In our continuing series on normal variation in newborn appearance, we will next look at your baby’s adorable little face.
It is common for there to be some swelling around your baby’s eyes. This will often look worse than it is, and is accentuated by the ointment placed in your baby’s eyes shortly after birth. This ointment helps keep baby’s eyes safe.
It is also common for the baby’s nose to look a bit flattened or his ears to look a bit squished. These are all after-effects of passage through the birth canal, and resolve typically in only a few days.
Speaking of nose, your baby may have milia, which is sometimes referred to as “milk bumps.†These are tiny, white spots that look like pimples on the baby’s nose. These will clear up on their own and do not require any treatment.
You may be surprised to see that your baby has very sparse eyelashes. This too will soon resolve itself. While you are anxious to see what color eyes your baby has, remember that his eye color make take from weeks to even years to fully develop.
Your baby may have soft, downy hair on his face, cheeks, forehead, shoulders and back. This fine downy hair is called lanugo. It typically disappears before your baby is born, but it is found in some newborns, particularly babies who are born early. This too will resolve on its own.
