Just the other day I was thinking how much longer before I can sleep properly and indulge in chocolate ice cream once again, and now Eva is more than 2 weeks old. Time really flies, as my mother reminded me the other day: 18 years will speed by so quickly, you'll miss it if you blink. And I believe her.
When Eva came out she was so small and fragile despite being close to 3 kg. I haven't weighed myself ever since the delivery so I have no idea how much gained weight I've lost. But Eva is putting on the pounds, although slowly. Well, at least her face is growing. Her limbs are still so skinny. Her tummy alternating between bulging and flattened, depending on how much she poops in a day.
If you haven't realized, a newborn's arms can lift only to the top of its head. This means she can't touch her two hands together if she raises it above her head, whereas you and I can grab both our own elbows above our heads. Try it with a newborn. If you're like my husband, you'll have a blast out of it.
Speaking of which, you know how it is that babies have heads that are disproportionate to their bodies? When I was born, I used to have an 'alien' head that my grandmother tries endlessly to 'mould' back to human form every time she bathes me. My daughter shares the trait. Probably because I have my mother's pelvic bone structure. My mother in law, however, is not the moulding kind. And she doesn't let me touch my daughter's head much either.
The older generation has a fear of the newborn's soft spot called the fontanelle. It's the part above the forehead which sometimes sinks in (due to dehydration) and sometimes pulse (I've seen it but I don't know the explanation for it). I've read somewhere that if the fontanelle bulges out, it is a sign of meningitis. Anyways, it is the part of the baby's skull which has not fused together. This is because the human brain will continue to develop and mature outside of the womb. If the human brain were to fully develop inside the mother's womb, she won't be able to safely deliver the baby due to the size of the head.
The skull of a baby will slowly fuse together at points called sutures and while they're at it, the shape of the head can still change constantly. If your baby is a selective sleeper, meaning she only sleeps on one side of her head (either left or right or looking straight up) then that particular part will flatten out on the long run. You won't be able to see it because of the hair, but if you touch it you will feel the head structure plateau out at the spot where the baby sleeps on the most. So it's good to help your baby switch sleeping sides often.
In the meantime, I'll try to mould her head to a respectable shape, whenever I get the chance.
1 comment:
ooo so that's what you call them.
but i'm pretty sure it's not due to dehydration. ok maybe tat's one of the factors. but it's very visible during rainy days or in cold conditions. plus, it goes back to normal once i used the medicated oil and the others.
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