14 things no one will tell you about newborns

So you are heavily pregnant and your dreams are filled with nothing but thoughts about your impending bundle of joy...

Thoughts of how she will coo at the sound of your voice, how soft her skin will be, and how perfectly plump and cuddly she’s going to be will no doubt keep you occupied.

However, you might start to wonder if everything you’ve been hearing and reading about babies sounds a bit too ‘picture perfect.’

Could it be possible that your friends with kids — plus the many pregnancy and baby books you’ve read — are withholding information regarding the reality of having newborns?

Take it from a mum (twice over): Whatever the ‘reality’ is — the moment your baby is placed in your arms — you fall in love, and are willing to take on the world for this tiny little being!

But everyone already tells you that, right? Well, we’re here to share a few things about newborns that not many people would tell you. Keep reading.

Why is my baby wrinkly and slightly strange-looking?

You may have been expecting a smooth, plump and glowing little angel to emerge from your womb... but then out comes little Mr. Wrinkly — complete with a reddish/purple hue — and what’s with the white stuff he’s covered in?

Well, the sticky white ‘stuff’ that covers your newborn is called vernix. It protects your baby’s delicate skin from the amniotic fluid in the womb.

If your baby is born prematurely, you may also notice fine hair all over his or her body. This is called lanugo.

If you deliver farther along into the pregnancy, you will notice less lanugo and vernix.

Meanwhile, the ‘hint of red’ comes from the blood vessels just under your baby’s skin. When a baby is born, his skin is quite transparent and delicate, therefore it will take on this colour.

After a day or two, your baby will become more ‘pinkish’... and within months of birth he will get his permanent colour.

Is it normal that my baby’s head is not perfectly round?

Yes, it is normal.

Don’t be surprised if your baby emerges with a slightly pointy head after being squeezed through the birth canal during labour. This is called moulding.

The fontanels (the soft spots) on your baby’s head allow the bones of his skull to compress during delivery, which results in the ‘pointy head’ look.

Your baby’s head will return to a rounder shape in a week or two after delivery. In comparison with vaginally delivered babies, C-section babies would have rounder heads.

Why does my newborn sneeze all the time?

This is something that got me worried after I had my second baby — he just wouldn’t stop sneezing! I even consulted my doctor to check if he had gotten a cold or something like that.

You, too, may notice your little angel’s constant sneezes, and though they could be a tad bit worrying to a new parent, there’s no reason to be worried.

Sneezing is how babies expel congested amniotic fluid and airborne particles.

At other times, babies’ nostrils get pressed shut when they are being fed and a sneeze would help 'push' the nostril out.

Why is my baby’s face full of pimples?

It is quite common for babies to develop a condition called ‘infant acne.’ These small pimples occur due to the mum’s hormones that are left in the baby’s body.

This condition could get worse if your baby’s face rubs against sheets that are washed with harsh detergents or if they are soiled with spit-up.

Keep your baby’s face clean by washing it gently and make sure your baby’s face is dry thereafter.

Why is my baby’s skin peeling?

After the white powdery substance called vernix gets rubbed away, your baby’s top layer of skin gets exposed to the environment, dries out and begins to peel.

This may happen all over the body, but may be more pronounced on the hands and feet that are more exposed than the rest of your baby’s body.

Don't worry though — this goes off by itself so there’s no need to pick at the flaking skin or apply any extra moisturiser.

Why does my baby get startled by the slightest noise?

This is called the Moro reflex and all babies are born with it. When your baby feels like she is falling or hears a sudden noise like a sneeze or a cough, she could get startled and throw her arms out.

Sometimes her body will stiffen as well, then after a moment she will quickly bring her arms back. This reflex disappears after 3 months.

Why do my baby’s hands and feet feel so cold all the time?

Your baby’s circulatory system is still pretty immature and is in the process of developing. Most of the blood supply goes to support his main organs and systems.

It’ll take a few months for his circulation system to mature and for your baby’s body to get used to life outside the womb. Soon, though, his little feet won’t feel icy cold anymore.

In the meantime, when you feel that your baby’s hands and feet are cold, just check his tummy and chest. If they are pink and warm, then your baby is doing fine.

Why is my baby boy so big 'down there’?

It is normal for a baby boy’s testicles to be slightly enlarged or swollen after being born, just like it is normal for a baby girl’s genitals to be swollen.

The reason for this is the mum’s hormones that are left in the baby’s body after birth. Another cause for this could be the pressure exerted on a baby’s genitals during the birthing process.

These same hormones sometimes result in a small smudge of blood in your baby’s diaper. All this will subside within a few days after birth.

It’s been a few days since baby arrived, but she’s lost weight as opposed to gaining it.

Before your baby chubs up like those babies on advertisements and posters, she may lose a bit of weight. This is nothing to be alarmed about.

What happens is that she is losing fluid and not taking in as much milk as she would be doing after your proper milk flow is established.

Within 2 weeks though, your baby should not only regain the weight she lost, but start putting on more weight as well.

Why does my baby’s poop look like diarrhoea?

Are you talking about that vibrant mustardy-yellow, seedy and unformed stool your baby passes in small quantities, several times a day?

Well, that’s normal, mummy. In fact, it is common for breastfed babies to pass as many as 10 stools a day!

If your baby isn’t in pain or her tummy isn’t bloated, this is nothing to worry about. It's actually caused by a reflex called gastrocolic reflex — when milk goes in, poop comes out!

It is also a case of your baby’s digestion system getting used to feeding. Once she falls into a regular rhythm, the frequency of your baby’s stools will decrease too.

Why am I feeding my baby all the time?

You are not doing anything wrong, mummy. There are several reasons for a newborn feeding around the clock.

One reason is that your baby is growing at a rapid rate and needs to feed to sustain this growth. Babies usually double their birth weight in 6 months, so they (and you) have a lot of feeding to do.

The other reason is that breastmilk is digested faster than formula. As a result, your breastfed baby could be getting hungry more often.

Once you’ve settled into a routine with your baby, you’ll notice he can take in bigger feeds at a reduced frequency.

Is it normal that my baby breathes funny?

New parents may find themselves waking up in the night just to check if everything is OK with their baby. Upon checking, you may notice that your baby’s breathing could get irregular at times.

She may look like she’s breathing heavily and fast at times, and then skipping a breath at other times. Experts say this happens due to a baby’s still-developing diaphragm, and that a pause of up to 20 seconds is normal.

But if you prefer to keep checking on your baby due to your fear about SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), keep doing that. Also, make sure your baby sleeps face up and that her face is not obstructed by anything in the cot.

What’s that blister on my baby’s lip?

The moment your baby exits the womb, he gets working on breastfeeding, often quite vigorously. This vigorous sucking can cause a blister on your baby’s lip.

Take note that this is not uncommon in bottle-fed babies either.

It will also be comforting to know that this doesn’t cause any discomfort to your baby.

My baby cries all the time. How do I know what he wants?

To a sleep-deprived new parent, deciphering a newborn’s cries can be a mind-boggling thing to do.

Give it time though — before you know it, you too will be a baby language expert — albeit probably only in your baby’s language, but that’s what matters most, right?

When your baby is brand-spanking-new, the best way to figure out what your baby needs is to do a mental checklist.

If you’ve just fed him, then what’s next on the line? Try burping him.

If that’s already done, check his diaper and so on.