Chorevia

Day 13 of 60 · Week 2

Skin and small worries

Last reviewed · 3 min read · 11 sources · Plain-text version

Bumps, pimples, peeling, sneezes, hiccups, swollen bits, breathing that pauses: what's normal on a two-week-old, and the few things that aren't.

In warm lamplight on a bed, a mother strokes the legs of her diaper-only newborn lying on their back on a soft towel, the baby's cheeks lightly peeling.

By now you know every inch of this baby, which means you've found every bump, flake, and twitch. Today is a tour of the small stuff. Most of it is normal. A little is a call.

Heart

Worrying is part of the job, and so is calling. Nobody will think less of you for asking about a pimple.

Newborns prefer soft touch (AAP), so today's activity is a slow massage. Be honest about what it is: a Cochrane review of 34 studies found mostly poor-quality evidence and did not support routine massage for healthy, low-risk babies (Bennett et al., 2013). It's a way to connect, not a treatment.

Head

Sneezing is how babies clear dust, fuzz, smoke, or strong smells from their noses; it isn't an allergy (AAP). Hiccups often come from overeating or a little stomach acid, and they bother parents more than babies. If they start during a feed, change position or try a burp; if they don't stop in 5 to 10 minutes, try feeding again for a few minutes (AAP).

Breathing that pauses is normal too. Pauses of less than 10 seconds are called periodic breathing, and the rate should stay below 60 breaths a minute (AAP).

Body

Tiny white bumps on the nose and cheeks (milia) appear in about 40% of newborns and go away by 1 to 2 months. Baby acne shows up in more than 30% of babies at 2 to 4 weeks, so it may be arriving about now, and can last until 4 to 6 months. Neither needs treatment, and oils or creams can make them worse (AAP). Peeling skin is normal (AAP).

Swollen breasts and genitals are common and usually harmless, from the birthing parent's estrogen crossing the placenta; boys and girls alike can have swollen breasts (AAP). The swelling often lasts 2 to 4 weeks. Don't squeeze them (AAP).

Try today

  1. In warm lamplight on the bed the mother strokes slowly down one arm of her diaper-only thirteen-day-old lying on their back on a soft towel, the baby gripping her other index finger.

    Gentle baby massage

    Time: A few minutes when your baby is calm and alert · Gentle baby massage in the guide

    1. Warm your hands and the room, and lay your baby on their back on a soft towel.

    2. Use slow, gentle strokes down the legs, then the arms.

    3. Open their palm gently and let them grip your finger (AAP).

    4. Stop if your baby fusses or turns away.

    Make it work:

    Skip oils and creams on the face; they can make milia and baby acne worse (AAP). If your baby gets sleepy, move them to their back in their own sleep space.

Watch for

  • Normal

    milia, baby acne, and peeling.

    Call your pediatrician right away

    about tiny blisters, purple or blood-colored spots, infected-looking skin, or a rash with a fever (AAP).

  • Normal

    swollen breasts, even a few drops of milk.

    Call your pediatrician right away

    if a swollen breast turns red, streaky, or tender (AAP).

  • Normal

    sneezing and hiccups.

    Call your pediatrician

    if sneezing comes with fever, trouble breathing, or poor feeding (AAP).

For you

The partner sits by the bare bassinet in warm lamplight, steadying one tiny hand of the newborn asleep on their back and filing a fingernail with a baby file, the mother asleep in the bed behind him.

Two things for your hands today. First, your baby's nails: trim or file them while they're asleep, with baby clippers, blunt-tipped scissors, or a file. Push the fingertip skin down and away from the nail. Don't bite or peel them off (AAP).

Second, your own skin. After a C-section, wash the incision with mild soap and water; Steri-Strips fall off in about a week. Call your provider for redness, warmth, swelling, drainage, or an opening at the incision (MedlinePlus). After a vaginal birth, the discharge goes from red to pink to yellow or white over the weeks; call if it gets heavier or smells foul (MedlinePlus).

If you're the partner: you can own the nails. It takes a steady hand, and it's one less thing on her list.

Sources

This guide is general education that summarizes published research and guidance from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the WHO. It isn’t medical advice, and every child develops on their own timeline. Your pediatrician knows your child; if something feels wrong, call them. In an emergency, call 911.

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