THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR newborn

These newborn facts may just surprise you

1BABY

LOOKS A BIT FUNNY Your baby may be quite red and wrinkly and may even sport a fine covering of hair over his body called lanugo (this will go away over time). And if you had a vaginal birth, his face may look a little squashed. He’ll smooth out soon enough though.

2THAT

FIRST POO WILL SURPRISE YOU For the first few days your baby’s stools consist of meconium, a sticky greenish black substance that lined your baby’s intestines during pregnancy. To clean it up, wipe your baby’s bottom with a ball of cotton wool dipped in water and coat your baby’s bottom in petroleum jelly so that it’s easier to remove the next time.

3HE

WILL BE HUNGRY Your baby is going to need a feed every three or so hours. Since his tummy is still very small, he will take in enough nutrition to see him through just a few hours before needing another feed.

4HE

WON’T SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT Yes, your new baby will sleep a lot. But he’ll also wake up a lot. Newborns often wake at night just as much as they do during the day. This is once again to feed.

5HE

CAN’T SEE VERY FAR For the first few weeks of your baby’s life, he can only focus on objects 20 to 30 centimetres in front of him. This actually encourages your bonding as it’s just about the exact distance between his face and yours while you feed him.

6HE

WILL CRY, A LOT Crying is your baby’s only way of communicating, so expect a lot of it. It can be overwhelming as he’ll cry when he is hungry, hot, cold or tired. Soon you will figure out how to respond to each kind of cry.

7YOU

SIMPLY CANNOT SPOIL YOUR BABY Your newborn needs to feel loved and secure, and crying is not a way to be naughty. Hold him often, talk to him, feed him on demand and respond to every cry. You are not spoiling him, but laying down foundations for a strong bond.