Seeing your New Baby

Let’s be honest: The first newborn picture seldom makes it into the baby album.

The birth process is messy. Most babies are dusky at birth, and their first reaction to the world outside the womb communicates just how startling it must feel, even with the most gentle birth. A newborn’s crying is a very normal reaction to going from night to day, from a warm cocoon to what must feel like a free fall, and from sounds that are muffled by layers of skin and fluid to direct human contact with voices that are, undoubtedly, very excited.

His umbilical cord is still attached and his skin looks gooey and messy. But he’s covered with a natural protector called vernix, and he has picked up some naturally occurring blood from the birth canal. His eyes and genitals are swollen. His natural instinct to cry can be just the right thing during this period; he needs to take deep breaths to help bring out his natural color. Amazingly, within 30 minutes, this baby is ready to pose for the heartwarming picture we all expect. Much of his vernix is absorbed while he has his first feeding. The blood is easily wiped off and the swelling starts to decrease immediately. His umbilical cord has been cut and clamped, he obviously feels very secure in his new surroundings, and he is ready for a nap. His little legs are still used to being cramped close to his body, and he has even begun to peel a layer of skin off of his feet. Look closely, because in another 30 minutes he will change again.

*taken from “At First Sight,” Every Baby magazine, Issue Four