Being responsible for a newborn baby is not something people usually encounter until they themselves become parents. This makes most parents total newbies. There are many surprises new parents encounter that can be confusing, exhausting, frustrating, or slightly shocking. It helps to do some research before you enter into your bold adventure.

1-Your Baby’s Looks

Babies freshly born can be wrinkly, covered with fine hair (which goes away over time), or have a squashed-looking face. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For some parents, though, the love factor doesn’t alter perceptions about the appearance of their offspring. Don’t panic, if your child looks like a tiny old person. It’s perfectly normal, and your baby will start looking like members of the family eventually—maybe even a mini version of you!

2-Your Baby’s Appetite

Newborns have tiny stomachs that need frequent fill-ups. A newborn needs to be fed every two to three hours starting out. Then for months, feedings are every three hours. All a baby should have for all these meals is breast milk or formula. It’s dangerous to feed an infant solids too early.

3-Your Baby’s Poop

Many parents panic when they see the greenish black poo in their newborn’s diaper. No need to panic! That is just meconium, a substance that lined your baby’s intestines while in the womb. This kind of poo is sticky. Dip a ball of cotton wool in water for cleanup. To make removal easier next time, apply some petroleum jelly to your newborn’s bottom.

4-Your Baby’s Sleep Patterns

Fortunately, babies sleep a lot. Tired parents should take advantage of those frequent naps to catch up on any sleep deficit. The thing is that babies also wake up during the night a lot. A tiny newborn’s hungry belly can’t usually wait until morning for another feeding. Some parents are lucky because their babies start sleeping all night very early on. But don’t count on it. Those kind of babies are few and far between.

5-Your Baby’s Skin

A newborn has delicate skin, and it’s recommended that parents use fragrance-free products so as not to cause irritation. Such products include fragrance-free bath soap, lotion, and laundry soap.

6-Your Baby’s Noises

Newborn babies can have very healthy lungs, which they exercise frequently with crying. Other noises they make include groaning, grunting, and snorting. If your baby’s narrow nasal passages make interesting sound effects due to trapped mucus, you can use a saline spray to clean them out.

7-Your Baby’s Persistent Crying

Babies cry when they are: Hungry; need to burp; sleepy; need to fart; in need of a diaper change; uncomfortable; too hot or too cold; in pain, perhaps because he scratched himself; teething; overstimulated by the world around them; feeling ill; or just wanting to be held.

8-Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord

The unsightly black umbilical cord needs to be kept dry and should be left alone until it falls off naturally. There is an increased risk of infection, if it is forcibly removed. During the 1-to-2-week period the umbilical stump is still there, the biggest challenge is putting on diapers, which should be tucked under at the belly button. Otherwise, it could cause irritation on the baby’s skin.

What to Dress your Newborn In

Once you know the routine, it’s easier to relax and enjoy the ride of raising a baby from birth. If you aren’t sure what to dress your baby in, a onesie is usually always a perfect choice. You can choose a sarcastically helpful baby onesie, a slightly inappropriate baby onesie, a baby onesie with a great message, and more.

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