Why do some babies look like this straight after they have been born?

Question

I watch shows on T.V most of the time about labor & delivering & when they mother has gaven birth why does the baby look dark purple or pure white like no colour & has all this white mucus on them? it looks really bad & ugly, im asking this cause as soon as i gave birth to my child when he came out his skin was a nice pinkish colour & he had no mucus or yukky stuff on him at all, why? i dont meen to put new born babies down but they do really look awful with the colour of their skin & all that yukky stuff on them & then some babys dont at all? why didnt mine have that?

Answer 1

neither did my baby.  She was very pink and I was told that is a really healthy sign and she only had a bit of blood on her (then she pooed on herself) hehe.  But sometimes oxygen supply to bubs gets lower when comming out due to the cord getting squashed which is why they can get funny coloured.

They gave her straight to me too, they never cleaned her.  I even have photos so she definatly didnt have the yellow stuff on her.  Maybe because she was born on her due date like the poster above me suggested.  Interesting question!

Answer 2

was your baby born before, on or after due date? Usually if it's after they have less Vernix on them and have a little more colour.

Answer 3

If your child came out all pink and no mucus then you didn't give birth honey, or he was cleaned up before you saw him.  All that yukky mucus is how they come out of the womb.  I highly doubt your v****a came equipped with a tub, soap and water...  

Answer 4

All babies come out with some sort of discoloration and mucous. No baby is perfect, I will admit babies are ugly when they are first born buts its mainly because they are swollen everywhere. They probably cleaned your baby a little before giving him/her to you

Answer 5

I highly doubt your baby was perfect and clean.  Every baby has the mucus and all of that fun stuff on them.  Your baby was no different, you prob saw him/her after they cleaned him/her up.

Answer 6

The "white mucus" you are referring to is actually called vernix caseosa. It's secreted by the fetus, not the mother, and somewhat protects the baby's skin from the dehydrating effects of amniotic fluid. It's also theorized to have antibacterial properties. Vernix is usually secreted less at the end of the pregnancy, so if your baby was born full-term or close to it, that's probably why your son didn't have any - or very little. Chances are some was hanging out in the folds of his chubby baby skin, where you couldn't see. My daughter didn't have much, either.

A lot of times babies are blue or have poor color because their lungs are not yet functioning at 100%. Most of the time, this resolves on its own and color improves dramatically. This is why babies are given an APGAR score immediately after birth and then again 10 minutes later. Color is one of the things noted, and it often improves as the baby begins to breathe better on his own. If your son was nice and pink (like my daughter was), it means he was able to breathe good on his own from the get-go, which is a great sign. A friend of mine had her baby several weeks early. They got a picture of her holding him right after he came out of the womb, and he looked like a blueberry, so I know exactly what you mean. Good luck and congrats on your healthy baby.

Answer 7

Well, you probobly didn't notice, but they cleaned your baby off a little before you held him/her! Unless they just set your baby on your belly as soon as she came out like they did mine!!! But you probobly just didn't notice all the uck on your baby........ I know i didn't!!!!!

Answer 8

The more fat during the pregnancy the more fatty stuff is on the baby when he/she is born according to I guess some studies done.  Some moms don't see their babies until after they are cleaned a little so they don't know they just are handed a pink baby that is nice and clean but really they all come out with some stuff on them just some don't have enough to really notice.  As for being born with purple coloring that is body not adjusted to the temp usually or it can be lack of oxygen but they usually get pink in just a matter of minutes.  The white stuff is the fatty stuff around them that softens the skin that is why some parents don't want their babies cleaned for a few minutes after birth to let the skin get protected from the "mucus".  My first son came out and he was very clean but he was blueish in color because he was having a hard time adjusting to the temp of the room he also had blood on him which is normal.  With my second son I am sure he also had some stuff on him and blood but I was so tired by the time i pushed him out that I just didn't pay attention.  With my first son they showed me him and then took him away to get taken care of and I seen him about 15 minutes later all cleaned up.  With my second son they plopped him on my chest as soon as he came out and cleaned him there first before taking him away about 5 minutes later.  My sister didn't want her babies on her because she said she was afraid she would vomit if they weren't cleaned lol so of course she didn't get them until they had been cleaned so they were all pretty and pink in color like they weren't just born.