7 things no one tells you about babies!

Babies bring much joy to all those they come into contact with (even when they’re screaming their heads off for hours on end). But when you’re a new mum there are many surprises in store.

Here are seven things no one tells you about babies.

1. Some are noisy sleepers

Goodness! From one mum to another, babies can be noisy little sleepers. They make the most adorable (and slightly hilarious) little grumbles in their sleep. It’s totally sweet…until you are desperate for some shut-eye yourself.

Please note: While it is NORMAL for babies to make these noises in their sleep, it is important to know the signs of respiratory distress. According to What To Expect signs to look out for include;

Rapid breathing: Your baby’s breathing rate jumps significantly. That it, it increases to more than 70 breaths/minute.
Nostril flaring: If your baby constantly flares his or her nostrils – this could be a sign they are working extra hard to breathe.
Retractions: The muscles in baby’s chest are contracting way more deeply than usual.

2. Insatiable appetite

Usually on the second or third night after birth, most babies cluster feed where they want to suckle almost constantly for hours on end. Often this is to bring your milk in or because they are thirsty. The biggest shock most mums have is how often they want to feed, every two hours (often more) for the first few months.

3. Weird poo

Nothing can prepare you for the myriad of types of poo that babies produce. And don’t even get me started on the amount. It’s quite incredible that such a small thing can make so much waste. And unless your baby is formula fed, their poo is generally runny, it can look like seeded mustard. Formula poo is grey, green or brown in colour and can look a bit like ice-cream!

Did you know that a newborn can poop anywhere between 1 and 10 times a day? However, if you are concerned with your baby’s poo and or whether they are going too much (or too little) ALWAYS chat with your healthcare practitioner.

4. Cold feet

It’s tempting to rug your baby up because their feet feel cold all the time. However, the best place to check their temperature is their torso/chest. If this is warm then, no need to panic. Babies don’t have fabulous circulatory systems and it can take three months for this to be fully functioning.

5. Mini Houdini

Despite my best efforts to swaddle my baby, somehow all three of them have wriggled out of their wraps at some stage. The reason we swaddle a baby is to give them the feeling of being snug and to stop the startle reflex from waking them up.

Heres How To Wrap Your Baby For A Full Nights Sleep.

6. Cradle cap and milk spots

Those adorable white spots that look like pimples and turn up on their faces shouldn’t be squeezed. However, if they have a thick layer of yellow cradle cap, you can gently remove it with baby oil. But it usually just comes back!

Again, if you are concerned – always chat with your healthcare practitioner. Here are 14 Other Newborn Rashes You Need To Know About.

7. Soft spot

Babies have soft spots, fontanelles, on their heads and sometimes they PULSE! It’s a little unnerving to say the least. But eventually the head bones will meet and fuse and the soft spots will close.

Did you know?

At birth, your baby’s head bones were relatively soft and connected by tissue. When your baby was passing through the birth canal, her head was able to change shape as the bones slide over each other.

This is called moulding and this process helped your baby to get through the narrow birth canal and be born.

Your baby’s head is the largest part of her, so moulding is nature’s clever way of temporarily making it smaller.

Interesting, isn’t it?!

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