Books and classes would have prepared you for labor and delivery. But there are 8 weird but normal things that you will come to know about a newborn. You must be thinking of the picture of a cute baby with a smiling and cheeky face, bright eyes, and silky hair. There is nothing to worry about but prepare yourself to live a new experience. It is different from what the media shows us.

Cradle cap

A cradle cap is common on a newborn head and skin. It is the dry, flaky, or scaly patches. Nobody knows for sure how it comes. Don’t worry; this isn’t harmful at all. But, you will be eager to restore the baby’s scalp to that sweet, silky softness that all babies have. The good news is that it goes away after a few weeks. In the meantime, try rubbing baby oil on the patches.

Explosive Poop

The truth is, you haven’t initiated into parenthood until you change diapers and smell baby poop. Poop may blow out on your face or the surrounding spaces—for example, poop throwing on the wall. You will for sure get some poop on your hands. Don’t worry; clean yourself with soap, and you will smell clean and fresh again.

Baby Boobage

The hormones that upset a woman during her entire pregnancy may get in the baby, too (the baby has large breasts). It will take some time for the hormones to wear off, but don’t stress. They do not pose any health concerns and will go away with time.

Groaning Sounds

If you are expecting only a little cooing and crying of baby, it’s not going to happen this way. You will have to accept sleepless nights! There are grunting, snorting, groaning, and similar funny sounds. All those strange sounds are due to mucus that gets trapped in the baby’s nasal passages. So if you hear a symphony of sounds, you can check the baby’s nose and clear it with a nasal aspirator.

Oddly-Shaped Head

Giving birth is a tough job for a mother, but it is also not an easy task for the newborn. The baby has to get down that birth canal, and no wonder that he/she may come out all purple and swollen-looking. The little head of the baby is soft and malleable in the beginning. Passing the pelvic bone can cause some flattening of a baby’s head. Some babies come out with a bulge on their heads, usually on one side of the skull. Don’t worry! Change the position of the baby’s head while the baby sleeps. Reposition baby’s head from right to left and left to right when the baby is sleeping on the back. Alternate positions, hold the baby more often. The bulge doesn’t usually close until the baby is between ten and eighteen months. It may also take longer.

Swollen Genital

If it is a little boy, you may notice his testes are larger than you’d expect. The same goes for a little girl who may have swollen labia. This happens after a baby’s exposure to hormones in the mother’s belly. It is also because of extra fluid build-up around the genitals. Don’t worry; on the following days, the baby will flush out the hormone or fluid accumulation when peeing.

Mini-period for infant girls

Don’t panic if you see some traces of blood in your baby girl’s diaper. She may be going through a bit of estrogen withdrawal in the days following delivery. This may be the side effects of exposure to her mother’s hormones in the uterus. Also, a rough bowel movement may have caused a little scratch or cut on the way out. Don’tworry; the bleeding should stop fast.

Crossed eyes

Slight wonk-eye in a baby is normal in the beginning. The baby is still trying to adapt to the sense of sight. It will take some time to gain muscle control and focus on things all around him/her. The nose is like a bridge between the two eyes. Extra skin may be masking the white parts of the baby’s eyes. It is an optical illusion known as pseudoesotropia. You may take a closer look. Are the pupils lined up and moving together? If yes, you are overthinking as there is no issue at all.

Wish you good luck with your newborn. After a few weeks of adaptation, your baby will turn into an angel. If you are still unsure about a few things, your doctor will be the best to advise you further.

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