Growth Story of a Treasure: Baby Chapter

Author: Xiao Yan, Zhang Yanqin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features:
Baby's First Week
Right after birth, the baby's skin is red and cool, with wet hair clinging to the scalp. The limbs are curled up tightly, as if cold, and the hands are clenched tightly. The cry is loud. From the moment of birth to the full moon, this little life is no longer called a fetus but a newborn. The normal weight of a newborn is usually between 2,500 and 4,000 grams, with a length of 46–52 centimeters, a head circumference of 34 centimeters, and a chest circumference slightly smaller than the head circumference by 1–2 centimeters. The head of a newborn is relatively large, and due to compression in the birth canal, it may be slightly deformed. The fontanelle on the top of the head is diamond-shaped, about 2x2 centimeters in size, and you can see the clear of subcutaneous soft tissue. This is formed because the skull has not yet fully closed and needs to be protected from bumps—this can be done by hand. The baby's face looks slightly swollen, with thick eyelids and a flat nose bridge. Most babies look somewhat similar. At this stage, the baby's cry is not very loud, and the breathing rate is 40–50 times per minute. The body temperature of the baby is approximately 36.8–37.2°C within the first 8 hours after birth. More than half of the babies develop jaundice 2–3 days after birth, which usually disappears by the 7th day. Pathological jaundice requires medical treatment. The umbilical cord usually falls off within 4–7 days, so special attention must be paid to umbilical cord care to prevent infection. If the meconium has not passed within 48 hours after birth, it is also necessary to consult a doctor.
A newborn's vision range is very limited, only able to see objects about 15 centimeters away. Therefore, to make the baby see you, you must bring your face close to the baby. The first time a newborn breastfeeds is called "lactation initiation." Doctors will usually encourage you to breastfeed the baby within 30 minutes to 1 hour after birth, and it should not be later than 6 hours. This is very beneficial for stimulating the breasts to produce milk early, accelerating uterine contraction and recovery, and helping the baby expel meconium as soon as possible to avoid jaundice.
Now, both you and your husband need to adapt to your new roles and responsibilities. The first task for a newborn is to adapt to this completely new external environment. Compared to the intrauterine environment, the outside world is unfamiliar, cold, bright, noisy, and suddenly much more spacious. At this stage, the baby prefers to be wrapped in a blanket or sheet, as this makes him feel warmer and safer, like being in his mother's womb.
Baby's Second Week
This week, the baby is continuing to work hard to adapt to this new environment. For him, the outside world is noisy and bright compared to the uterus, which is somewhat unfamiliar. However, you will find that the baby is improving every day, and his adaptability is quite strong.
At birth, the baby's weight may temporarily decrease. This is because the baby is eating less milk, combined with the passage of meconium and urine, as well as the loss of some body fluids through sweating and breathing. This temporary weight loss, known medically as "physiological weight loss," usually does not exceed 300 grams. As the baby's milk intake increases, his weight begins to recover from the 4th or 5th day, and by this week, it can return to the birth weight.
You will notice that the baby's limb movements are involuntary and reflexive. For example, when startled by a loud noise, the limbs will instinctively curl toward the chest. This is a new