- As a new parent,
it is quite common to notice unusual behaviors, quirks,
and other little things that your newborn does
that at first glance can be quite alarming,
but some things you might worry about
are normal and just part of development.
And the last thing you need as a new parent is more stress.
So let's talk about a few of the most common things
that you might see that look weird,
but are in fact totally normal,
and where that line is between normal
and when you should be concerned,
starting with newborn shakes.
So in newborns, the pathway that actually carries the signal
from the brain to the parts of the body
aren't yet fully developed,
and this can cause jerky or twitchy movements.
So it's really common to see jerky or twitchy movements
when your baby is going to sleep or asleep,
when they are crying or when they are hungry.
As your baby's nervous system matures,
these movements will actually become more fluid
and their hand and leg movements will become
a lot more controlled.
However, if you suspect seizures,
or you're concerned about shaky movements,
don't hesitate to call your pediatrician
just to double check.
And it's often really helpful
to record that suspicious activity
of your baby doing those jerky or twitchy movements
and bringing that along to your pediatrician appointment.
That way your doctor can actually see
what you're concerned about
and can either put your fears to rest,
or they can actually recommend what treatment is required
if the movements are indeed more
than just normal baby movements.
The next thing you will notice
is that newborn babies cry a lot,
but you will see that your newborn
doesn't actually produce tears when they're crying.
Now, this might make you worry that something is wrong.
However, not making tears right away is normal,
and this is because the glands
that produces the tears initially only produces
just enough tears to keep the eye moist and healthy.
They don't make enough to be seen as tears when crying.
And it isn't until around one to three months of age
that babies actually start shedding visible tears
when they are upset.
Now, producing tears is one of the many mini milestones
that your baby will achieve in their first year of life.
And if you want to know
what other amazing skills your little one
is actually going to learn before their first birthday,
make sure you click on the link in the description box below
to get your free Developmental Milestone PDF.
This will help to alleviate some
of the stress you might have in their first year,
as well as give you an indication
on when you need to be concerned
about your baby's achievement of their milestones.
While we're on the topic of eyes,
another thing you may notice is that your little one's eye
or eyes start to water constantly,
even when they are not upset.
And immediately you and others may think
that your baby has conjunctivitis.
And this is exactly what I thought
when my firstborn's eyes started to water constantly.
So tears are actually made by glands underneath the eyelids
and these tears actually wash over the eyes
to keep them moist and clean,
and then they drain through tear ducts.
However, when the tear duct is actually blocked
or too narrow,
the tears simply cannot drain and they fall constantly
from your baby's eye or eyes.
Babies with blocked tear ducts usually show symptoms
between birth and 12 weeks of age,
and this usually isn't a cause for concern,
and most cases of blocked tear ducts will resolve
on their own by your baby's first birthday.
However, if you notice your baby's eye is red
or their eyelid is swollen,
then it's important to check in with their doctor
to rule out any infection.
And also, it's important to see your doctor
if the blocked tear duct hasn't gone away
by the time your baby is one year of age.
You may also notice that your baby spits up or has reflux.
Now, spitting up or reflux is something
a lot of newborns and babies experience,
and this is because the sphincter
that is between the food pipe and the stomach is immature
and doesn't actually close properly.
And because their diet consists of breast milk or formula,
which is a liquid,
it easily flows out of this opening and back up their mouth
and then out of their mouth.
Now, the majority of babies do not tend to be bothered
by the spitting up,
and most infants will stop spitting up
once their sphincter matures
and they start to spend more time sitting up.
As long as your child is happy and gaining weight,
you don't need to be concerned if they do spit up.
However, for some babies,
reflux or spitting up is painful
and it can lead to poor weight gain.
And for these babies,
it's important to talk to your pediatrician
about what the next steps may be.
You may also notice your newborn's smooth,
soft skin starts to develop small red bumps
on their cheek, nose, or forehead.
And if these small red bumps develop within the first two
to four weeks after birth it is highly likely
that your little one has baby acne.
Fortunately, there's no reason to actually be concerned
about baby acne,
which occurs in one in five newborns.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that you can actually do
to stop your little one from getting baby acne
as the cause of it is unknown.
Some researchers believe that it's due
to the maternal hormone circulating in your baby's system,
where others believe it's because the pores
in your newborn's skin aren't completely developed
and your baby may be susceptible to developing acne caused
by some external irritant.
But the good news is that the baby acne
will usually clear up on its own within three to four months
without any scarring.
Now, if you are concerned that your baby's skin irritation
could be something more than baby acne,
or you're concerned about any aspect
of your baby's complexion,
it is important to consult with their doctor
or pediatrician, just to be sure.
You may also notice that your newborn's head appears
to be misshapen.
And it's extremely common for newborn babies
to have an unusual shaped head.
And this could be due to the position they were in
in the uterus during pregnancy,
or it could be caused by the molding,
so that changing shape of the head during labor,
or it could be due to instruments
that were used during delivery.
So for example, your baby's head may look a little squished
if you had a long labor, or if you had a vaginal birth.
Now, most babies' heads should go back to a normal shape
within about six weeks after birth.
However, if you notice at around six to eight weeks of age,
your baby has a flat spot on the back or side of their head,
or they continue to have an unusual shaped head,
then do make sure you check in with a physical therapist
or physiotherapist to make sure your baby
doesn't have positional plagiocephaly or craniosynostosis,
which is a birth defect in which the bones
in the baby's skull actually joined together too early,
and this can have an impact on that developing brain
and does require urgent treatment.
And while you're waiting for that appointment,
the next thing you want to do is actually check out this video
to find out what you can actually start doing today
to stop that flat spot going from a mild flattening
to a severe case.
Thanks for watching
and I will see next week for more parenting tips and tricks.