12 fun facts you might not know about your newborn
So, youโve got yourself a newborn babyโฆ congratulations!
Mums often feel veryย daunted by the mammoth task of looking after a newbornย the minute they leave the hospital and the care of the midwives. These little humansย we create donโt come with a manual on how to raise them, but, they do come with some interesting facts that may help you feel like you understand them a little betterโฆ
1. Double in weight
By the time they reach 5 months, these little milk monsters will have doubled in weight! Itโs the one time in life that rolls on thighs and wrists are adorable, am I right?
2. Menstruate
Your newborn daughter will most likely have a little mini period on day 2 or 3 of life. This is caused by the withdrawal of hormones that she was exposed in-utero. It’s totally normal and you can breathe easy knowing they wonโt have another period forย at leastย another decade.
3. Erections
When you’re pregnant with a boy it’s already weird enough knowing you are growing a little penis in there, but did you know that they can get erections while they in utero too?
Newborn boys will also have erections, on a daily basis. Most likely when you are changing their nappies. This, too, is nothing to worry about, as long as it goes down quickly and doesnโt make him uncomfortable.
4. Big eyes
Ever noticed the size of a baby’s eyes in comparison to their hands or feet? This is because they are already at 75% the size of their adult eyes.
5. No knee caps
Babies are born without the bony knee cap (patella)ย adults have. They have a soft piece of cartilage which fully develops by age 12.
6. More bones
Speaking of bones and cartilage, babies have many more bones then they will once they are adults.ย At birth they have 305 bones, some of which eventually fuse together to form the 200 bones that adults have. The majority of a baby’s skeleton is made of cartilage, which explains why young children seem to bounce better than adults!
7. Donโt cry tears
Up until 3 weeks of age a baby’s cry is just a sound.
8. Multitasking
They have the amazing ability to swallow and breathe at the same time! At around 7 months old they outgrow this.
9. May babies are the heaviest
Like some magical phenomenon, May babies on average are born 200 grams heavier than babies born on any other month.
10. Extra taste buds
Newborns are born with taste buds, not only on their tongue, but the sides of their mouth and the roof. Astoundingly though, they are unable to taste salt until they are around 4 months of age.
11. Lactate
Another strange reaction to the withdrawal of the hormones from being in-utero, it is not uncommon for babies of either gender to lactate. Sometimes called witches milk, it usually subsides by the second week of life.
12. Addictive smell
No longer the crazy, clucky aunt or friendโฆ it has been scientifically proven that a newborn’s smell is addictive! It triggers the same reward circuits in the brain that comes from say, satisfying a food craving, or having sex.
So while we cannot give you a parenting manual, hopefully we have given youย someย insight into the life of a newborn.
Enjoy your precious bundle!
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