I guess we would all give different answers to this; I think for me, one of the most surprising things about my first baby was how much she moved! I had this expectation of a newborn who would lie peacefully sleeping in her crib beside my bed. Ha, Ha, Ha. She obviously hadn't read the safer sleep guidelines and made it very clear that she only ever wanted to be like a tiny, gorgeous limpet on mine or my husband's chest for much of her early weeks. However, we persevered with trying to encourage her that her crib was a good place to sleep. It was a family heirloom after all! On the odd occasion when she did sleep in it, she moved so much! Wriggling, pulling her legs up to her tummy and then letting them crash down on to the mattress, arms thrashing....all while apparently asleep.....mystifying! She turned out to be a lively toddler who needed little sleep; even now as an older teen, she can cope well on remarkably little sleep and thrives on a packed schedule. I guess she started young! If you're interested in exploring the mysteries of baby sleep, a great place to start is The Infant Sleep Information Source https://www.isisonline.org.uk/ It's all research based information in an easy read format (though you can easily access the studies if you want to) and, best of all, it's very impartial; giving parents the facts they need to make the decisions that are right for them.
What about you? What are you most concerned about regarding caring for your newborn? Or, if your baby is here already, what did you find most surprising? There's a lighthearted and amusing list of surprising newborn baby facts in the article below. I haven't read the rest of the website so can only vouch for this page.....but I do wish I'd read this before my babies were born! It's on an American site. American pregnancy and birth care is quite different to UK so in this article, for paediatrician, read midwife, health visitor or GP. Also, there is mention of helmets for reshaping a baby's head; the evidence for the effectiveness of them is not strong and they are not routinely used in the UK. They also mention vaseline and nasal aspirators - not everyone agrees these are right for newborns. Have a chat with your midwife and health visitor for the latest thinking and just use this article for an eye-opening giggle. Enjoy! https://www.thebump.com/a/10-totally-weird-but-totally-normal-things-about-your-newborn