7 Signs To Know Your Baby Is Normal

Thursday, May 3, 2012, 14:48

Most expectant parents wish and pray for nothing more than a normal baby. Normal here means healthy; basically, physically and mentally sound. If you expect your new born baby to look like a picture postcard baby, then be prepared to be disappointed. A baby just after birth look will be far from perfect but that will change in the next few weeks.

You need to check the vital signs to ensure that your baby is normal. Here are some of the signs that will help you know that you have given birth to a healthy baby.

Signs To Know Your Baby Is Normal:

1. Did you hear the baby cry?: The first thing that the baby does after birth is wail. Just as the baby cries, its heart starts pumping on its own. If the newborn doesn't cry due to shock, the doctor slaps the baby's butt to make it cry. This will happen in front of your eyes if you have a vaginal delivery.

2. 10 Fingers and toes: It is an age old tradition that grandmothers count the babies fingers and toes to ensure that they have got a set of ten each. It is basically a ritual to ensure that the baby has no physical deformities like webbed feet or a missing toe.

3. Eyeball movement: A newborn baby's cornea is not fully developed and it is common for them to keep their eyes shut. However, the eyes should open in a couple of days. When baby does open its eyes, try to distract it with a moving finger or a toy to see if the eyeball is moving in response to stimuli.

4. Sound hearing abilities: Initially it is difficult to predict whether your baby is hearing correctly or not. But you can make a fair guess by making aloud sound when your baby is sleeping.

5. Birth weight: It is normal for the baby to lose weight after birth but this should not be more than 10 per cent of its total weight.

6. Hungry baby is a healthy baby: If your newborn baby takes the breastfeed enthusiastically then it indicates that the baby is feeling pangs of hunger. A baby is normal when it eats (drinks milk) and sleeps well. It shows that the baby craves energy.

7. Facial features: Most baby's born of vaginal deliveries have an elongated head. It is due to the struggle of coming out through a narrow passage but, it will change in few weeks. You need to check for other abnormalities in facial features like crooked nose or drooping mouth (symptoms of Down's syndrome).

When were you assured that your baby is normal. Share your experiences with us.