16 Weird, Yet Surprisingly Normal Things About Your Newborn

Pregnancy is an interesting experience, especially for first time mothers. There are thousands of books, websites, articles, and know-it-alls feeding you information that both excites and scares you. Information overload gives you anxiety and it doesn’t go away once you’ve delivered your baby.

Post delivery—with a newborn in one hand and a never-ending supply of gear in the other—you’ll return home and understand why there are so many sources of information floating around. You have a life in your hands and they are completely dependent on you and your partner!

With that being said, you’re going to be making a lot of calls to your physician when things seem a bit out of the ordinary. Never-fear, there are a lot of weird, yet surprisingly normal things about your newborn that you will soon discover. Here’s our list of the top 16 to get you started.

Oddly Colored Poops

Babies poop—a lot. With the frequency of poops come a wide variety of the types of poops that you’ll find waiting inside of your baby’s diaper. There are black poops, yellow poops, green poops, and brown poops. There are solid poops and liquid poops, sticky poops and sometimes even speckled poops. This is completely normal. Babies have a hyper effective digestive system, which means they will absorb all of the possible nutrients out of whatever they eat and leave the rest behind.

If you notice any white or chalky poops that last for two or more diaper changes, call your doctor to schedule an appointment just to be sure.

Baby Boobs

During development inside of your womb, your baby absorbs an array of maternal hormones. Because of these hormones, your baby, regardless of if it’s a boy or a girl, will have the appearance of baby boobs. This is caused by oestrogen, which is the hormone that helps mothers produce milk.

While it seems like a fairly alarming body trait, it’s absolutely normal and will go away quickly—usually within 48 hours. Good news if your little one is a boy!

Bloody Diapers

The same culprit that causes little baby boobs is responsible for baby periods. Yes, you read that right. Newborns have maternal hormones surging through their bodies and baby girls sometimes experience a small, completely normal, mini-period during the first week of their lives.

Bloody diapers cause a lot of concern for new mothers, but if it occurs during the first week and your baby is a girl, it’s no reason to sprint to the emergency room.

Boys sometimes experience similar phenomenon and leave behind a rustic-red diaper that is easily mistaken for blood. On the contrary, this reddish dusty material is due to uric acid crystals that indicate mild dehydration. Most commonly, this occurs while mom and baby are still working out their feeding routine and will go away soon.

If either of these persists longer than a few days, contact your doctor to double check that everything is working the way it’s supposed to.

Developing Reflexes

New mothers watch their newborns like a hawk. It’s instinctual and stems from both worry and admiration. Newborns, whether being stared at or not, will produce a few spastic moments that leaving you asking, “what was that?”

Again, this is completely normal. Their jerky movements are the result of developing natural reflexes and the general introduction of new bodily movements.

The only time to call your doctor in this instance is when your baby is not exhibiting any startling movements or reactions.

Cradle Caps

Adults are used to the occasional bout of dandruff, but a newborn with barely any hair? What is that? It’s called cradle cap and is white or brownish, extremely dry and crusty, and appears on your baby’s head.

As long as it doesn’t get worse and spread, cradle cap is normal—even if it isn’t all too pleasant.

Exuberant, Frequent Sneezes

Adults, most commonly, sneeze when allergens enter their noses or they’re coming down with a cold. Newborns sneeze all the time. They have tiny little noses that aren’t used to all of the smells of the outside world. Additionally, sneezing in the first few days helps release any amniotic fluid that is left in their nasal cavities post delivery.

As long as there are no wheezing sounds associated with the sneezes, you’re newborn is exhibiting normal behavior.

Weird Heads

You know better than anyone how magical, and intense, childbirth is. Delivering a baby is hard work, both for you and your newborn. Their heads are very soft and oftentimes, flatten out or change shape while passing through your birth canal. This tends to give your baby a weird head, at least for the first few days of life. It will even out over time as your baby’s cranial bones fuse together.

To avoid any prolonged oddly shaped heads, make sure your baby changes positions often.

Pulsing Soft Spots

Everyone knows that babies have soft spots (fontanelle), but most people aren’t aware that they actually pulse. When you think about it, it makes sense. Their skull hasn’t fused together yet and you’re seeing a direct glance at their pulsating heart beats!

Is That a Pimple?

Acne is associated with teenagers and puberty so when you see pimples pop up on your baby’s new skin, it is concerning. While it looks almost identical to acne, it’s more of a rash from the hormones present during pregnancy.

It should clear up on it’s own in a few weeks, but if you’re concerned it’s best to talk to your doctor.

Blood in Vomit

More blood? Blood is an indication that something’s not right, but it isn’t always a reason to get worked up. Newborns sometimes throw up blood that is in their system from delivery, so if it happens close to post delivery then more often than not, it’s normal.

Since this one is a little more than intense, we understand completely if you want to run to your phone and call your doctor immediately to get a second opinion!

Luscious Body Hair

Babies are usually born with minimal hair. But every now and then, you see a baby come out with more hair than your husband! If it’s covering their body, it’s known as lanugo or “peach fuzz” and will disappear slowly after birth. If it’s on their heads, prepare for some entertaining photographs.

Strange Noises

Babies make weird noises; it’s as simple as that. Burps, farts, coos, attempted language, hiccups that turn into burp—we’ve heard it all. Don’t be alarmed when your baby starts making strange noises, especially when they’re starting to develop their language skills.

13. Hiccups, Hiccups, and More Hiccups

Speaking of strange noises, babies hiccup a lot. The simple theory for this is that their breathing and swallowing having found a good harmony yet so they hiccup often. They’ll outgrow it as they get older.

Irregular Breathing Habits

While it is alarming to think of your baby as having irregular breathing habits, it’s usually normal. They’re still learning how to regulate all of their involuntary muscle movements, including breathing. Bare with your little one, they’re learning but always check with your doctor if you’re concerned.

15. Bow Legs

Imagine being cramped inside a small space for nine months. You’d likely emerge with some bent limbs too! Bow legs on babies are merely a side effect of growing inside a small womb for so long. As they start to walk and kick, their legs will naturally straighten out.

Small Cuts or Scrapes

One of the most alarming things as a new mother is seeing your baby covered in small cuts or scrapes. How did they get there? Babies are born with fingernails—and sometimes they’re quite long!

It’s easy for them to scratch themselves, so protect them with a cozy pair of scratch mittens until their reflexes calm down.

Conclusion

Your new life with your baby is going to strike up some questions and at times, concerns. However weird these things seem, they are perfectly normal for newborns—especially in the first few days and weeks post delivery. As always, if you are concerned or if things aren’t changing, contact your physician and schedule a check-up. With your baby, it’s always better to be safe than sorry and nothing helps calm your mind like a professional opinion. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the weirdness that newborns bring into your life and cherish the small moments you have with them. Before you know it, they’ll be teenagers and you’ll be reminiscing with your head in the photo album. To get yourself prepared for your newborn’s quirkiness, head over to Byram Health Care to shop our selection of breast pumps. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, new mothers are eligible to receive an electric breast pump covered by their insurance provider!

If you have any weird stories or funny pictures that you’d like to share with our readers, head over to our Facebook page and leave a comment today! We love helping our community of mothers bond.