Few newborns look picture perfect at birth. They have many variations in normal appearance – from color of the skin to its texture to the shape of the head. Some of these differences are just temporary, part of the physical adjustments a baby goes through. Mentally, mostly all babies are awake and alert during the first few hours after birth.

The head may look pointed due of pressure during birth. It would become normal in two weeks. When you touch on the top of your baby’s head, you can feel a soft spot. This is the part where the bones of the skull have not joined together. It becomes normal when your child is 16-18 months.

You will find little marks, spots and rashes, red or greenish blue on the skin of your new born baby. This is completely normal and some babies may have more than others. Skin may be peeling on the hands and feet and some babies may have noticeable downy body hair. But all these will disappear on their own accord.

The fingernails of the baby seems long at birth. The legs look bowed as he had been lying curled in the womb. The eyes may look as if they are squinting. This is very common in the first months. Puffy or blood shot eyes should be checked by the doctor. The nose may appear flat as the bone hasn’t yet fully developed.

Most of the babies genitals look large. There may have a milky discharge from the breasts and sometimes blood or discharge from the vagina in a baby girl. This is because of an infusion of mother’s hormones from the placenta, just before birth. This is perfectly normal and will soon disappear.

Mostly all babies are awake and alert during the first few hours after birth. They are attracted to human sights especially faces and human sounds. They have a grasp reflex and sucking reflex. If an object is placed in his palm he involuntarily clenches his fists around it, likewise if the newborn is placed near his mothers breast, the baby will seek the nipple and begin to suck. Babies can see now, although objects may be blurred. They may respond to a sudden loud noise and to human voice, but not to ordinary sounds.