It’s astonishing yet hard to believe that those delicate bodies contain more bones than adults. While adults typically have 206 bones, newborns surpass them by 94 bones. What becomes of these extra bones as they grow up? In fact, some of them fuse with other bones during the process of maturation.

Some newborns are born with marks of varying kinds. While these marks may initially worry parents, they typically pose no threat and fade away on their own within six months. However, if they persist and cause issues for the baby, medical assistance may be necessary.

Witnessing tears in their newborn’s eyes is often the last thing parents want, yet it’s a healthy process for the baby. Despite newborns crying frequently, their tears do not usually flow down their cheeks; instead, they produce a protective fluid for their eyes. However, once their tear glands develop, typically between one to three months, they’ll begin shedding tears as well.

Typically, newborns have limited vision, being short-sighted with a range of only 20cm to 30cm. Beyond this distance, everything appears blurry or just as movement to them. However, don’t worry; your newborn can see your face clearly when you feed them.

Do you know that their first poop is not stinky at all? Basically, that poop is called meconium which is nothing but a tar-like substance that the baby’s body expels from their body. This substance is a sticky one with which their intestines are filled while the baby is in the uterus.

It might come as a surprise but infants sometimes hold their breath. This occurs typically when they cry, get excited, or even during sleep. Although they do so for only 5 to 10 seconds, it’s enough to cause panic for parents.

If you observe a newborn, take note of the side they’re lying on. Most babies tend to prefer facing right while sleeping. Only a few opt to turn their faces to the left when lying on their backs.

Don’t fret after learning this: not having kneecaps doesn’t require any medical emergency. The patella, also known as the baby’s kneecaps, only develops into a hard bone by the time the little one turns three.

Every new parent should be aware of this fact: babies are not born with an ideal sleeping pattern, and they may exhibit moodiness in this regard. It takes time for them to establish a circadian rhythm. Typically, they develop a more structured sleeping pattern after six months of age. Initially, they may struggle to differentiate between day and night.

During pregnancy, babies inside the mother’s womb experience every flavor she consumes. After birth, they become familiar with their mother’s natural scent. Additionally, they enjoy the flavors of whatever the mother consumes, transmitted through breast milk.

It’s common knowledge that babies become familiar with their surroundings while in the womb, recognizing their mother’s voice and scent. Their brains rapidly connect with the outside world. Utilize this by talking, singing, and reading to them in the womb to instill desired attributes early on.

What your baby experiences in the womb during the 8th and 9th months, he/she often remembers after birth. For instance, sounds heard during the third trimester are likely to be recognized. Your child may even distinguish familiar sounds such as your pet’s voices and may not react to voices already familiar from the womb.

Newborn babies are born with dense hair covering their bodies, but this typically doesn’t last long. By around four months of age, they shed this initial layer of hair and grow a completely new head of hair. The original hair often covers areas such as the baby’s back, ears, forehead, and shoulders.

Newborns possess a surprisingly strong grip from birth, a reflex known as the Palmar grasp reflex. When you place your finger in the palm of a baby, they can grip it with significant strength, sometimes enough to support their own body weight for a brief moment. This reflex is thought to be a primal one, linking back to our ancestors who needed to cling to their mothers for safety.

This instinctive reaction, also known as the startle reflex, occurs when a baby feels a sense of falling. The sudden extension and then retraction of the limbs is a protective measure. Although this reflex may look startling to parents, it’s a normal sign of a baby’s neurological development and usually fades as the baby grows.

Until about 7 months old, babies have the unique ability to breathe and swallow simultaneously. This is possible due to their larynx’s high position in the neck, which changes as they grow, making this dual action impossible in adulthood.

The normal heart rate for a newborn is between 120 to 160 beats per minute, considerably faster than an adult’s. This rapid heart rate supports their equally fast metabolism, helping to fuel their growth and development.

It’s common for newborns to sleep with their eyes partially or fully open due to nocturnal lagophthalmos. While it might appear eerie or concerning to parents, it generally doesn’t affect the baby’s sleep quality or health.

With up to 10,000 taste buds, newborns can taste a wider array of flavors than adults. These extra taste buds, located not just on the tongue but also around the mouth, begin to disappear as the child ages, concentrating the sense of taste primarily on the tongue.

In addition to holding their breath, newborns demonstrate reflexive swimming movements when placed in water. These automatic actions are part of an innate survival mechanism, though reliance on them in water is not advised.

The first year of life sees a baby tripling their birth weight and growing about 10 inches in length. This rate of growth is unmatched at any other time in life, highlighting the importance of nutrition and health during this stage.

The eye color of most Caucasian babies at birth is blue, due to the undeveloped state of melanin. As the baby grows and is exposed to light, melanin accumulates, potentially changing their eye color based on genetics.

The proportionately large head of a newborn accounts for about ¼ of their body length, a feature that facilitates brain growth and development during the early stages of life.

Newborns’ remarkable flexibility, including the ability to do splits and put feet in mouths, is thanks to their cartilaginous skeletons which are yet to fully harden into bone.

Frequent hiccupping in newborns is normal and helps them to expel excess air swallowed during feeding. It’s a reflex action that even occurs in the womb, preparing the diaphragm for breathing outside it.

A newborn’s rapid breathing rate of 30 to 60 breaths per minute is a necessity for their high oxygen needs, supporting their intense growth and metabolic rate. This rate decreases during sleep but remains higher than that of adults.

Research indicates that babies’ cries are not uniform but tailored to communicate specific needs such as hunger or discomfort. Attentive parents can learn to distinguish these cries, aiding in responsive caregiving.

Newborns can distinguish between different languages mere hours after birth, a testament to the sophisticated auditory processing capabilities they develop in the womb. This early language recognition supports the foundation for later language learning.

Touch is a crucially developed sense at birth, with newborns showing heightened sensitivity, especially around the mouth, palms, and soles. This sensitivity is critical for bonding and initiating breastfeeding, marking touch as an essential means of communication and learning for the infant.