Things You Should Know About Your Newborn

For new or expecting mothers, it’s likely that you’re already familiar with the challenges of caring for a newborn, from the nights where getting only a few hours of sleep is expected, to common difficulties that you may face when breastfeeding. However, there are a few curveballs that newborns can also throw your way that have caused anxiety for many a mother in the past because of how strange they may seem, but are actually perfectly normal for even the healthiest baby. Here at Doylestown Women’s Health Center, providing women with the care and support they need is what we do, from obstetric and gynecological care to information that can help prepare them for motherhood. That’s why we’ve put together this guide on some little known facts about your newborn that you should know.

Your Baby Might Be Very Hairy

Some babies come out practically hairless, while other babies can come out completely covered with a very thin layer of hair. Before you start imagining and worrying about your baby growing up and being covered in hair, you should know that that layer of hair is actually something called “lanugo”, which helps your baby regulate their body temperature before they are born. All of that hair will fall out in a matter of a few weeks after your baby is born, so no need to worry about having to shave it off!

Babies Make More Noises Than Just Crying

While crying and gentle cooing noises from your baby are to be expected, your baby is going to be making a lot of sounds that you probably weren’t expecting like grunts, groans, and snorts. No matter what strange noises you’re hearing coming from your baby, they are all perfectly normal. Since their nasal passages are still developing and are very small at this early stage, mucus is more likely to get trapped in there and cause them to make a bunch of weird noises trying to clear it out themselves. To stop the cacophony, you can just clean your baby’s nose regularly so their nasal passages are clear.

Your Newborn Will Flail Their Limbs Around, A Lot

You’ll probably notice that your baby may make very sudden, seemingly spastic and random movements, but just know that it’s nothing to be concerned about. For your baby, everything is brand-new, so the stimuli from the things that the see or hear can easily startle them, at least until something called their “moro reflex” becomes more developed. The Moro reflex is simply your babies startle reflex, so as they get more accustomed to their surroundings, those jerking movements should decrease over time. Swaddling your baby can also help, since they’ll feel more secure and protected, and can also prevent your newborn from startling themselves awake.

Your Baby Can Be Affected By Your Hormones

While you’re already well aware of how changes in hormones can affect your body, you may not realize that your baby can also be affected by those hormones during pregnancy. Since your baby was getting all the nutrients that they needed from your body, their natural levels of estrogen were actually elevated. Once they’re born, your baby’s estrogen levels drop rapidly until they reach their natural balance, but this dramatic decrease in estrogen can result in some strange phenomena. From swollen genitals and what appears to be breasts around their chest, to lactation and even blood in the diaper from newborn girls in a process called pseudomenstruation, all of these strange things are possible and completely normal. All of them will go away naturally as your baby’s estrogen levels even out after their born, so there’s no need to panic!

Contact Us For More Helpful Newborn Information!

If you have any questions about what you can expect when caring for your newborn, just contact us at Doylestown Women’s Health Center by calling 215-340-2229 to speak with one of our staff members who will be able to help you get the information you need. For years, we’ve been providing the professional gynecological and obstetric care that women need to maintain optimal health for themselves and their children, all under the roof of our local center here in Doylestown, PA. Our team of women’s health experts look forward to seeing you in our center soon and providing you with the superior care that our center is known for.