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Nurturing a Newborn is a journey filled with surprises. No matter how many books you read or how many tips you gather from friends and family, nothing quite prepares you for the reality of bringing a newborn home. For one mum, the first six weeks of her baby’s life were a whirlwind of learning. Her TikTok video shed light on the quirks of newborns. Those odd, sometimes alarming traits that no one seems to talk about.
Here’s her story, interwoven with the experiences of other parents, and all the things she wishes she had known before becoming a mum.
Babies are noisy, something no one really mentions until you’re lying awake in the middle of the night, listening to their endless repertoire of hiccups, grunts, and gurgles. ‘They make noises that make you think they’re struggling to breathe or in pain. They’re not. It’s just how babies are,’ she shared.
Hiccups, for instance, can be particularly terrifying for new parents. ‘I thought my baby couldn’t breathe when she had hiccups,’ she admitted. But hiccups are completely normal and don’t bother babies at all.
Other parents shared similar stories in the comments. One mum confessed, ‘I was convinced my son was having trouble breathing because his nose whistled. One night, the whistling stopped, and I jumped out of bed to check him. We both cried because I scared him!’ Another added, ‘Googled every single one of these noises. Babies really do sound like they’re struggling, but they’re fine.’
@hillaryhelennn Newborns, always keeping us on our toes 🤪🤪🤪 #firsttimemom #newbornlife #postpartum #postpartumjourney #postpartumlife #newborn ♬ original sound - Hillary Wichlin
No one tells you this, but newborn skin peels. ‘It’s like they’re shedding their skin, especially on their hands and feet,’ she said. For a first-time mum, this can be alarming, but it’s simply their skin adjusting to the outside world.
Nicole, another mum, chimed in, ‘My daughter’s skin peeled so much in the first week, I thought she had a condition. But no, it’s just normal baby stuff.’ A good moisturiser and time are all you need to help them through this phase.
At around three to four weeks, baby acne often makes its unwelcome debut. ‘It looks painful, but it doesn’t bother them at all,’ she said. ‘Still, it’ll hurt your heart a little to see their perfect skin dotted with tiny red bumps.’
This temporary condition is caused by maternal hormones lingering in the baby’s system and will clear up on its own. She reassured parents not to panic. ‘It’s just one of those things you have to wait out.’
Cradle cap is one of those things you might hear about but aren’t truly prepared for until it happens. ‘It’s this thick, gunky layer on their scalp, and when you wash it, it comes off in a goopy mess,’ she explained.
Nicole, a fellow parent, shared, ‘My son had the worst cradle cap our family had ever seen, and now my daughter has it on her eyebrows!’ While it looks alarming, the cradle cap is harmless and can be managed with gentle washing and oils.
One of the most surprising revelations? ‘My baby’s poop was yellow with little seeds in it. At first, I was worried something was wrong, but it turns out it’s completely normal’ she said.
For breastfeeding parents, this mustard-like poop is a good sign that their baby is getting enough milk. While it might look odd, it’s just another part of the newborn experience.
Some babies are born with a fine layer of hair covering their bodies. She was surprised when her newborn arrived looking a bit like a tiny, fuzzy creature. This hair, called vellus hair or lanugo, helps keep babies warm in the womb and usually sheds within a few weeks.
@Quynci, another parent, added an interesting fact: ‘The ‘baby fur’ is called vellus hair. It’s the same type of hair that grows around your temples. That’s why we call it ‘baby hairs.’’
Baby rashes are another thing that no one prepares you for. From their face to their chest and even their feet, babies seem to develop rashes out of nowhere. ‘Every time I saw a rash, I thought it was something serious,’ she confessed. ‘But it’s just part of being a baby.’
Most rashes are harmless and resolve on their own, but it’s always a good idea to consult your healthcare provider if you’re unsure.
Parenting in the digital age comes with its own set of challenges. While the internet provides a wealth of information, it can also lead to endless spirals of worry. ‘If I can save someone just one hour of Googling, wondering if their baby is okay, then I’ve done my job,’ she said.
Doreen, a parent from an earlier generation, offered a different perspective: ‘Can you imagine? We didn’t have the internet. We had no idea what was happening. The only way we learned was by asking other mums.’
Her comment highlights the importance of community and shared wisdom.
The early weeks with a newborn can feel like stepping into a completely different world. Everything about your baby seems new and unexpected, leaving you questioning what’s normal and what’s not. Here’s a deeper dive into the key takeaways from her experience and the insights shared by other parents.
Babies are surprisingly noisy little creatures. From grunting and gurgling to hiccuping and sneezing, their repertoire of sounds can make you think something is wrong. Many parents have found themselves lying awake, worrying about their baby’s strange noises. The truth? These sounds are simply a sign that their tiny bodies are adjusting to life outside the womb.
For example, hiccups can feel particularly alarming to new parents. ‘I was terrified my baby couldn’t breathe,’ shared one parent. But babies don’t even seem to notice their hiccups. Grunting, meanwhile, is often linked to digestion or passing gas, and sneezing is just their way of clearing their little noses. These noises are all part of their natural development.
One of the first surprises parents face is how much a baby’s skin can change in those early days. It peels, gets acne, and may develop rashes seemingly out of nowhere. ‘When my baby’s skin started peeling, I thought something was wrong,’ she shared. ‘It’s just their skin adjusting to the outside world.’
Baby acne, which often shows up around three to four weeks, can tug at a parent’s heartstrings. Those tiny red bumps might look uncomfortable, but they’re completely harmless and don’t bother your baby at all. Meanwhile, rashes are so common they almost seem inevitable, appearing on their face, chest, back, and even feet. Most of these skin changes are harmless and will clear up with time, often needing no special treatment.
Cradle cap can be one of the more alarming things you’ll encounter as a new parent. That thick, flaky layer of skin on your baby’s scalp might look concerning, but it’s neither painful nor permanent. It’s caused by excess oil production and can be managed with gentle washing and baby-safe oils.
One mum shared her experience in the comments, saying, ‘My son had the worst cradle cap I’d ever seen. ’ While it might take a few weeks to fully clear up, the cradle cap is just another normal phase in a baby’s early development.
Nothing prepares you for the wild variety of baby poop. From the colour to the texture, it’s a whole new world. For breastfed babies, it’s normal for poop to be yellow and have tiny seed-like flecks. It might look unusual, but it’s actually a sign that their digestion is working as it should.
As your baby grows, their poop will continue to change, depending on their diet. While it might seem strange at first, monitoring their nappies becomes a natural part of parenting—one that many parents laugh about later on.
If your baby is born with a fine layer of hair on their body, don’t panic. This hair, known as lanugo, served an important purpose while they were in the womb, keeping them warm. It’s especially noticeable on preterm babies but can appear on full-term newborns too.
Parenting is messy, chaotic, and overwhelming. There’s no manual, and every baby is different. What’s clear from her story and the comments from other parents is that no one has all the answers, and that’s okay.
The first few weeks with a newborn are a crash course in patience, adaptability, and self-compassion. It’s a time of learning to trust your instincts and embracing the unpredictability of parenthood.
© Mindsmaking 2024
