9 Weird But Totally Normal Things About Your Newborn

If you are a first time mom to be,  get ready to be swept off your feet and terrified at the same time because these babies are full of surprises! Just when you think you’re totally prepared for them, they will shock you. You probably spent your whole third trimester reading everything in the book (and on Google of course) about your newborn and listening attentively during your prenatal classes. Trust me, as prepped up as you feel for labour and delivery, no sleep, frequent feedings and a total invasion of your body, your newborn will still catch you off-guard with something totally freaky! Before you start to worry or speed off to the hospital with your newborn, here’s a list freaky but totally normal things about your little angel.

Oddly-Shaped Head

Were you expecting a tiny cherub looking doll but instead you came face to face with a little alien looking creature with a funny looking head? This is totally normal. Your baby’s head will go through a lot while trying to pass through the birth canal to get to you. After the tiring pushing journey, you might find your baby all purple and swollen. The passage through your pelvic bone can also cause your baby’s soft and malleable head to flatten. This should even out after sometime. Putting your baby down to sleep on the same side of her head too often can also result into an odd shape so try to avoid it. If her head still seems flat in some places after the second or third month, you should talk to your pediatrician.

Poop Explosions

This one is like a super power. Yes, your newborn has the ability to send poop right across the room, just like that. This is also normal and happens because newborn poop is mostly liquid with some seedy particles. You might also have to clean poop from the diaper all the way to the neck, and you won’t be prepared for it! As long as the poop is of normal colour (alternating from brown to green to yellow), you need not to worry. But if you see any blood in it, call the doctor.

Baby Boobies

Yes you read that right. Your little munchkin can come out with protruding breasts! It’s an absolute shocker yet very normal. You can blame those raging pregnancy hormones for your newborn’s cute boobs. Nine months of exposure to the hormones have some side effects for your baby and the development of breast tissue is one of them. They will wear off soon enough. 

Scary Jerky Movements

You really don’t have to be scared about the random jerks and spastic limb flailing as your baby tries to gain control over his startle reflex. So don’t worry about your baby making random jerky movements or getting startled by a loud noise or even your voice. This should reduce significantly as your baby grows. Swaddling her up will reduced the jerks and help her sleep more peacefully. If your baby doesn’t make any jerky movements or get startled by loud noises, something might be wrong. Check with your paediatrician.

Crossed Eyes

You can expect this after the arrival of your newborn. It will take some time for him to gain control of the little muscles that help him move his eyes around. If he remains crossed eyed for more than six months, talk to the paediatrician right away.

Bloody Diapers

Did that cause a shudder? Don’t let this freak you out more than it should. If you have just had a baby girl, she might have a little bloody vaginal discharge as a result of being exposed to your hormones. The blood can also be from a scratch or crack in the skin of the rectum if there has been dry, hard or large solid poop from constipation which is unlikely. The bleeding can also be from your baby boy being recently circumcised, make sure to apply some Vaseline to help the healing.  Even though it is normal, talk to your doctor as soon you notice any sign of blood in your newborn’s diaper to be on the safe side.

Furry Baby

Some babies arrive covered in soft, fine hair especially on their shoulders and backs; this doesn’t mean they are going to grow up to be ‘Big Foot’. This newborn body hair is called Lanugo. It develops in all babies around 16 weeks of pregnancy and sheds off by the sixth or seventh month but some babies can still be born with it. Lanugo is meant to keep your baby warm till they can develop enough body fat. There’s no need to worry about this, they should shed off over the early weeks of life.

Irregular Breathing Patterns

Is your newborn breathing really fast, not breathing at all for a few seconds then speeding up again? He’s just learning to regulate his breathing so he doesn’t hypo- or hyper-ventilate. You may have to monitor your baby’s breathing for some time to be safe.

Cradle Cap

Your newborn can also have crusty or flaky patches around her scalp from skin rash. This is hardly ever a problem unless it spreads way beyond the scalp or becomes more severe, you should have it checked then. The patchiness around your baby’s scalp will go away during her first month, just rub in some baby oil occasionally.

Crazy right? And the list doesn’t even end here. Newborns also sneeze and hiccup a whole lot. They can also make weird groaning sounds sometimes instead of the soft angelic cooing you expected. Just make sure your baby is not having problems with breathing. Welcome to having a newborn!