Getting to know and understand your baby's body can help you to feel more comfortable holding, handling, and carrying him. Can you hurt your baby if you are too rough? Of course you can, but babies aren't easily “breakable” if you do things in a gentle and caring manner.

Floppy Heads

Knowing that your baby has a floppy head is probably one of the most important things to understand about his little body. If you don't support his head and neck when lifting, carrying, or turning your baby over, you could very easily hurt him. His poor head control and lack of strong neck muscles can cause his head to quickly fall or flop backward. You should continue to use one hand to support your baby's head and neck until he develops better head control in later months.

The Soft Spot

Your baby's soft spot, or fontanel, is one area of his body that you might be trying to avoid. Many new parents worry that if they touch their baby's head, they might push all the way through the soft spot. Although this part of his head isn't protected by bone, it is still fairly tough and is not easy to push through during the regular day-to-day tasks that you do to take care of your baby. So don't become overly worried about the soft spot when you put on your baby's hat, brush or wash his hair, or simply pat his head. Still, there is no reason to directly try to push on his soft spot.

Your baby's soft spot can also alert you to when he is sick. A sunken fontanel can be a sign of dehydration, and would be something to worry about if your baby also is vomiting, has diarrhea, or isn't eating well. On the other hand, a bulging fontanel can be a sign of raised pressure inside your baby's head. Babies with a bulging fontanel also are likely to be fussy or have a fever. Without any other symptoms, small changes in the fontanel may be normal. It is also normal if you sometimes see the fontanel pulsate in rhythm with your baby's heartbeat.

Umbilical Cord Stump

Your baby's umbilical cord stump is probably going to be another part of his body that you try to avoid. Until it completely falls off by two to three weeks, it might look strange, could smell or bleed, or even have some discharge. A little care and attention is important though, and can help to prevent any more serious problems from developing.

First, remember to keep his cord dry. That means no real baths until it falls off. Until then, just continue to give him sponge baths when necessary. It can also help if you leave his cord exposed to the air by not letting it be covered by his diaper or clothes. Last, many doctors will advise you to apply rubbing alcohol to the base of his cord with gauze or a cotton swab, as long as you don't overdo it.

Advice on cord care is surprisingly controversial. Many experts now advocate “dry cord care,” or basically doing nothing at all and simply watching for signs of an infection. Some others still recommend applying alcohol a few times a day. Just don't overdo it, like applying alcohol to your baby's cord with each diaper change, which might be ten to twelve times each day if you are breastfeeding. Some studies have shown that applying alcohol too frequently can make it take longer for the cord to come off. Whatever method you choose, call your pediatrician if your child does develop an infection of the umbilical cord stump, known as omphalitis. Signs can include a persistent, foul-smelling discharge and redness around his belly button.

Your Baby's Body in Motion

You might be surprised by the way your baby moves during his first few weeks. Instead of smooth, purposeful movements, your baby will normally make quick, jerking movements. Chin quivering and occasional trembling of his hands are also normal.

One sign that a baby's movements are not normal is if he is not moving both of his arms and legs equally. For example, if he consistently doesn't move one arm, that could be a sign of nerve damage or a fractured clavicle (collarbone). Rhythmic movements, like jerking his arm or leg once every second, can be a sign of a seizure. You should call your pediatrician if you notice either of these patterns of movement or if you have any other concerns about the way that your baby moves his body.

Are Girls Different?

Sure girls are different, but most of the ways they are different won't become important until much later. When your daughter gets older, you may have to worry about girl clothes, girl issues, and of course, puberty. In early infancy, those changes aren't as important.

There are a few things that you should be aware of, though, when caring for a baby girl. The first is that it isn't unusual for a newborn baby girl to have a little vaginal discharge. This discharge will be clear or white, will not have a foul odor, and can simply be wiped away. Keep in mind that the discharge can be a little blood-tinged, and that can still be normal. This discharge is caused by the effects of the hormone estrogen that the baby gets from her mother before being born, and the effect usually wears off by the time she is about two weeks old.

The other big thing that you should understand about your little girl is how to clean and change her. When changing diapers, use a fresh diaper wipe or washcloth to also wipe your baby's vaginal area from front to back. That means going from the top of the vaginal area down toward her bottom. If you go the other away, then you may push up bacteria from her bottom into her vaginal area, leading to infections.

And Those Boys …

Dads usually have an easier time understanding a baby boy's body, because they are familiar with all of the anatomy. There are a few things that you might find surprising or different, though. One of the most common is that one or both of your baby's testicles might be undescended in early infancy. They usually descend later on their own, although sometimes surgery is required to treat this condition. Be sure to alert your pediatrician if you think your baby's testicles are undescended.

A circumcised dad might also be a little confused if his son is left intact, just as an uncircumcised father can be confused about a circumcised son. Either way, your baby's penis will not need any special care in early infancy, and you can just wash it like you do the rest of his body when you give him a bath.