Why Newborns Look So Funny

At the beginning, your newborn is…well..not so pretty at first.

If you notice that your baby has too much hair on their face, their arms and legs are curled up for weeks, their eyes don’t always open and their genitals are very swollen, don’t worry mama, its quite normal, considering what they have been through being pushed out of the birth canal.

Check out a couple of reasons why some parts of a newborn baby’s body might look funny and odd at first.

Head

Your babies head might look pointy and misshaped, the nose might look flattened, and even the ears may seem out of shape, especially if you gave birth vaginally. This is because your baby’s head was squeezed through the birth canal (or when a vacuum extractor is used during delivery). Babies born through a c-section often escape this, as they don’t have to pass through a canal.

However, do not be worried, as your baby’s head should return to its original shape within a few weeks. The soft spot on your babies head is called fontanels. There is usually one in front and one at the back. This allows the bones of your baby’s skull to compress during the trip through the birth canal, and after birth, it allows for the quick growth of the brain. It takes the rear fontanel about six months to close and the front one takes between 12 and 24 months.

Arms And Legs

Your baby has spent a lot of time curled up in your uterus, and so your baby needs time to adjust to her new freedom and stretch out a bit. When they do begin to stretch out, they will probably appear a bit bowlegged until they start walking.

Belly

It is normal for newborns to loose some weight during the first few days or weeks, but they should begin to put it back on and add a little more weight in due time. After ten to 21 days, the umbilical cord stump falls off, leaving a raw spot that may ooze a little bit of blood-tinged fluid. Keep it dry and clean, dab with cotton wool dipped in a little rubbing alcohol or mentholated spirit, and it should heal by itself.

Genitals and Breasts

The genitals and breasts of newborns often appear swollen because they get an extra dose of hormones just before birth. You might notice a milky fluid come out from your baby’s nipples. Don’t try to squeeze it out, it’s harmless and will dry up on its own. Girls may also have some white discharge or blood-tinged vaginal mucus, but all of this will go away after the first few weeks.