10 Facts You Didn't Know About Babies
Bringing your little baby home is so exciting. Regardless of how prepared you are, learning about your new baby can be a little surprising as it marks the beginning of a new life not just for the newborn but for the parents as well. The bodies and brains of babies develop at quite an astounding rate during the first year of their lives.
That tiny newborn quickly evolves into a curious and active little human eager to explore the universe. Before you know it, the baby is already a toddler. As you embark on this adventure of parenthood, here some aspects of your baby's development you may have to observe.
1. Babies Like to Face Right
There are just but a few newborns who prefer to turn their head left when they are lying on their back. This may be related to a gene, just like having dimples. The bias lasts for just a few months and in a way, it also seems to explain why there are many more right-handed people than there are left-handed ones.
2. Crying Without Tears
Until they are about a month old, your baby may cry but tears do not show up. The prime fussing time is early evening and late afternoon and often it is for no reason and there's barely anything you can do to help. At 6-8 weeks, peak crying sets on for full-term babies and after three months, usually, the storm has passed. For preemies, this may take longer since they are born earlier.
3. Brain Cells and Development
A baby's brain will get bigger as they grow in the first year, it grows more than double the size. This means that it already contains most nerve cells that usually transmit electrical signals. Most of the available neurons won't be replaced as they die thus grown-ups have fewer of them. As they grow older, the connections between these cells get trimmed helping them to focus more but this cuts back on creativity.
4. Taste Buds
A baby has almost the same number of taste sensor as with older kids and younger adults. These cover more areas which include the back of the throat and the tonsils. Newborns do not have sensors for salty foods, rather drinks until they are around five months old. But they can distinguish between sweet, sour and bitter. However, when they are old enough to wean, they tend to like more of what the mother was eating while pregnant and breastfeeding.
5. Directions for Baby Boys
It is nothing to be ashamed of or worried about. One can even be observed on an ultrasound before his birth. Usually, this is a signal that they want to pee so you need to take cover during a diaper change. The penis may appear large at birth too, but it is also normal. Together with the mom’s hormones, his too may trigger a reflex that causes this or it may be as a result of swelling and bruising during the birth process.
6. Momentary Loss of Breath
There are times when infants stop breathing when they are sleeping. The pause may go for up to 10 seconds which is more than enough to make you panic. Irregular breathing is totally normal. Matter of fact, after crying or when babies are excited, they could even take more than 60 breaths in a minute. However, if the baby stops breathing for a longer time and turns blue, it becomes an actual medical emergency and you need to get the pediatrician as soon as possible.
7. Self-Scaring
Babies can scare themselves. It takes just a little effort to startle a newborn which includes sudden motion, a bright light, strong scent, a loud noise or even their own cries. This happens when they fling their hands to the sides, open their hands and quickly closing up and tucking back in toward the body. Often considered a Moro reflex, this may have developed as a warning sign that the baby is off balance allowing the mom to prevent a fall.
8. Baby Breasts
Newborns, both boys, and girls have tiny breasts which may even leak milk during the first days of their birth. These firm little lumps should however not be squeezed. The reason why they form is that babies take in estrogen from the system of the mother which stimulates the production of milk. Within a few weeks, this will definitely go away. For baby girls, there could also be a mini-period that could go on for a few days. It is very normal.
9. Birthmarks
You will notice some pinkish or reddish spots on the back of the neck, bridge of the nose, eyelids or the forehead. These are loosely defined as angel kisses or stork bites. Flat purplish patches appearing like ink stains known as Mongolian spots can also be found on the bottom or the back of your little one. For some babies, a pink hemangioma appears as an effect of fast-growing blood vessels. In this case, they appear in a span of several weeks and it may take several years to go away. But for the angel kisses and Mongolian spots, it is a certain observation that they fade after a few years of their development.
10. First Poop
The newborn’s first poop is known as meconium and appears as a black tar-like stuff. It doesn’t stink! Why? It is made up of fluid from the womb, mucus and the contents digested while still inside the mother. What makes poop smelly is the gut bacteria that comes from what we eat. Once you start feeding the baby, bacteria start to colonize within the intestines of your little one. With a day or so of feeding, bowel movements become yellow, green or brown-and with that familiar odor.
Verdict
The facts herein are your sure shot to effective parenthood. It is not a satisfactory guide. You may have had some experience handling your babies in the past (especially if you have other kids) but this will help you understand a little more about the growth and development of your newborn. Besides, a little more insight wouldn’t hurt, right?
