Every baby is different.

One thing that is easy to forget is how tiny even the healthiest, heftiest baby really is. A newborn usually is only 45 to 55 centimeters long, stretched out. And very young babies often keep their legs in the pre-birth, folded-up position for several months, which makes the baby seem even smaller. The baby was in that position for many months before birth, and it takes a while to get used to an uncramped environment.

Remember that at birth the baby has left a warm, dark, still, safe environment, been pushed through a narrow birth canal, and been suddenly thrust into light, noise, and a new degree of independence. It’s a difficult adjustment to make, even more difficult than the adjustment you must make as new parents.

There are some other things about a new baby’s appearance that may worry you if you’re not prepared. It is perfectly normal for a newborn baby to be:

• born with a bluish tinge to the skin, which soon turns to pinkish-red;

• born with a slightly lopsided head;

• born with soft spots, called “fontanelles,” above the forehead and at the top of the head.

It is also quite common for a new baby to have jaundice, which gives a yellowish color to the skin and the whites of the eyes. Also, at birth the baby still has a lot of growing and developing to do. Many bones are still unformed; they are made of tough, elastic tissue called cartilage that will gradually harden into bone. The legs are often bowed, and shorter than you’d expect when you compare them to the arms. The head may seem too big for the body. The baby’s face may seem abnormally plump in the cheeks and flat in the nose. The eyes will not move together well and may seem to be crossed. The genitals, especially on a baby boy, may seem abnormally large.

In a few months, the baby will begin to look more like an individual. Movements of limbs, eyes, and neck will become more controlled as muscles develop, and the face will become more alert and expressive.

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