The newborn period, otherwise known as the neonatal period, is the first 28 days of a person's life, according to the World Health Organization. For brand new parents, these 28 days can mark a time of unprecedented joy interspersed with confusion and exhaustion. Knowing in advance what to expect during those 28 days can ease the transition into caring for another human life.
Appearance
In real life, newborns aren't typically the chubby and pristine-looking babies seen on television. Due to their immature circulation, in the first 48 hours their skin will initially be dull red, bluish gray or purplish gray depending on their heritage. Their appearance will also be affected by womb living. For example, most full-term babies are covered in a white substance known as vernix, and their faces will look a bit puffy. Some of their limbs might be bowed inward. All of these features are normal, and most of the time, they will go away quickly.
Senses
Newborn babies have well-developed senses of touch, taste, hearing and smell. They are able to enjoy the taste and smell of their mothers' milk, recognize their mothers' voices and feel comforted by a warm embrace. On the other hand, newborns don't have an acute sense of sight. They are able to distinguish between light and dark, but they can't see in color and their eyes aren't usually well-coordinated. Moreover, newborns are near-sighted to the point of only being able to focus on objects about 10 inches from their faces, according to About Kids Health online. Fortunately, this line of sight is all they need to be able to focus on their mothers' faces, which they can distinguish from other faces. Babies' vision becomes more acute within the first three months.
Reflexes
Infants are born with many primitive reflexes, also called newborn reflexes. Many of these reflexes have an obvious survival value. One such reflex is the rooting reflex. For about the first 4 months of life, a baby will turn his head and open his mouth in search of a nipple when his cheek or mouth is stroked. Another reflex is the grasping reflex. Up to the age of 6 months, a baby forcefully grips any object placed in his palm.
Feeding
Since human breast milk is considered the most nutritious food for a newborn or young infant, the World Health Organization recommends that mothers feed their babies exclusively breast milk for about the first 6 months of life. In a newborn's first few days, she will receive only small amounts of a milky substance called colostrum, which will offer a boost to her immune system and provide her with sugars for energy. Her body is equipped with enough energy to survive off of colostrum until more milk comes in at about the third or fourth day. Mothers who don't wish to (or cannot) breastfeed may opt to order human milk from a human milk bank or purchase manufactured formula.
Home Care
About Kids Health recommends that parents make newborn home care as easy as possible by dressing a newborn in basic, button and zipper-free clothing. It also recommends consolidating diaper supplies and keeping them close at hand in order to make diapering go smoothly. Moreover, parents should take care of their newborn's skin, nails and gums on a regular basis and seek advice from a pediatrician when necessary. Parents shouldn't bathe their newborn in a tub, but stick to simple sponge bathing until the umbilical stump has fallen off and the surrounding skin has healed.
