In their first few days neonates loss as much as 10%of their body weight primarily because of loss of

fluid . they begin to gain weight as about 5 th day and are genarlly back to the birth weight by 10 to
14 days

Physical appearance- new born have distinctie feature including a large head ( 1\4
) of the body length and are receiding chin ( which make it easier to nurse .),at first the neonate
head may be long and misshapen because of the moulding that eased its passage through mothers
pelvis this temporary moulding was possible because an infants skull bones are not yet fused they
will not be completely joined for 18 months the place in the head where the bones have not yet
grown together is known as soft spot or fontanales these fontanales are covered by a tough
membranes and it closes within the first month of life

Many new born have pinkish cast because

their skin are so thin that it barely covers the cappilaries through which the blood flows . during the
first few days some neonates are very heavy because some of the lanugo that is a fussy prenatal
hairs has not yet fallen off .all new borns are covered with vernix an oily protection against infection
that dries within the first few days

Body proportion – he proportion of the neonates body are quite different from those of the adults
body. The newborns have large head , small arms and legs and trunk that are bag like in shape, and
all new borns are similars in their body proportion

Sensory capacities- new born are able to make sense of perception of touch smell taste hearing and
sight

(a)- touch