What Does a Newborn Baby Look Like?

From the day you found out that you were pregnant, you waited for the moment when you would take your baby in your arms and examine it and see if it looks like you. That moment has come. However, the baby doesn’t look like the light ball dolls in the photos. No need to worry, you may be faced with the 6 features we have listed below regarding the images of newborn babies.

Swelling in newborn babies

Swelling in a newborn baby is one of the most common conditions. Especially if you’ve had a vaginal delivery, that means your baby has to travel through the birth canal for at least 10 hours. This causes the baby’s face to swell and lengthen. An inverted newborn head shape is shorter and wider looking. In cesarean delivery, unlike a normal delivery, the baby’s head may appear squashed. However, within 1 to 2 weeks, your baby’s head will return to its normal shape.

fontanelle in newborn babies

When you touch your baby’s head, you may notice that there are two soft areas. These points, called fontanelles, are the bones of the baby’s skull that have not yet closed. These function to reduce the diameter of the baby’s head during birth by bringing the skull bones closer together, making the birth comfortable.

At what month does the fontanelle close in babies?

It takes 9 to 18 months for the fontanelle, located at the front of your baby’s head, to close. The fontanelle at the back of the head closes in the 3rd month.

Skin structure in newborn babies

The skin of the newborn baby is very sensitive, it has a thin and transparent structure. Its body is covered with soft hairs. They have hairs especially on their cheeks, shoulders and back.

Skin dryness in newborn baby

“My newborn baby’s skin is very dry.” If you are saying, let’s say that this situation is related to the exfoliation of the skin of newborn babies shortly after birth. Your baby’s peeling skin will heal over time. However, if the skin cracks or bleeds, you can speed up its healing by applying Vaseline to that area.

Skin peeling in newborn baby

In the first days after birth, your baby’s skin may peel off. These peelings that you will notice especially on the palms and feet are natural, do not worry.

Skin rashes in newborn babies are usually seen around the face. Pimple-like spots occur as a result of clogged skin pores with a substance called keratin in the skin. As your baby’s skin gets used to the outside environment, these spots will disappear on their own.

Another skin rash is the inflammation of sweat glands called “miliaria”. These rashes, which are red in color and slightly raised, are caused by keeping the baby too warm. These rashes will disappear if you keep your baby’s skin dry and clean and keep him in cool environments.

Let’s give a warning at this point: The reason why your baby’s hands and feet are cold at first is that the capillary circulation is not developed. So it’s not just a case of your baby getting colder than adults. For this reason, before you keep your baby with hats and booties even inside the house, you should make sure that he or she is not cold. To understand this, you can check the neck and back. If these two areas are warm, it means that your baby is not cold.

Meanwhile, you may encounter yellowish, pearly-looking crusts on your baby’s skin and scalp. No need to be afraid, these are temporary shells called hosts. You can easily get rid of this problem with regular moisturizing of the skin and frequent bathing.

Skin color of newborn baby

The color of the skin of the newborn is pink and red due to the thinness of the skin and the blood vessels under it. During birth, it may be similar to blue and purple as the blood circulation is not yet regular.

newborn hair

Your baby may be born bald or completely covered in hair. But let’s say in advance that those hairs will fall out after a while.

Does hair color change in newborn baby?

Newborn hair color may change in the first 6 months after the baby’s birth. Generally, those born blonde will turn darker blonde, or babies with jet black hair may start to turn auburn.

eyes of newborns

From birth, the baby can see from 15 to 25 cm. After a few weeks, he starts to follow the moving objects, even for a short time. However, in newborns, eye shifts can be seen as the central nervous system cannot fully coordinate with muscle movements. These shifts disappear between 2 and 6 months. If the eye drift still persists after 6 months, you’d better take your baby to the eye doctor.

If you or your partner have severe eye disorders,

If your baby was born prematurely,

If your baby has eye burrs, you can still go to the doctor.

“How does eye color change in newborn babies, when does it change?” is one of the most frequently asked questions by mothers. The eye color of the newborn, which is usually dark gray and blue, regains its permanent color between 6 and 9 months.

Meanwhile, the baby cries without tears until he is 4 to 6 weeks old. You don’t need to be surprised or worried about this.

Birthmarks in newborn babies

Your baby may have spots of different colors and sizes on his skin.

The most common blood vessel-based spots are salmon-colored spots on the back of the neck and in the area where the hair follicles start. These spots, which become apparent because the blood flow increases when the baby cries and strains, are not visible because they remain under the hair, even if they are permanent. Most of the salmon spots on the face go away within 5 years.

Strawberry spots are the puffy spots that form within a few months after birth. These are caused by the overgrowth of blood vessels in the upper layers of the skin. They usually disappear spontaneously, without treatment, when the baby reaches school age.

If your newborn’s birthmark is on the back and spine, it’s a good idea to see your doctor for a thorough evaluation.