivery & usually gaze with large, open eyes at their surroundings once born into the world. A baby’s eyelid can look puffy due to the birth pressure they experience. Check out the key areas you need to know to nurture your baby’s health.
Newborn’s Head
Your baby’s skull allows shifting & reshaping accordingly to move through the birth canal. In general terms, long labor can affect a baby’s head to be more cone-shaped than the baby who experienced shorter labor. If a vacuum extractor has been used, it might cause a baby to have a mild skull shape change. In a few days after, this shape transformation will become normal. Babies born in feet first position, buttock labor or C-section surgery are likelier to have round-shaped heads with comparatively less pressure through the delivery.
There are two (fontanel) soft spot areas at the top of your baby’s head where the skull bones haven’t yet grown together. These areas appear as bumps on the baby’s scalp. The spots that can be found in the baby’s top of the head are about the size of an inch in diameter & the other bump at the back of the head is the size of half an inch in diameter. That’s why you need to hold the baby’s head while it grows and strengthens in shape. The damage caused to the soft spot areas can be life-threatening for them.
Newborn’s Eyes
Babies are born with complete visual capacity to see objects & all colours. However, babies’ eyes are sensitive to bright light, dark & large patterns preferably in round shapes. They cannot see very far right after birth until a few days. They can only see objects that are 8- 12 inches away. One week after birth, your baby slowly starts to develop eye vision.
Babies’ eye colour may not be set at birth, but if you observe well, you may notice your baby’s eye colour changing over the first six months. As more melanin develops the eye colour can darken to green, grey, hazel or brown. Some children will have blue eyes if they contain less melanin. This process can take three years to decide your child’s true eye color.
Newborns Umbilical Cord
The umbilical cord connects to the placenta during the period of pregnancy. Through the umbilical cord, the placenta provides oxygen, hormones, immunity & nutrients your baby needs for their development. The placenta helps to filter harmful waste & excessive carbon dioxide from your baby & protects the baby throughout the pregnancy. The amniotic Sac (Water bag) & placenta are connected to the baby via an umbilical cord.
The stump of an umbilical cord is usually a yellow-green colour at birth & then continues to turn black later. It will dry out over a week after the birth & falls off around 1-3 weeks. A sponge bath is the best way to clean the baby until the umbilical cord falls off after birth. During the cord healing procedure, it should be kept fluid-free, dry & clean for a hazel-free time. It will easily get infected if the following steps are not executed.
Newborns Skin
Newborns’ skin can have spots, rashes, bruises, scars or dry peeling skin. Peeling skin can generally appear in feet or hands in the first few weeks. You might notice whiteheads sort of pimples on the baby’s face, those white bumps are harmless spots typically known as “Milla” which will gradually disappear on their own. Mild soap and water can help “Milla” to be clean over time. Downy hair on the skin is also common in premature babies. If bruise marks are made on the baby during the delivery, they might fade away within 2-3 weeks.
Birthmarks are areas of skin that are present at birth & develop later. Common birthmarks are nicknamed salmon patches/angel kisses, which appear pink to red on the baby’s face, neck or around the eyes. Babies of African or Asian ethnicity may have birthmarks that are flat, blue-green or blue-grey that are typically found on the lower back or buttocks. Sometimes these marks can be mistaken for bruises. Right after birth the healthcare professionals will examine your baby & discuss with you about any concerns.