When the nurse is appraising a newborn infant, what does she want to see and hear? Does she want to know what he is like? What is there about Linda or Jim, which makes each different, in some way, from any other newborn infant she has ever seen? Is the nurse interested in the comments which the mother and father make about the infant or is she interested only in determining whether something is "wrong"? If the nurse really learns to look and listen she will learn what a newborn baby is like and then abnormalities will not go unnoticed or uncared for. In appraising an infant, the nurse should look first for what the baby does "naturally." During a few moments of quiet observation she can learn much about the newborn infant's movements and responses. If possible, observations should be made when the infant is asleep as well as when he is awake. It is from a "real live" baby that one can learn best what a newborn infant is like. The discussion which follows is based upon the author's observation of Linda, a 2-week-old infant. It will, however, represent only one appraisal of the infant which health supervision requires.