So you’ve read every baby book and listened to all the talk shows – but there are some things about babies that no one tells you. These things are often strange and sometimes scary, though once you know what they are you can avoid the shock factor.
 
Sometimes, they’re covered in hair
Not all babies are born smooth, so if your baby comes out covered in hair, then don’t worry. They aren’t half werewolf, they just have yet to shed the hair that covers their skin in the uterus. The hair is called lanugo and if your baby is born premature, they are more likely to have it. Apparently the hair regulates the baby’s temperature while in the womb. If your baby is born without the hair, it means they shed the hair inside you, and then ate it, but we’d rather not think about that. Thankfully, there’s no need to invest in a razor for your hairy baby, the hair will fall out after a couple of weeks.
 
They sleep with their eyes open
Sometimes, when your baby is in a deep sleep you’ll see that their eyes are not only open, but also rolling around in their little head. This may be slightly alarming and a little bit creepy but don’t worry, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. 50% of your baby’s sleep is REM sleep, compared to the 20% of REM we get as adults. This is the most active sleep stage and REM stands for ‘rapid eye movement’, so that’s why their eyes are going crazy.
 
Vomit can sometimes come out their nose
If you’re eating right now, stop reading here, because this is disgusting. Your baby’s oesophagus and stomach isn't fully developed at first, so sometimes vomit can creep back up their throat and out their nose, aswell as their mouth. It’s not nice, but it’s nothing to worry about. After time, they will develop the abilities to stop this from happening. In the meantime, you’re just going to have to stock up on tissues.
 
Their soft spot pulsates
Everyone knows about a baby’s soft spot on the top of their head, but did you know that the reason it’s called the ‘fontanelle’ is because it’s like a fountain, in the sense that it pulses. Yes, if you put your hand on your baby’s head you can feel their brain pulsing.
 
Girls can have a period
If you open your baby’s nappy and see blood, there isn’t necessarily something wrong. When your baby was tucked away safely in your womb, they were ingesting everything you ingested, and sometimes your hormones can pass through the placenta as well. When the hormones are cut off after birth the lining of her uterus sheds and she has a period. But as always, if you’re really worried, there’s no harm in asking your doctor just to be sure.
 

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