Face. A newborn baby's forehead will often be large and slope back. Their face can also be puffy and swollen. This is often not noticeable until you see your baby's face change in the days that follow and their features become more refined.
Some baby's will have what is known as 'facial contusion'. This is a generalised light bruising all over the baby's face and is more common with fast births and women having subsequent children. Facial contusion is due to the baby descending rapidly down the birth canal, breaking small facial blood vessels on the way. This will usually disappear in the first week or so.
Nose - breathing, sneezing and coughing. Your baby's nose will usually appear quite flattened with flared nostrils, feeling very soft and spongy to touch. Many babies are born with small, white spots (like 'white heads'), appearing mainly on the tip of their nose and sometimes on their forehead and cheeks. These spots are called 'Milia' and are caused by a temporary blockage of the sebaceous glands responsible for secreting natural oils to moisturising the baby's skin. They usually disappear by about 4 - 6 weeks (and should never be squeezed).
Babies normally breathe quite rapidly (usually 40 to 60 per minute) and at times irregularly. In the hour after birth they will often sound 'snuffly' as if they have a blocked nose. This is normal and will settle as the mucous drains down the back of their throat. A baby's breathing will continue to be noisy at times and they can make many 'funny noises' when asleep. This can make sharing a room with them a little annoying or distracting at times!
You may notice your baby sneezing in the first 24 hours after birth and at times in the coming weeks. This is their way of clearing their nasal passages of mucous, dust (and sometimes milk), rather than a sign of getting a cold. Your baby may also cough. This is also their way of helping them to bring up mucous sitting in the back of their throats and mouth.