Few newborns are beauty contest winners, which isn't surprising when you consider what they've been through.
Newborns have big heads, no necks, short legs, and distended torsos.
Because the average newborn has spent about 12 hours squeezing through the birth canal, his head may be misshapen or kind of pointy. The rear fontanel takes about four months to close, while the front one takes between nine and 18 months. He's spent so much time curled up in the tight space of the uterus that he needs time to adjust to his new freedom. His arms and legs will uncurl over the next couple of weeks. Premature babies have thin, transparent-looking skin that may be covered with lanugo, a fine, downy hair.