• Planning for Pregnancy
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• Your Pregnancy
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• Week by Week Guide
  • Week 1 - 4
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  • Week 41 and 42
• Baby Names
• Fit & Healthy You
  • Exercise and Pregnancy
  • Your Pelvic Floor
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  • What's happening to me?
  • Avoiding Hazards
  • A Sensual Pregnancy
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• Your Nutrition
  • Healthy Eating
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  • Essential Nutrition
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• Pregnancy and Work
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• Your Antenatal Care
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  • Assisted Labour
  • Preparing for Labour
  • Your Baby's Position
  • External cephalic version
  • Starting Labour Yourself
  • Cord Blood Donation
• Preparing for Baby
  • Your Baby's Room
  • Buying for Baby
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  • Important Decisions
  • Packing Your Bags
  • Coming Home
• Labour and Birth
  • Pre-Labour and Labour
  • The First Stage
  • Partners Role
  • Pain Relief
  • The Second Stage: Delivery
  • The Third Stage
  • Caesarean
  • Birth Stories
• Your Newborn
  • Baby's First Hours
  • Getting Acquainted
  • Necessary Paperwork
  • Feeding Your Newborn
  • Baby Care Basics
  • Newborn Health
  • Premature Babies
• Premature Babies
  • Signs and treatment of pre-term labour
  • Frequently used terminology
  • Taking a premature baby home
  • The Impact on Parents
  • The National Premmie Foundation
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• After the Birth
  • Your Stay In Hospital
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  • Your Pelvic Floor
  • Your Emotions
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• Help Panel
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• Feature Articles

Getting Acquainted

The following information gives you an insight into the first moments with your new baby. For more details on what you can expect in the first weeks of your baby’s life look at our section on What's my Baby Doing Now?

What Your Baby Looks Like^*

There are huge variations in what is considered normal for the weight and length of a newborn baby. Average weights are between 2.5-4.5 kilograms (5lb 8oz to 9lb 12oz), and average lengths vary from 48-51 centimetres (19-20 inches).

Head

This is still large in comparison with the rest of his body – it is one-quarter of your baby’s length. The younger a baby is, the larger his head is in proportion to his body. The average circumference of a newborn baby’s head is about 35cm (14in). Measuring head circumference is regarded as a vital part of examining a baby because the growth of head reflects the development of the brain.

The head usually has a pointed shape because it has been moulded as it came through the birth canal. Moulding is caused by the skull bones overriding each other. Sometimes this pressure also causes swelling on one or both sides of the baby’s head. This swelling leaves the brain unaffected and it subsides within a few weeks.

There may be slight bruising if your baby was delivered by forceps. You will feel a soft spot on the top, called a fontanelle, where the skull bones have not yet joined together and won’t until your baby is 18 months.

Skin

Some babies are born completely covered in a greasy, white substance called vernix caseosa, others only on their face and hands. Vernix eases the baby’s delivery and offers protection against minor skin infections. In some hospitals it is cleaned off immediately, whereas in others it is left, to be naturally rubbed off the skin, which happens within two or three days.

Your baby’s circulation takes some time to stabilise. This may cause the top half of his body to look paler than the bottom half. There is nothing to worry about.

You may notice downy hair on your baby’s back, which is known as lanugo hair; it covered your baby’s body while he was in your uterus. Some babies only have it on the head, while on others it covers the shoulders. Both are quite normal and the lanugo hair usually rubs off within a couple of weeks. More permanent hair will appear later. Some babies are born with a full head of hair; others are completely bald. However, the hair on your baby’s head when he’s born may not be the colour he eventually ends up with.

Hands and Feet

These are always slightly more bluish than the rest of his body because of his primitive circulation. There may be dry patches with peeling skin, which will disappear in a few days. His fingernails may be long and sharp; you can gently nibble off the tip if he’s getting scratched, but don’t cut them.

Eyes

Your newborn baby may not be able to open his eyes straight away due to puffiness caused by pressure on his head during the birth. This pressure may also have broken some tiny blood vessels in his eyes, causing harmless small, red, triangular marks in the whites that need no treatment and will disappear within a couple of weeks. He may have a condition called “sticky eye” – a yellow discharge around the eyelids. This condition is quite common, and although it is not serious it should always be treated by a doctor.

Your baby may squint or look cross-eyed because although he can clearly see to a distance of 20cm (8in) or so, he cannot focus both eyes at the same time beyond that. These conditions should gradually clear up as his eye muscles grow stronger (usually within a month); you should consult a doctor if he still squints at three months. If he is reluctant to open his eyes at first you should never try to force them open. Try holding his head above your head so that he opens them naturally. All babies are born with blue eyes, and their adult eye colour may not develop until about six months.

Umbilicus

The umbilical cord is clamped with forceps and then cut with scissors. A short length of cord remains, which will dry up and become almost black within two to four hours after the birth. The cord doesn’t separate from the navel until about ten days after the birth. Some babies have umbilical hernias (small swellings near the navel) but these usually clear up within a year. If the hernia persists or enlarges consult your doctor.

Breasts

In both boy and girl babies, the breasts may be slightly enlarged and leak a little milk, owing to pregnancy hormones. This is quite normal, and will subside in a couple of days.

Why Your Baby Cries^*

Crying is her only way of signalling to you. You’ll soon learn to recognise all the different kinds of cries, and how to respond to them.

Your baby’s first cry may sound more like a whimper, or splutter, before escalating to a full blown cry. Before bellowing forth, she will take a deep breath, her body will tense, her face will grimace and become bright red, and she will open her mouth wide and literally scream. Distressing as this is, it shows that she is perfectly healthy.

• She will cry when she’s hungry, and usually won’t stop until she’s put to your nipple or given a bottle. Some babies will cry sooner than others when hungry.
• Tiredness, uncomfortable clothing, being too hot or cold, or being undressed are all reasons why she may cry.
• One of the main causes for distress is loneliness. Babies thrive on physical contact; if they feel abandoned they will cry until picked up and cuddled.

For more tips on how to comfort your baby go to our Crying and Comforting section.