Many parents have concerns about how their baby appears shortly after birth.  New babies had swelling, birthmarks, skin rashes, and abnormal body shape due to the extended intrauterine stay and the birthing process. Baby head shapes are significantly altered by the birth process, especially with vaginal deliveries.  Your baby's skull is formed from multiple separate plates of bone that can not only move but also overlap to help the baby fit through the birth canal. Your baby's head will regain its normal shape after several days or weeks. A variety of skin rashes are extremely common in the newborn. Newborn skin often appears dry and scaling after birth.  This is due to the normal transition to an air environment after birth.

The purpose of fluoride supplementation is to ensure adequate dental maturity in children. No baby needs fluoride supplementation during the first six months of life.  After that time frame, only infants who are not exposed to drinking water that contains less than 0.3 parts per million of fluoride. Most municipal water supplies in the United States have at least this level.  If your family uses well water or bottled water, you should check to see if there is adequate fluoride in the sources.  There are specific types of bottled water labeled for use with infants.  Well water can be tested for levels of naturally occurring fluoride. Your pediatrician or dentist can advise you whether or not the local municipal water supply contains adequate fluoride.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently revised their stance on vitamin supplementation in kids and babies. Healthy children receiving a normal, well-balanced diet do not need vitamin supplementation over and above dietary allowances which are included in a healthy diet. Excess of some vitamins can be dangerous. There are some exceptions to this rule however. Breastfed infants need supplemental vitamin D. Vitamin D is normally produced by the body through the skin when exposed to direct sunlight.  Due to concern of excess sunlight exposure causing overheating, sunburn, or increased risk for skin cancer, skin production of vitamin D is often inadequate especially in breastfed infants.  Infant milk formulas are fortified with this vitamin.