VERNIX
We talked and looked at images of vernix, which is basically this protective white coating on the baby's skin. This stuff covers the baby in utero to protect it from getting all pruny and such in it's aquatic environment, a.k.a. the amniotic fluids. They shed most of it (shed is probably not the correct word because vernix is not hair.) before they are born but sometimes they may have some on their little bodies here and there. This stuff is good for their sensitive skin and shouldn't be wiped off but rather left on to soak in. Apparently newborn skin is super sensitive.CYANOTIC HANDS AND FEET
We then looked at pics of babes with cyanotic hands and feet. If the baby has this it basically will look like they have blue hands and feet (just like smurfs!) and if they have this it should disappear within a couple of days. It is a sign of deoxygenation and it sometime just takes a little more time to get that oxygenated blood flowing to their extremities (apparently this can happen when we get old too.)
MOLDING AND PUFFY FACE
Depending on the shape and size of my cervix and birth canal combined with the size of the baby's head there could be a funny head shape of the baby. This is called molding. The baby's skull is not closed up all the way, it's still forming by the time it is born. Read this little bit I found at baby center dot com:
"The soft spots on your baby's head, called fontanels, are diamond-shaped openings in the skull covered by a thick layer of skin. These openings — one in front and one in back — allowed the bones of your baby's skull to compress during his trip through the birth canal, and now they'll allow for the quick growth of his brain.
The rear fontanel will take about four months to close. The front one will take between nine and 18 months."
Because of this incomplete skull it is able to conform to the birth canal better and sometimes babies will have cone shaped heads. The baby's head should go back to it's normal shape within 24 hours. Having a puffy face is also something that a newborn may have and it may also be because of all of the squeezing it goes through during labor.
CEPHALOHEMATOMA
Cephalohematoma is a blood hemorrhage between the baby's skull and it's periosteum (a membrane that lines the outer surface of all bones.) This can happen to the baby's little head by a prolonged second stage of labor or the use of things like forceps to help pull the baby out. This usually shows up a day or two after the birth and will eventually go away.
EDEMA BLISTER
An edema blister may appear on a baby's head and I don't remember why a baby may get an edema blister, probably from all of that pressure down the birth canal. Apparently it is like a water blister and thankfully it will go away within 24 hours or so.
MILIA AND SKIN RASHES
Milia are like little white pimples on your little baby's soft skin. Adults can get this too. If you think about it the baby has spent 9ish months in an aquatic environment (the instructor used that term and I like it!) and then all of a sudden it is in this dry world with germs and other outside things that may disrupt the baby's skin so they may have lots of little but minor skin rashes and problems. It just may take them awhile to adjust to this non-aquatic world.
SUCKING BLISTERS
Sucking blisters may appear on the little lips of the baby from all the nursing it may do. Apparently the need or want to nurse surpasses the pain of the blister and baby will feed despite this blister. Just like the mom's nipples will toughen up from all of the nursing the baby's lips will toughen up too.
PEELING SKIN AND CRADLE CAP
In the first week after birth the baby's skin will start peeling. There is no need to moisturize because this is just what happens. It's getting rid of it's aquatic skin (I made that up) and moving on to it's non-aquatic skin (I made that up too.) If you really feel like moisturizing you can use something that is not toxic to the baby, like vegetable oil or olive oil. We have to remember that babies can and will stick anything in their mouths because they have this sucking instinct and will suck on their hands, feet and whatever else they can fit into their little mouths. So, an edible moisturizer is preferable.
Cradle Cap is like baby dandruff. Usually it resolves it self and you don't have to apply anything to the wee one's noggin.
SWELLING
From all the squeezing through the birth canal and the mother's hormones the baby can have swollen breast tissue (boys as well as girls), a swollen scrotum, or swollen labia. The instructor said that milk can even be seen leaking out of the baby's nipples (even boys!) Poor babies. All this swelling will go away eventually.
GRANULATION CRYSTALS
Granulation crystals (the instructor didn't know if that was the correct term or not) may be found in the baby's urine soaked diaper in the beginning and sometimes there may be a little bit of blood. She said that it looks like sand. This is the cause of the urethra clearing itself out. This is nothing to be worried about, it is also normal.
So, there you have it - all the things I shouldn't worry about and that are normal in a newborn. Thank goodness I know about these otherwise I would be dialing 911 every hour.
No comments:
Post a Comment