5 things you didn't know about babies

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by MSc.BS.Huynh Bao Toan - Neonatologist, Vinmec Nha Trang General Hospital. The doctor has 13 years of experience in the field of Pediatrics.

1. Newborns look funny

You may have noticed that fussy babies look nothing like the chubby, fluffy, graceful angels in the doctor's waiting magazines. No, nothing is wrong. Just the babies in the magazine are not babies! "Basically, babies look like aliens," says pediatrician and writer Gwenn O'Keeffe.
Some parents find it strange that their child's head is not rounded. This is because during a vaginal birth, the baby's head has to pass through the narrow vaginal passage, which can lead to distortion or protrusion. Babies born by cesarean section will have a rounder head.
Also, adds O'Keeffe, since your baby has been swimming in amniotic fluid for nine months, it doesn't have a chance to develop a lot of muscle in the womb. This causes the face and skin on the child's body to wrinkle and sag.
Baby's skin might surprise you too. If the fetus is old, the baby's skin may look wrinkled and may peel off due to the loss of the white pigment that coats the baby's skin in the uterus. Full-term and premature infants may also shed some skin from exposure to air after the lice have been washed away.

Premature babies are more likely to be covered with thin, pale (or sometimes dark) hair called lanugo. Fluff usually grows out of certain parts of the body, such as the back, shoulders, ears, and forehead, and falls out a few weeks after birth (although it persists for quite a while in some babies).
Soon your baby will change, lose his newborn appearance and become a hyperactive child. Until then, enjoy this period while it lasts. Because, babies have a strange cuteness that everyone loves, at least in the eyes of the child's parents.
As one mother once said, "My oldest looks like a baby monkey, my second looks like a tiny lady and my youngest looks like a frog. I see my babies. They're all beautiful."

2. The baby may vomit

Newborns may look cute and smell good, but when it comes to spitting up and pooping, they might surprise you.
In a recent survey, 41% of first-time mothers said that vomiting was their biggest annoyance. "I'm amazed at how many times I have to change my own clothes when my baby vomits," said mother-of-two Rachel Teichman.
Why is vomiting so common? This is explained by the fact that there is a muscle that acts as a valve between the esophagus and the stomach of infants that are not fully matured in newborns. Therefore, this valve does not close tightly, causing food to back up into the esophagus, into the oral cavity and the child vomits out.

If you are someone who often breastfeeds or eats, don't forget to straighten up after eating and pat your baby's back to release air in the abdomen. This can help reduce the number and amount of food spit up at each feeding. "Most regurgitation symptoms in babies go away by the time they're four or five months old," says O'Keeffe.
However, if your baby seems uncomfortable after eating, if he loses weight or vomits continuously, take him to a Medical facility for examination and treatment. It could be a sign of reflux or other underlying medical conditions.

3. Can children defecate like rockets, what to do?

A baby's rocket-like defecation is another normal part of many first-time parenting experiences.
This is explained by the immature biological mechanism of the child. The baby's digestive system is not yet able to make the stools clot and when they reach a certain weight they will defecate, so sometimes the stools just reach a certain volume and the child will defecate. immediately," says O'Keeffe.
There's nothing you can do but adapt to the situation, other than carry a bag full of diapers and try to smile at your baby when he or she misses a bowel movement. clean.

4. Taking care of your baby takes more time than you think

"Oftentimes moms are overwhelmed and surprised how much time a day they have to spend caring for their newborn," says Whitney Moss, mom and co-author of "The Rookie Mom's Handbook." In a survey, 64% of mothers said that finding time to get things done or for themselves is one of the biggest challenges for first-time moms.
So, put aside your current plans to spend time practicing more child care experiences during maternity leave. You should understand that all the tasks related to taking care of a baby will become easier and quicker as you gain more experience. It might take you ten minutes to change a diaper right now, but soon you'll find yourself changing diapers while talking on the phone.

5. Cohesion forms over time

For some mothers the biggest shock of being new parents is the boundless love they feel when they first see or hold their baby. Others, however, may appear to be the exact opposite: Their biggest surprise is that they haven't felt an immediate bond with the child. For these parents, the bond develops gradually over time.
Like pregnancy, labor and birth, experiencing bonding varies from person to person. If you're feeling stressed and anxious because you haven't felt as attached to your newborn as you think, spend more time caring for your baby.
If after a few weeks you are still having trouble forming a bond with your baby, talk to your doctor. Sometimes postpartum depression can interfere with this bonding, and if you have postpartum depression, you'll need to be examined and treated.

Surely the above things have surprised you about a newborn baby, especially if you are a first-time parent, but don't worry too much, let's turn these worries into love and care for the child. their own instincts, that care is like an invisible string connecting the love of parents closer to their children.
If there are difficulties in taking care and raising a newborn, parents can visit and seek advice from qualified doctors at Vinmec International General Hospital. As a key area of ​​Vinmec Medical system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians: including leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All are well-trained, professional, with a mind - range, understanding young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: babycenter.com