Even after being born, newborn babies are still developing both physically and mentally. Everything develops at an exponential rate. Here are just a few of the bizarre and crazy facts about newborn babies most people are unaware of.
1. Babies have enormous eyes
It’s no secret a baby’s giant eyes up the cuteness level by a thousand. Their eyes are roughly 70% the size of an adult’s eyes. A babies eyes tend to be between 16 and 17mm; While an adult’s eyes are around 24mm. Be sure to take lots of pictures, because the next growth spurt of the eyes wont occur until puberty.
2. Most Newborn Babies have Breasts
That’s right! Both boys and girls will have them, and some may even leak milk. No worries though. The reason is simple. Newborns have spent months absorbing estrogen from mom. The phenomenon should go away within the first month.
3. Newborn babies cannot swim
Please don’t toss your baby into the swimming pool a day after being born. Despite what you may have heard or read on a blog, newborn babies cannot actually swim. It’s true newborns exhibit innate reflexes in water that look like they’re swimming. However, newborns aren’t strong enough to keep their head above water among other things.
Don’t worry though. there are swimming lessons specifically designed for infants. With a little help from mom or dad, the little one’s muscles and reflexes will develop shortly over time. This is encouraged to prevent potential drowning in the future. Who knows, you could have potential Olympian on your hands.
4. Newborns like facing the right side
For some reason, newborns like to face right when laying on their back. About 85% of them to be exact. This preference will subside after a few months. Scientists believe it’s probably related to genes. Some theories suggest this could be the reason most people are right handed. Who knows.
5. They have more bones than you
Babies are born with about 300 bones. In comparison, the human adult has 206. This is because of cartilage. You know. That pliable stuff your nose and ears are made of. This is also the reason babies have no kneecaps. Well, sort of. Their kneecaps are made entirely of cartilage. Some of the bones are either fully or partially cartilage that fuse together over time to eventually become the 206 bones we know now.
No worries though. All this cartilage helps to protect clumsy baby from potential broken bones.
6. Babies have A LOT of taste buds
Babies have a surprising amount of taste receptors. They have 3 times more taste buds than adults. About 30,000 to be exact compared to an adult’s 10,000. Taste buds are even found an a newborn’s tonsils. Babies can taste sweet, bitter and sour but not salty. This is apparently a survival mechanism as breast milk is usually sweet and anything bitter or sour could harmful.
7. Newborn babies cannot cry
Well, that’s not exactly true. Babies can cry, but tears wont come until about a month later. Even then it’s in small amounts. Give it a few months and the tears will fall regularly.
8. Babies are born with an instinct
Of course a baby will be born with abilities such as breathing. These are innate and involuntary though. The first instinct a newborn will have is to suck. The human baby has an instinctual urge to feed. Get ready, because babies sure know how to eat.
Comments
0 comments