Is My Baby Dead?

When we welcome our little angels into this world, it usually takes some time for them to adjust to their environment.

This are 8 things you might or might 'not' have noticed in your newborn

Their First Poop Doesn't Stink.

As a new mom, you'll notice that when it's time for that diaper change there's a black, tar-like stuff. Well, this 'stuff' is called Meconium, it is made up of mucus, fluid from the womb, and anything else they digested while inside mom.

This is because their system doesn't yet have the gut bacteria that make poop smelly. As soon as you start feeding a baby, bacteria will start colonizing their intestines. After a day or so, bowel movements become green, yellow, or brown and then you start to smell that 'familiar' odor.

Is My Baby Dead?

Sometimes babies stop breathing when they're sleeping, they may pause without a breath for 5 to 10 seconds just enough time to make you panic. Irregular breathing is normal. (But if your baby stops breathing for a longer time or turns blue, it’s a medical emergency.) When babies are excited or after crying, they may take more than 60 breaths in a minute.

Your Newborn's tonsils have taste buds.

Even though a baby has about the same number of taste sensors as kids and younger adults, they cover more areas, including the tonsils (either of two small masses of lymphoid tissue in the throat, one on each side of the root of the tongue) and the back of the throat. Your newborn can taste sweet, bitter, and sour, but not salty (until around 5 months). It's a matter of survival. To them, breast milk is sweet, while bitter and sour may be harmful.

When they start on solid food, they'll tend to like the same things you ate while pregnant and breastfeeding (So make sure you take more vegetables while you're at it).

Do You Know They Cry Without Tears At First?

Yes, newborn cry without tears around 2-3 weeks until they're about a month old. Late afternoon and early evening are prime time 'crying time'. Most times, it's for no reason, and nothing you do will help.

"Peak crying" is around 46 weeks after gestation or age 6-8 weeks for full-term babies. After 3 months, the storm has usually passed. (Preemies tend to be older since they were born early.)

Newborns have breasts, Oh Yes They Do!

When they’re first born, both boys and girls can look like they have small breasts. These may even leak milk! but don't squeeze the firm little lumps though. They form because babies absorb estrogen from their mothers and they'll usually go away within a few weeks. Baby girls could also have a mini period that lasts a few days.

They Like To Face Right While On Their Backs

Only 15% of newborns prefer to turn their head left when lying on their back. It seems to be related to a gene, like having dimples. This bias lasts for a few months, and it may help explain why more people are right-handed, too.

Baby Boys Get Erections

There is no exact explanation for this but it often happens just before they pee. (Consider it your warning to take cover during a diaper change!). There is nothing to be worried or ashamed about. You might even see one on an ultrasound before he's born.

His penis may look large at birth, and that's normal, too. His hormones and mom's play a role, as well as bruising and swelling from the birth process.

They Sometimes Scare Themselves

It doesn’t take much to startle a newborn, a loud noise, strong scent, bright light, sudden motion, even their own cries.

You'll know it's happened when he flings his arms out to the sides, hands open, then quickly closes up and tucks back in toward his body. This Moro reflex might have developed as a warning signal that a young monkey was off-balance, so mom could prevent a fall.

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