Key features in new born babies

An infant’s head is the first body part that passes through the birth canal and can potentially be affected by the delivery process. Head: The heads of infants born naturally often show some degree of molding, which is when the skull bones shift and overlap, making the top of the infant’s head look elongated, stretched out, or even pointed at birth. Sometimes such bizarre appearances will go away over the next several days as the skull bones move into a more rounded configuration. The heads of babies born by cesarean section or breech (buttocks or feet first) delivery usually do not show molding. Due to the separation of the newborn’s skull bones, one can feel two head fontanels or soft spots on the top of their head. People should not get surprised if the head fontanels buldge out when the infant cries or strains. This is perfectly normal. The fontanels will eventually disappear as the skull bones close together usually in about 12 to 18 months for the front fontanel and in about 6 months for the one in back. In addition to looking elongated, a newborn’s head may have a lump or two as a result of the trauma of delivery. These will fade away over a few days. Face: A newborn’s face may look quite puffy due to fluid accumulation and the rough trip through the birth canal. The infant’s facial appearance often changes significantly during the first few days as the baby gets rid of the extra fluid and the trauma of delivery subsides. In some cases, a newborn’s facial features can be quite distorted as a result of positioning in the uterus and the squeeze through the birth canal. Eyes: A few minutes after birth, most infants open their eyes and start to look around at their environment. Newborns can see, but they probably do not focus well at first, which is why their eyes may seem out of line or crossed at times during the first 2 to 3 months. Because of the puffiness of their eyelids, some infants may not be able to open their eyes wide right away. Parents are sometimes startled to see that the white part of one or both of their newborn’s eyes appears blood-red. Called subconjunctival hemorrhage, this occurs when blood leaks under the covering of the eyeball due to the trauma of delivery. It is a harmless condition similar to a skin bruise that goes away after several days, and it generally does not indicate that there has been any damage to the infant’s eyes. Ears: A newborn’s ears, as well as other features, may be distorted by the position they were in while inside the uterus. Because the baby has not yet developed the thick cartilage that gives firm shape to an older child’s ears, it is not unusual for newborns to come out with temporarily folded or otherwise misshapen ears. Small tags of skin or pits (shallow holes) in the skin on the side of the face just in front of the ear are also common. Usually, these skin tags can be easily removed. Nose: Because newborns tend to breathe through their noses and their nasal passages are narrow, small amounts of nasal fluid or mucus can cause them to breathe noisily or sound congested even when they do not have a cold flu or other problem. Sneezing is also common in newborns. This is a normal reflex and is not due to an infection, allergies, or other problems. Mouth: When the newborn opens his or her mouth to yawn or cry, you may notice some small white spots on the roof of the mouth, usually near the center. These small collections of cells are called Epstein’s pearls and, along with fluid-filled cysts sometimes present on the gums, will disappear during the first few weeks. josephmunich06@yahoo.co.uk