Did you know that newborn babies have favorite songs or that they're born with more bones in their bodies than they'll have as adults?
If not, don't panic. We understand that your baby's first month as a human is also your very first month as a parent. You're both brand new, and you'll have a lot of baby facts to learn if you want to keep up.
We don't want you to miss a moment of your precious baby's first month of life. That's why we've compiled this list of ten compelling newborn facts to help you prepare for the wonder and excitement of welcoming your remarkable little one.
Once you've read this list, you'll be able to keep an eye out for the wild and wonderful changes you can only experience during the first month with your baby.
Read on to learn ten incredible facts about your baby.
Fact #1: Don't Get Attached to Their Eyes
Most babies open their eyes for the first time in low light. It can be surprising to finally see their peepers because many babies are born with blue eyes, even if their parents have dark eyes. This is due to the development of your baby's iris at birth.
As your baby begins to look around and use its brand-new visual organs, its eyes will naturally strengthen and develop. Even babies with genetically blue eyes might experience a slight change in color or saturation. You can expect to see your baby's actual eye color by their sixth month with you.
Fact #2: Babies are Boney
If you passed college biology, you're aware that humans have 206 bones in the body. The same is not true for human newborns. One of the most startling infant facts is that babies are born with 300 bones, which fuse as they grow and develop.
Many of your baby's "extra" bones are in the skull. That's one reason you must be extra careful with your baby's head during the first month (and beyond). Before the skull bones fuse, your baby will have "soft spots" and will need your help to protect their brain.
Fact #3: Baby Girls Might Bleed
If you're welcoming a baby girl, you might not expect her to bleed during the first month. Remember, your baby has been cooking inside your body, with direct access to your pregnancy hormones. Thus, baby girls sometimes experience a "mini period" as their bodies process these substances.
Babies of all genders can experience strange side effects during the first month of life. For example, newborns of both genders occasionally lactate. All these unusual hormonal symptoms will pass on their own, but speak to your doctor with any concerns.
Fact #4: You Can't Wipe Away Their Tears
Many parents wait with bated breath to hear the sound of their baby's first cries. That's how they know their baby is healthy, with a strong set of lungs. Calling these first sounds "cries" is a bit disingenuous, however.
Newborn babies cannot produce tears at birth. Most babies begin producing tears by the end of the first month. Their tear ducts need to continue developing before they are capable of expelling actual tears.
Fact #5: Don't Look For Their Kneecaps
When your baby comes home, you'll want to count all their tiny, perfect fingers and toes. Resist the urge to count their kneecaps. Babies aren't born with any!
Your little one can still kick and wiggle, however. All the structures are in place to allow for novel movements as they grow and change. Instead of bone, these "pre-kneecaps" are all cartilage.
If you insist on counting them, you'll need to wait about six months. Your little one will have a set of kneecaps by their half-birthday.
Fact #6: Keep an Eye Out for Birthmarks
There is a common misconception that birthmarks are special or rare. While each baby's birthmarks are as unique as fingerprints, they are actually extremely common.
Up to 80% of babies are born with some small, painless mark on their bodies, and most fade on their own.
Fact #7: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
New parents often experience shock when they see the thick head of hair their baby sports at birth, but it won't last. It's common for little ones to shed their hair during the first month at home.
Many babies grow hair slightly different in color or texture than the hair they were born with, so take plenty of pictures.
Fact #8: Babies Have Favorite Songs
By six months gestation, most babies begin to hear sounds beyond the womb. If you are a music fan, the odds are good that your little one was rocking out in your belly. Often, babies recognize their favorite jams outside the womb, too.
Familiar, comforting songs can come in clutch when your newborn baby is hard to settle. Even loud, upbeat, or energetic songs can help fussy babies get to sleep. The familiarity, not the genre, helps little ones relax.
Fact #9: Tiny Tongues Taste Everything
Newborn babies shouldn't eat much beyond breast milk or formula. Even so, their mouths are ready for anything.
Newborns have about 10,000 taste buds at birth, compared to an adult's 2,000.
Fact #10: Some Babies Have Accents
New moms have a knack for picking out their baby's cry, even in a crowded nursery. Studies suggest that babies begin to sound like their mothers from birth.
Babies from different countries have slightly different cries that reflect their mother's regional accent.
Baby Facts to Prepare Parents-to-Be
You won't believe how quickly the first month of your baby's life will fly. The nights might be long, but time will pass in an exciting blur of incredible firsts. We hope these baby facts will prepare you to slow down and savor every moment with your precious newborn.
You deserve to spend every moment bonding with your sweet baby. With the Pixsee smart baby monitor, you can set the camera down and trust that Pixsee will capture every incredible milestone in stunning, crystal-clear HD or you can playback the video to capture or record any meaningful moments.
Visit our Amazon online store and Pixsee Shop to learn how new parents use Pixsee to document their baby's fantastic growth journey from day one.
