Newborn and 1-Week-Old Baby

What makes your baby weigh more or less than the newborn in the next bassinet?

Several factors come into play, including your own diet and weight, both before and during pregnancy.

Other factors that can play a role include your prenatal health, your own birth weight, genetics, whether your baby is a boy or a girl (boys tend to weigh more, though it varies), whether this is your firstborn (they tend to be smaller than subsequent children), whether your baby is a twin or triplet (multiples often weigh less than singletons), and your baby’s race (white babies can sometimes weigh more than Black American, Asian American or Native American infants).

You've just pushed out some 7 pounds of baby, give or take — and things are going to be tender in that region for a little while. So it’s only natural that you might be stressed about having to push out that first postpartum poop too.

And don’t be surprised if your first stool after delivery is a bit slow in coming. For one thing, your stomach muscles, which help you go, have become stretched and weakened. For another, your bowel itself may be reluctant to get back to work right away — especially if those muscles were traumatized during childbirth (give me a break, will ya?).

Aside from that, but just as powerful, is the fear factor. You're probably worried about splitting your stitches (don't worry, you won't), aggravating your hemorrhoids, experiencing intense pain (again, so soon?!!), or being embarrassed, especially if you're still sharing a room in the hospital.

But the sooner you get your bowels moving again, the better all around.

As always, fiber and liquids are your friends (though don't overdo either), and a little walking can help too (easy does it at first). If necessary, a stool softener and a mild laxative can team up to make that first movement a little less uncomfortable, but ask your practitioner first.

The fine, downy hair that might be covering your baby's body is called lanugo, and it will fall out within the next few weeks. Slated to go, too, may be the luxurious mane your baby might be sporting.

That first head of hair — if your baby has hair at all — might be replaced by locks that are entirely different in texture and color.

And that swollen scrotum on your baby boy or those swollen labia on your little girl? Perfectly normal (they're due to hormones of yours still circulating in your newborn's body). They’re also temporary, and will be down to baby proportions before you know it.

If you pushed long and hard to get that cute little baby out, you may feel as though you've gone a few rounds in the ring — and you may look that way too.

Black, blue and bloodshot eyes are typical of brand new moms, but this postpartum symptom is harmless and temporary, the result of straining the muscles in your face when pushing.

The good news is that the bruising and redness will disappear and your eyes will return to normal in a matter of weeks or even days.

What might linger a little longer is puffiness around the eyes if you have it. Fatigue (which will soon become your middle name) and extra bodily fluids (still left over from pregnancy) are to thank for that postpartum symptom.

So what to do? Applying a cold compress to your eyes a few times a day can help. Cold tea bags work well too — tea contains tannin, a natural astringent that may help reduce swelling. You can also try an eye gel, which you can keep chilled in the fridge, that contains such depuffing ingredients as arnica, chamomile and cucumber, or try to prevent baggy eyes in the first place by sleeping on a couple of pillows to raise your head and avoiding salty foods and alcohol. And, of course, rest, rest, rest whenever you can, though we know that’s a challenge. The good news? This, too, shall pass!

A common condition that turns a baby's skin yellowish, jaundice occurs in 60 percent of all babies, typically showing up two to three days after birth and lasting a week to 10 days (and sometimes longer in preemies and breastfed babies).

In most cases, jaundice goes away either on its own or with minimal treatment.

Although there isn't anything you can do to prevent jaundice, it's important to watch for the telltale signs, especially since the condition may not develop until after you bring your baby home from the hospital. That way, you can check in with the pediatrician about it to see if any treatment is necessary.

Jaundice often appears on the face first, and then spreads to the rest of the baby's body, including the whites of the eyes.

A good way to check a lighter-skinned baby for jaundice is to put your little one in natural sunlight and gently press baby’s forehead and nose with your fingers. In darker-skinned babies, the yellowing may be visible only in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, so do the same test there.

If the skin appears yellowish where you made the impressions, call your pediatrician.

The doctor will probably want to examine your baby and take a blood sample to determine the levels of bilirubin, a pigment that is produced in the blood when the body breaks down old red blood cells.

Parents aren't born — they're made on the job: one dirty diaper, one marathon feeding session, one bath, one outing (including one outing when you forget to pack wipes and you suddenly need them urgently), one sleepless night at a time.

Luckily, babies are forgiving as you learn. And what might help most — besides the passing of time and the accumulation of experience — is to know that you're in good company.

Every mom, even those seasoned pros you probably eye with envy, feels overwhelmed in those early weeks, especially when postpartum exhaustion teamed with recovery from childbirth are taking their toll.

So cut yourself plenty of slack (and cut yourself a piece of cheese and a slice of bread too — low blood sugar can contribute to that overwhelmed feeling). Give yourself plenty of time to adjust and get with the program of parenting.

Pretty soon, the everyday challenges of baby care won't be so challenging anymore. In fact, they'll come so naturally, you'll be able to do them in your sleep (and will often feel as though you are). You'll be diapering, feeding, burping and soothing with the best of them. You'll be a parent — and parents, in case you haven't heard, can do anything.

Around two to five days after delivery, after the colostrum stage when your milk comes in, your breasts will become engorged and astonishingly hard — hard as a rock, or rather two rocks. Two very achy rocks.

If you're not breastfeeding, the engorgement should subside within a few days. In this case, you'll want to wear a snug-fitting bra to minimize engorgement.

You'll also want to avoid any kind of nipple stimulation or milk expression — otherwise, your breasts will continue to produce milk. Ice packs can help with the discomfort.

If you are breastfeeding, you can expect engorgement to diminish within two to three days. But it may take a few weeks for your baby and your breasts to work out a good supply-and-demand relationship.

Until then, there are some steps you can take to minimize the pain and discomfort of engorgement, including feeding your baby every two to three hours, using warm compresses before a feeding session and cold compresses after, expressing a little milk with a pump or by hand, and massaging your breasts.