We've got the scoop on everything they won't tell you about at the hospital.
Sure, all those books and classes have prepped you for the major things: labor and delivery, the unavoidable sleepless nights and, of course, round-the-clock feedings. But what about the projectile poop and wandering eyes? Before you go running to the phone to call the pediatrician, weâve got the rundown on all the freaky, but totally normal, things youâll soon discover about newborns.
Whatâs the deal?
Thereâs no way around itâcradle cap (when babyâs scalp becomes dry and scaly) looks a little strange, but itâs pretty common. How come? Honestly, nobody knows for sure. The good news is any dryness or flakiness will usually disappear within babyâs first few months (though for some, random flare ups could go on for longer). In the meantime, try rubbing baby oil on the patches two or three times a week. Alanna Levine, MD, a parenting expert and pediatrician at Orangetown Pediatric Associates in New York, suggests making it a routine before babyâs bath and scraping the scales off with a fine-toothed comb.
When to worry:Â Luckily, thereâs not too much worrying you need to do about this oneâitâs basically nothing more than a common rash. But if it spreads beyond babyâs scalp or seems to be growing more severe, ask your doctor about getting a prescription ointment.
Whatâs the deal?
Okay, maybe our use of the word âexplosiveâ is a bit much. But the truth is, you havenât been officially initiated into parenthood until youâve had to deal with a diaper blowout or two. In other words, youâre not the first mom to clean baby poop off those newly painted nursery walls. For a little schooling on the physics of it all, Levine breaks it down: âNewborn poop is mostly liquid with some mustard-seed texture mixed in,â she says. âAs a result, it doesnât take much power to propel it across a room.â Grossed out yet? Just wait until youâve got an âup-the-backerâ on your hands!
When to worry:Â As long as it has color (ranging from brown to green to yellow) and some seedy particles in it, babyâs poop should be good to go. But if you spot any signs of blood, Levine says itâs time to get the pediatrician on the phone.
3. Baby Boobage
Whatâs the deal?
Remember those crazy hormones that plagued your entire pregnancy? (How could you forget?) Well, they did a number on baby too. And, unfortunately, one of the side effects of hanging out in your belly for nine months can beâŚwell, large breasts. Babyâs exposure to your hormones can often cause breast tissue to develop, since it takes a while for the hormones to wear off. But donât stress, theyâre generally nothing to be concerned about and should go away in time.
When to worry:Â Notice any redness around babyâs breast? If so, Levine also suggests taking babyâs temperature, to see if the redness is accompanied by a fever. These symptoms may be a sign of something more serious and reason to get baby checked out.
Whatâs the deal?
If you expected just a little cooing and occasional crying out of baby, think again. Babies make a racket. Thereâs grunting, groaning, snorting and all sorts of other funny sounds that youâll hear out of them. But according to Levine, all those strange noises are caused by babyâs nasal passages being pretty narrow in the newborn stage, leading the mucus that gets trapped in there to create some added sound effects. So if youâve been hearing a symphony of sounds lately, you may just need to spend more time clearing out babyâs nose with a nasal aspirator.
When to worry:Â Take note of whether or not baby grunts with each breath. If so, they may be having trouble breathing. In this case, Levine says to call your pediatrician ASAP.
5. Constant Sneezing
Whatâs the deal?
Donât forget that babyâs new to this world and everything in it and, as a result, theyâre extra-sensitive to lots of things youâre already immune to. So if babyâs sneezing up a storm but not actually sick, theyâre probably trying to banish any little foreign particles that have made their way into their nasal passages. Looking at the light will also be an adjustment, so if you take baby out on a bright sunny day and they start sneezing, it may actually be the sunâand not allergiesâthatâs to blame. Other common causes for sneezing could be to get rid of extra mucus or even amniotic fluid from the respiratory airways.
When to worry:Â If babyâs sneezes are accompanied by wheezing, have them checked out by your pediatrician to see if it may be allergies or something else that needs treatment. Youâll want to make sure babyâs breathing is kosher, swallowing is normal and lungs are clear in order to rule out anything serious.
Whatâs the deal?
Babyâs random jerks and spastic limb flailing may be a bit jarring to watch at first, but just keep in mind itâs all par for the course. In those first few months, baby will be dealing with a lot of developmental changes, one of which includes honing their startle reflex (or Moro reflex). Maybe youâll see it happening randomly or maybe it comes after baby hears a loud noise, but either way that reflex will start to settle down around 3 or 4 months. Until then you might want to put your swaddling skills to good use: Babies often startle themselves awake, and swaddling will help baby sleep more soundly.
When to worry: You should actually only worry if baby isnât exhibiting any jerkiness or spastic movements. Their absence could mean somethingâs not quite right. So if baby isnât showing any of these signs, speak with your doctor.
7. Oddly-Shaped Heads
Whatâs the deal?
Giving birth is a tough job, plain and simple. But remember, itâs not just you doing all the work down there. Babyâs working overtime to get down that birth canal. And after that journey, itâs no wonder they came out all purple and swollen-looking. Since babyâs little head is soft and malleable in the beginning, squeaking past your pelvic bone can definitely cause some flattening to occur. If it doesnât happen during delivery, baby could also get some flat spots later on from lying on their back too much. If you notice this, try holding baby in your arms more, or as Levine suggests, increase tummy time when babyâs awake, and alternate where you place the toys, so they donât favor any one side.
When to worry:Â If youâve tried everything and babyâs head still seems flat in some places, talk to your pediatrician. They may need to wear a temporary helmet to correct the shape of their head. Helmets are most effective if worn as early as 4 to 6 months, so donât wait too long to speak up if you feel like somethingâs wrong.
8. Swollen Genitals
Whatâs the deal?
Thereâs no delicate way to say this. If youâve just given birth to a newborn boy, you may notice his little man parts are significantly larger than youâd probably expect. Specifically, the testes. So whatâs up? Baby can be affected by hormone exposure in your belly just before birth. Or, there could be extra fluid build-up in the sac around his testicles. But donât worry, heâll flush it out with his pee in a few days. Same goes for your baby girl, who may have swollen labia for a few days after delivery. Either way, the puffiness should go down with a little time. Speaking of, hereâs a fun fact for you: Baby will shed so much fluid in the first few days of life that they will actually drop around 10 percent of their original body weight.
When to worry:Â If the swelling doesnât go down within a few days after delivery, you should probably get it looked at, particularly if youâve got a baby boy on your hands. Boys can develop a condition called hydrocele, which can actually take up to a year to correct on its own.
Whatâs the deal?
Spotting even the tiniest trace of blood in babyâs diaper is enough to freak out any new parent; but the truth is, itâs not always cause for alarm. There are many reasons why it may be happening, all of which are temporary. If youâve just had a baby girl, she may be experiencing some extra side effects from being exposed to your hormones in utero. Have no worries, a âmini-periodâ is actually pretty common among infant girls going through a little estrogen withdrawal in the days following delivery. The hormones will even out soon enough. Other potential causes: a particularly rough bowel movement may have caused a little scratch or cut on the way out, but the bleeding should fade fast. Was your baby recently circumcised? The blood may be from his healing wound. Make sure to apply Vaseline whenever necessary to ease his pain and be extra liberal about moisturizing it. Same goes if baby has a nasty case of diaper rash.
When to worry:Â Though itâs probably totally normal, weâre going to give you an out on this one. For the sake of your own sanity, just go ahead and call your doctor any time you spot blood. Rare is the new parent who can see blood in their newbornâs diaper and actually manage to get some sleep that night.
Whatâs the deal?
In the beginning, a slight case of wonk-eye in baby is to be expected. Babyâs still trying to sort out all of their newfound abilities, including their sense of sight, and it will take some time to gain a little muscle control and hone those focusing techniques. But believe it or not, sometimes even when babyâs eyes may look like theyâre crossed, they may not be. Because of a broad bridge of the nose, extra skin folds can mask some of the white parts of babyâs eyes. This can create a sort of optical illusion called pseudoesotropia. So take a closer look: Are babyâs pupils actually lined up and moving together? It may be all in your head after all! (It happens to the best of us.)
When to worry:Â According to Levine, if babyâs still showing signs of crossed or wandering eyes by 6 months, you should make an appointment to see if something else is at play. If babyâs eyes are chronically wandering off in two different directions, they may have strabismus; and if thereâs just one eye going rogue, it may be amblyopia, or lazy eye.
About the expert:
Alanna Levine, MD, is a parenting expert and pediatrician at Orangetown Pediatric Associates in New York. She also serves on staff at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey and is a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. She received her medical degree at Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel, and completed her internship and residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.