Yes, they most likely do. When the baby is still in the mother’s womb, the baby’s ear, as well as other parts, might be a little changed or misshaped. Later, while the baby is growing, it will also change its original shape.
So after birth, does the newborn ear change shape?
If the child’s ear returns back to normal after 48 hours, it means that the correct shape is retained. If it remains the same, it is very likely that the baby will need an earwell or surgical intervention.
The shape of a newborn’s ears will be different compared to ears when the child reaches adulthood. When in utero, these parts might change or become misshapen during pregnancy and then get their new form once outside the womb.
How do you tell if a baby’s ears will stick out?
You can know this if your baby’s ears are extended more than 2 cm or around 0.78 inches from the side of the newborn’s head. If this is the case with your baby, it is most likely that your baby has protruding ears.
This condition may be caused by various reasons including parental genetics, maternal obesity during pregnancy and delivery. But also ear infections before birth which cause increased pressure in newborns’ hearing canals.
Some factors are the result of the environment rather than the birth itself. It can be loud noises like artillery fire near an infant’s crib at night when they sleep alone without any barriers between themselves and these sounds.
But, most likely the reshaped ear is due to the position the baby was in when it was in the mother’s womb, and it will probably change in the first 48 hours of the baby’s life.
How do you reshape a baby’s ears?
Do newborn ears change shape? If your baby’s ears are reshaped, many parents will also wonder, how do you reshape a baby’s ears?
Well, there are two methods for fixing the ear lidding.
One, which is the most popular and is used when the baby is still at the earliest stage of its life, is by using an earwell or differently called an earmold that helps reshape the baby’s ear.
It is a modern technique that is very popular and totally unpainful.
The process consists of applying the soft silicone cradle around the baby’s earlobe, and a plastic retainer for reshaping the ear cartilage.
When it comes to the time length of wearing earwell, it usually requires from 4 to 6 weeks, before the ears are reshaped.
When do babies ears Harden?
When it comes to ear cartilage and the time it takes to harden, parents should know that it doesn’t happen overnight. It usually happens around 6-7 weeks of a baby’s life.
So, if your baby has changed the shape of its ear, you should start the molding treatment before the ear cartilage starts to harden. It is recommended to do it in the first 7 weeks of the newborn’s life.
If you do it later maybe the treatment won’t work. Using this method is ideal when the baby is 3 weeks old.
Why do babies make an O shape with their mouth?
If your baby does the O shape with its mouth, don’t worry it’s totally normal act of behavior. This way they are showing excitement, and interest in playing with their parents.
Because babies are unable to express their emotions through words, using facial expressions is the way to do so.
When they put their mouth in a circle, and wide their big eyes – usually goes together, they are showing excitement and joy because it’s probably playing time.
There are also other ways to show their emotions like waving, clapping hands, and even making sounds.
Can you pin the baby’s ears back?
If your baby is older than 7 weeks, it will need an otoplasty. So, as mentioned above, if your baby has this issue, it can be fixed in two ways.
When using the shaping method, or earwell it needs to be done before the baby’s ear cartilage hardens. If that time has already passed, if your baby is one, or you have an older child, the only option is otoplasty. This also refers to adults and it is a pretty popular and quick procedure.
Summary
When parents see their newborn for the first time, the normal reaction is to be overwhelmed with emotions and a lot of questions. All of these questions are reasonable because it’s a totally typical response to be considered for your baby.
Thus, it’s not unusual to notice if your baby has unshaped ears and even differently shaped parts of the body. So, many parents ask, do newborn ears change shape? And the answer is yes.
If the newborn has little misshapen ears after birth, and if they return to normal on the first days of the baby’s life, the problem is solved.
On the other hand, if you notice that the baby still has squished ears, you might want to consider using an earwell as an earmold to help reshape your baby’s ear in the earliest stage.
Do this before the baby turns 7 weeks, so you can avoid any potential surgery known as otoplasty. Even so, if your child is older and needs surgical intervention, the otoplasty is pretty simple and will be done in only a few hours.
