10 Wonders about Babies You May Not Know

10 Wonders about Babies You May Not Know
Leticia María Fernández Gutiérrez

Written and verified by the psychopedagogue Leticia María Fernández Gutiérrez.

Last update: 27 December, 2022

We all know babies are amazing and that you could spend hours and hours just looking at them. But… we’re going to surprise you with these 10 wonders about babies that you may not already know.

Having a baby is simply magical. Seeing how they grow and acquire new skills every day is remarkable.

Although we think we know all about our little ones, there are certain strange facts that you might not be aware of yet, and that will make you believe even more in the magical development of your baby.

  • Did you know it’s possible for a newborn baby to give milk? It may be rare, but this is due to the hormones that the baby has been exposed to in the womb.
  • Did you know that babies are born with almost 70 more bones than adults? These bones, as they grow, will solidify with one another.

No doubt the wonders about babies are endless. Here we want to tell you some of the most striking ones.

10 Wonders about Babies

  1. They have the ability to hold their breath from the moment they are born. This becomes useful when it’s time to eat, as it allows them to do suction and swallow at the same time.
  2. They are born with limited visual capacity, which will develop over the following months. The first distance they recognize clearly matches with the distance between their mother’s chest and face. By 6 months of age, they’ve developed perfect vision.
  3. They recognize their mother’s voice earlier than their dad’s. They actually spend about 15 days until they can recognize the father’s voice.
  4. Babies are the only living beings who smile intentionally. The smile is used, initially, as a mechanism of survival, as it generates the first interaction to communicate with their parents, which leads them to get attention. It’s the so-called social smile.
10 Wonders about Babies You May Not Know
  1. The most developed sense in newborns is that of smell. In fact, they recognize their mother by their sense of smell.
  2. They cry without tears. This doesn’t mean they don’t have any, but they use them to moisturize their eyes. In general, at around 2-4 months, you’ll see their cries filled with tears.
  3. Seborrheic Dermatitis. These are small yellow-brownish spots that usually appear on the baby’s head and are also called cradle cap. It’s normal, and they will disappear little by little. It’s caused by inflammation of the sebaceous glands.
  4. The importance of cuddles. They love to be pampered, and it’s also great for their development. It stimulates the production of hormones that are directly related to growth.
  5. They are born without kneecaps. The kneecap is the central bone of the knee joint. Instead, there is a cartilage that protects the thighbone. This cartilage turns into bone during the first 6 months of life.
  6. They can’t distinguish the salty taste. Although they’re born with a vast capacity to taste flavors, the taste for salty food doesn’t develop until approximately 4 months.                                             

Some more wonders…

There are many more wonders about babies. There are statistical data stating that babies born in May have an average of 200 grams more weight at birth; or every newborn baby shares a birthday with another 9 million people.

There are also studies that show that babies turn their heads more to the right when they’re lying down.

10 Wonders about Babies You May Not Know

It’s important to know that each baby is a special and unique being. This information is meant to provide you with guidance, so don’t get overwhelmed if you see that your baby takes more or less time to develop an ability or doesn’t follow everything you’ve read.

If you see that some of your baby’s behavior is calling for special attention, don’t hesitate to visit your pediatrician to ask for his opinion. The specification of a specialist will help you stay calm and enjoy all these new insights much more.

No doubt, the wonders are overflowing in a baby’s world, and perhaps the greatest wonder of all is that no two babies are the same.

What is certain, is that your baby will be little just for a small period of time, so give them your special attention; it’ll be worth it. Before you know it, he’ll be all grown up.

 


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.