8 Amazing Facts You May Not Know About Newborns
There is nothing more exciting than preparing to bring your baby into the world! Pregnancy, birth, and newborns are truly fascinating – it’s amazing what the human body can do. As you prepare for your newborn to make their entrance (or maybe you just love babies like we do!) we thought it would be fun to share 8 of the most amazing facts about newborns that you may have never heard of before!
8 Amazing Facts You May Not Know About Newborns
Their eye color can change months after birth!
Yep, it’s true! Just because your newborn has baby blues at first does not mean that their eye color will continue to be the same! Their eye color can adapt and change for months after birth.
They are nearsighted.
When a baby is first born they can also see about 20cm to 30cm (8in to 12in) in front of their faces which is why many babies light up when people get very close to their faces – because they can actually see you!
They are born without kneecaps!
Crazy right? But it’s true! Babies grow into their bone structure including developing knee caps. This usually happens by the time they are 6 months old.
They know how to swim immediately.
While they don’t necessarily understand staying afloat and using their arms and legs the right way quite yet, a newborn does instinctively know to hold their breath underwater.
Their stomachs are tiny!
In fact, a newborn’s stomach is only about the size of a hazelnut! If you’ve ever wondered why babies need to feed so often, here’s your answer. Their stomach’s just can’t hold very much.
They have more tastebuds than we do.
Newborns have around 3x as many tastebuds as adults do. Some experts have recommended varying the types of foods you eat while pregnant to expand the babies’ pallet, hopefully leading to them liking more things over time and not being as fussy.
They begin to learn to talk in the womb!
There are so many processes that babies begin to understand and learn while still in utero and talking is one of them. This also goes hand in hand with the ability to hear around the 23-week mark of pregnancy.
They know your scent before they are even born.
Your baby begins to learn your scent before they even come into the world. Once they are born your scent can be a huge comfort to them. It’s recommended to keep body products as simple as possible so that your natural scent can be smelled by your baby.
Preparing For Your Newborns
Are you currently pregnant or expecting a newborn? One of the best things you can do is to educate yourself on what your baby will be experiencing over the first few months of their life and how you can best care for them.
Understanding research like the above is a great way to start, but newborn care education classes are an excellent way to take your knowledge to the next level as well as get customized information based on your unique situation.
Ashley & the team
CLEbaby was established in 2015 to help Cleveland area families have positive, supportive experiences during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Our wide range of services means that there's something for everyone. And our skilled, compassionate doulas, childbirth educators and sleep trainers deliver unmatched care, ensuring you're confident and set up for long-term success. At CLEbaby, we want families to not only survive early parenthood but thrive.