The baby's head

Having made his general observations, the pediatrician will examine the newborn baby in some detail, perhaps starting with the head and face. A baby's head is not as delicate as you might think. It is built to withstand the pressures of being squeezed through the birth canal and, after this, your gentle touches are light relief. The skull of a young baby is made up of bones which are not yet fused together and, during birth, the bones overlap each other a little to allow the head to mold as it comes through the birth canal. If you run your finger gently across your baby's head soon after birth you can often feel several ridges where the bones have overlapped. The molding may persist for a day or two after birth and that is why the shape of a newborn baby's head is rarely perfectly round.

You may wonder why the pediatrician runs a tape measure around the baby's head. This is done to assess the head circumference and before his first birthday the baby will probably have other routine medical check-ups and this will be helpful in determining how much the head had grown over time.

The fontanelle

On the top of the head, toward the front, is a diamond-shaped area which is called 'anterior fontanelle'. It feels rather soft because four of the skull bones in this area have not yet fused together. It is quite normal to see or feel pulsations here. This so-called soft spot is not as soft as you might think because under the skin there is a tough membrane.

Bruising and swelling

A little bruising and swelling over the part of the baby's head, which presented itself at birth, is common. This will subside in a few days. A somewhat larger firm swelling, called a 'cephalhematoma', however, often causes parents concern. It is caused by a little bleeding around one of the skull bones and is harmless, although it usually takes several weeks before it subsides.

Bruising of the face is quite common especially after a forceps delivery, and the eyelids and cheeks often appear a little swollen at first. You may have noticed that whites of the baby's eyes are somewhat bloodshot, but this will clear completely in a week or two.

The newborn baby's mouth

The pediatrician will carefully inspect the infant's mouth usually shining a light inside to get a better view. White blisters in the center of the lips are caused by sucking and always clear up spontaneously. White patches on the tongue are usually caused by milk staining but are sometimes confused with a fairly common mouth infection called 'thrush.' If a baby has thrush his mouth is usually a little sore and the white patches are somewhat thicker and difficult to wipe off. The condition is not dangerous and soon clears with some medicine drops.

The baby's breasts

Baby boys and girls often have slightly swollen breasts, which discharge a little milk for several weeks after birth. Some mothers are tempted to get rid of the swelling by squeezing the milk out. This should never be done. It can cause the breasts to become infected.

The umbilical cord

It usually takes about a week for the stump of the umbilical cord to come off. If you notice any bleeding from it, or if the skin surrounding it becomes unduly red or inflamed, mention it to the floor nurses or to pediatrician when he is making his routine checks ups.

Stomach checks

A baby's abdomen usually looks rather large. When the pediatrician feels it he is making sure that there is no enlargement of the internal organs and that everything is present and located in the right place.

The baby's bowels

Most newborn’s have their bowels open by the end of the first day. When this happens immediately after birth in the delivery room it can be easily overlooked. During the first few days a baby passes a greeny-black, sticky substance called meconium. If he has not presented you with a dirty diaper by the end of the second day, mention it to the nurse. After a few days the stools will gradually become yellow, but their color is not all that important. You will notice that the color varies a little from time to time, as does the consistency.