Written by Laura – Resident Baby Nurse at Choice Pharmacy
13 Fun Facts about Newborns
- Newborns are born without kneecaps!
Newborns have a cartilage covering that develops into kneecaps around 6 months of age. - Newborn babies don’t cry tears.
Babies will cry and howl but theoretically, they don’t cry tears. Around 3 weeks of age babies start to cry tears. Occasionally the tear ducts can become blocked and might need you to massage the corner of the eye. Refer to the Baby Blocked Tear Duct blog post. - Newborns have 300 bones!
At birth, babies have more bones than their parents. They are born with around 300 bones in their body. During the first few years of life, the bones fuse together and will result in around 206 bones. - Babies are born with birthmarks.
Around 80% of newborns are born with birthmarks. They are not as abnormal as some people think. The majority are from birth, some might be tiny blood vessels dilated during the birth process. - Babies hair falls out.
Newborns hair tends to fall out after birth. It does grow back gradually but may not be as thick as at birth. - Newborns have amazing reflexes.
Babies are born with around 70 reflexes. You often see babies startle, this is called the ‘Moro’ reflex. It’s a natural reaction to loud noises. Reflexes develop as they grow. Some become less obvious as they develop. - Smiles…
Babies smile between 6-8 weeks of age. This is a wonderful development. Human babies are the only ones that smile at their parents! - Lots of taste buds.
A baby has three times the amount of taste buds than us adults. It is estimated they have around 10,000 taste buds. - Baby girls have periods.
Hormones are shared between the mother and baby girls. Sometimes they may have blood in their nappy after birth- called a mini period. Occasionally boys and girls might lactate too. - Babies can swallow and breathe simultaneously!
Newborns have the unique ability to swallow and breathe at the same time. This is why they can drink so quickly. This ability lasts until around 7 months of age. Being unwell with a cold or blocked nose stops this ability. - Changing eye colour.
All babies are born with blue eyes. Usually around 6 months their true eye colour will be evident. Genetics plays a role in the colour. - Growing so fast..
Babies grow so quickly during the first two years of life. By 6 months most babies will double their birthweight. This is the reason we do regular measurements to check their development. - Babies eyesight…
Babies have poor eyesight initially. Their eyes require muscle strength to focus and the brain needs to learn to process visual information. This takes around 5-12 months for their eyesight to develop. That’s why black & white toys/ books are perfect for them.
You can book our Baby Nurse for in-store consultation online.
Free Baby Nurse Service is available at Box Hill, Colebee, Eastern Creek & North Kellyville Store.
