Tips to New Mothers

Many newborns have a variety of "spots" on their skin. Others have dark pigmented areas, usually to be found on their bottoms, backs or feet. These areas are called Mongolian spots; they become lighter as the child grows. Still other babies have red patches, or Hangel's kisses", at the roots of their noses or at the napes of their necks. No treatment is recommended in all these cases, as they will aU eventually disappear.

If you see Sometimes a blister in baby's mouth on its upper lip. Don’t worry. This is due to suckling, particularly in a breast-fed infant. It will disappear by itself. Some infants are born with a tooth. If it is loose, it can be removed easily.

New Born Babies - Eyes

The eyelids of the newborn may appear puffy, again due to its forcible passage during labour, but this too will disappear in a day or two. Sometimes the baby's eyelids will be sticky. Nothing more than a little cotton wool is needed to wipe them and remove the stickiness. Almost all newborns, upto the age of six months, have one eye wandering. This is normal and happens only because the baby's muscles have not yet become co¬ordinated. As time goes by, it will Correct itself, so don't fret the first time you notice this and think your child is going to be cross-eyed. The baby's pupils constrict if a torch-light is reflected on them.

New Born Babies - Some common doubts

When the baby is born he is covered with a grayish, somewhat greasy substance. Doctors call it vernix caseosa and it is secreted by the foetus's skin glands. This is Nature's way of protecting the foetus's skin from the effect of the long exposure to the liquid environment found in the uterus. It will come off by itself in a few days. It can also be removed by rubbing oil over the baby. The newborn baby is also covered with fine, scarcely visible hair. This too will soon disappear, usually during the first month. At birth the baby is usually pink all over. But sometimes its hands and feet may be bluish for a few hours.

New Born Babies - doubts

At birth, most of the baby often has a fnll head of hair. This will, in most cases, be shed in the first ten months. Some babies grow a fnll head of hair quite quickly. Others do not have more hair for first few months. Rest assured that such growth does not mean the baby is going to end up being bald for life.

After the baby is born, this is generally the case if he has been exposed to cold. Make sure the baby is kept well wrapped and covered all the time. After all, he has come from the warmest, most secure place in the whole world - your womb. Try and give him in his first days as much of the same warmth outside.