The healthy newborn

Throughout pregnancy the fetus has matured to successfully face life outside the womb. Birth is a challenge for the newborn and the first contact with the outside world.
The first time that parents see the newborn them may surprise you.
The weight of a baby born on schedule, can range between 2500 and 4000 grams and measuring about 50 cm. A newborn baby born between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation is called term newborn; if born before 37 weeks are called premature and after 42, post-term. These latter two situations are not ideal for the newborn, which may have some health problem.


general appearance and skin
His body is warm and the skin is covered with a fat and whitish substance called vernix caseosa (that is produced by the skin of the fetus in late pregnancy and serves to protect the skin). also they have a thin layer of hair on arms, legs and back called lanugo. Both cheesy vernix and lanugo will disappear over time.

 The color at birth may be slightly bluish, will turning pink during the first minutes. Hands and feet may have a whitish or bluish hue for several more hours. It is important to maintain well-sheltered the newborn and maintain skin contact with the mother (it is the best source of heat for the baby); as they are so fragile still they do not know to regulate the temperature and can be cooled very quickly.
 Skin, also it is adapting to a different environment than the womb, usually flake during the first days, in the form of small plates.

 In the face whitish spots that are called millos will disappear after a few days and then they can appear. Gum these points may also be present and are called Ebstein beads.
check newborn


Head
It's bigger than the rest of the body proportionally. In cesarean deliveries without head can take an elongated shape due to the passage of the baby through the birth canal. In a few days it will regain its normal shape.

The face may be a little swollen, especially the eyes and lips that gradually decrease in volume.
At the head of the newborn can play some more blanditas areas are called fontanelles. This is because the skull is not fully closed (it closes completely within 18 months of life). In some cases cranial sutures may be acabalgadas, because the skull has been molded during passage through the birth canal. Everything returns to normal in a few days.

Baby hair is thin and soft and gradually falls during the first weeks of life.
The eyes have a bluish appearance, although the final color you can't know until 6-12 months. Most newborns do not combine the look, that is, the two eyes do not go to one and may appear to be crossed. Days with mature vision and the look is back to normal.



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Extremities
Usually bent, the newborn is like curled in fetal position during the first weeks of life. The feet and hands can take longer than the rest of the body to acquire a pink color after birth. The nails are thin and very fragile. There are babies born with nails very long hands; to prevent not to scratch the face can put their mittens.
Thorax and abdomen
Due to maternal hormones, some infants have an inflammation of the mammary gland, including a drop of milk can be observed; no big deal and disappears day.
In the belly umbilical cord is attached with a plastic clip. When he falls in one or two weeks, it will leave a scar is the navel.

Newborn test
Genitals
They are always a little swollen. In the case of girls, for the passage of maternal hormones can be seen flow and a small vaginal bleeding (like a period); do not be alarmed, it is normal. In children testes palpable in the scrotum that may be slightly swollen.
Breathing and pulse
Newborns breathe very fast and irregularly. They make about 40 breaths per minute. The heart also goes very fast, between 80 to 180 beats per minute (depending on whether you are asleep or awake)


Urine and feces
The first void newborn should be in the first 24 hours s, it is a sign that your kidneys are working well and you are getting the right food.
The first stools are black, sticky (such as tar or pitch) and are called meconium. The first meconium should occur in the first 48 hours; It consists of mucus, bile salts and epithelial rests the baby has swallowed in the womb. Once you eject all this content, Lee will have a yellow to green, lumpy and liquid.