Babies
| For any parent, or parent to be, newborn babies really are a wonder. Here are seven more interesting facts about babies from guest writer, Brooke Chaplan.
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Until you're a parent, it's hard to imagine exactly what it's like to have a
newborn baby. The fact is, there are plenty of weird things about these adorable bundles. It's hard to fathom that we all started out as these tiny humans once. Read on for seven strange facts about infants. Whether you're expecting your first child, or getting ready for your second (or more), keep these surprising facts in mind when you welcome home your new addition.
The Senses Have It
While newborns can't see very well, they are born with an incredibly astute sense of hearing. Scientists found that just 10 minutes after birth, infants have the ability to detect exactly where a specific sound is coming from. And at just two days old, they can recognize their mother's voice on a recording, even if she utters just one syllable. The sense of smell is also quite keen, and the
baby uses it to get to know his or her parents. Touch is the most advanced sense at birth, particularly in the oral region--which is why babies often put things in their mouths.
Where'd the Hair Come From?
Did you know that babies can be born completely covered with dark hair? This downy fur, called lanugo, is particularly prevalent with preterm births, and helps the baby regulate body temperature in the womb. Even weirder? If the baby is born without hair, it means they shed it in the 7th or 8th month--and then ingest it. The
digested lanugo becomes meconium, which is the baby's first bowel movement after birth.
It's in the Organs
Adults only have 206
bones, but babies are typically born with more than 300. Certain bones fuse as the child grows and develops, which results in the fewer number of bones as an adult; although interestingly enough, babies are born without kneecaps. In addition to all those bones, babies are born with about 11 feet of intestines. And in the first six months, the brain will grow to half of its adult size.
Monkey Business
Researchers found that within the first six months after birth, babies can distinguish between different human faces, and also between different monkey faces. By nine months, however, the ability to distinguish human faces remains, but all monkeys now look the same to the infant.
Natural Swimmers
During the first four to six months of life, babies have a natural instinct for swimming. However, this disappears, meaning that children need to relearn how to swim in their toddler years.
The National Institutes of Health recommends that
swimming lessons for babies in NYC can be beneficial for children as young as six months.
Self-Awareness Development
Is a baby aware that he or she is a separate being? One easy way to tell is by drawing a dot on your baby's forehead, then placing the infant in front of a mirror. If they reaches for the mirror to rub the mark away, self-awareness has not yet developed. If the baby reaches for his own forehead, then it has. Typically this development continues through the first five years of life.
Between conception and birth, an infant's weight multiplies an estimated 3,000,000,000 times.
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Heavy Stuff
Between conception and birth, an infant's weight multiplies an estimated 3,000,000,000 times (3 billion). However, their bodies are designed to handle the weight. A newborn has such a
strong grasp that they can hold themselves up with just bent fingers. Between birth and age two, your child will more than quadruple in size.
These seven facts are just a few of the unbelievably amazing things about babies. Once you bring your newborn home, there are many, many more interesting and incredible things you'll learn about him or her--especially because they change, develop, and grow so quickly.
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