After a long nine months of pregnancy and what probably felt like an even longer labor and delivery, you finally meet your little baby! As you take your much desired first loving look at your child, you are surprised to see that he or she doesn’t necessarily appear as you had envisioned. You may think, “Is this my baby?” Keep reading so you’ll be prepared when you are introduced to your newborn!
Vernix
When I hear the word “vernix,” I think of some brown, furry animal that burrows underground. I’m wrong, of course! Vernix is a white, cream substance that covers your baby while he or she is in the womb. Its function is to protect the baby’s skin from wrinkling in the amniotic fluid. So if your baby is covered in white when you see him or her for the first time, there is no need to panic! The vernix will naturally absorb into the baby’s skin.
Blue
All of us have lovely mental images of rosy-cheeked newborns. Be prepared that your baby’s face may instead have a grayish-blue tint immediately after birth. Until your baby takes his or her first breath, this coloring is absolutely normal. With each breath, the oxygen will begin to circulate throughout the baby’s body, turning his or her skin, lips, and nails more and more pink. The baby’s hands and feet may stay bluish in color for up to twenty-four hours after birth, however.
Cone head
Your baby must travel through a pretty narrow space to enter the world. Thankfully, his or her head can mold itself so it can fit through the birth canal. The end result may mean that your baby is born as a cone head. Relax: your baby’s head will not remain like this! After a few days, the molding will give way to a nice, round head.
Milia
Some babies are born with what appears to be acne on their nose! You don’t need to rush out and buy Clearasil for him or her. These white bumps that look like pimples are called milia. They are simply clogged pores. Just leave them be and they will go away on their own.
Blue-gray Eyes
“Wait!” you think to yourself as you gaze upon your newborn. “My husband and I both have brown eyes! How did our boy end up with blue eyes?” Well, it might just be recessive genes at play (flashback to biology class and good old Mendel), but more likely it’s the fact that all babies are typically born with blue or gray eyes. Your baby’s permanent eye color will not appear for up to nine months, so the brown eyes may still be coming!
In conclusion, your newborn may not appear as you imagined. Nevertheless, he or she is your precious little one and, regardless of a cone head or white coating, it will inevitably be love at first sight!
