In just nine months, a human can be grown from no more than an egg, which is about the size of a strand of hair, pretty amazing isn't it? Especially when you realise the biggest cell in the human body is in fact the egg.
Newborns are incredible; they arrive in the world and turn our lives upside down for the better. Parents can lose hours just staring in awe at these unique little humans that are now so much a part of life.
There are some fantastic things you might not know about newborns, so we compiled a list of the 30 most fascinating ones we can find.
1. Newborn Babies Have No Tears
Newborns have a way of communicating with the world; they tend to scream or cry to get our attention. But there are no tears for the first 2 to 3 weeks after they are born, as it takes this long for the tear ducts to develop.
Joe and James, Newborn Photography parents from Llantrisant,
2. Newborn Babies Don’t Have Kneecaps
Our kneecaps have not developed when we first emerge from the womb. It's all cartilage until about six months old, and until developed, they can only crawl, not walk.
Abigail, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Vale of Glamorgan
3. Newborns Mouth to Explore
Before developing fine motor skills, babies use their mouth to explore their location. Everything heads to the mouth, from their feet and hands to any toys you might give them.
Sally, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Mumbles,
4. Newborns Have More Bones Than Adults
Adults have 206 bones, but when we are first born, there are 300. This is because several bones, including those in the skull, must fuse during growth.
Kelly and James, Newborn Family Photoshoot, from Ammanford in Carmarthenshire,
5. Newborn Senses Are Perfect
A newborn baby's eyesight, hearing and sense of smell are as developed as ours. Studies suggest a baby can recognise its mother’s voice even from birth.
Kelly, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Llanelli,
6. Newborn Birthmarks Are Super Common
As many as 80% of all newborns have a birthmark. Birthmarks occur for many reasons, and they can be many different shapes and sizes and even colours.
7. Newborns Have Different Reflexes to Adults
We have some reflexes as newborn babies that disappear by the time we reach adulthood. If a baby is startled, you will see its arms fling out and its knees reach the chest.
8. Newborn Hair Doesn’t Stay the Same
In the first few weeks of life, the hair that your baby is born with will fall out. Over the next year, it grows back and could be a different colour or change from curly to straight.
9. Newborns Are Always Sleepy=
It is perfectly normal for a newborn baby to sleep around 20 hours a day. This is down to brain development, taking 60% of the glucose supply, which exhausts your baby.
Chris, Newborn Photography client from Neath.
10. Newborns Don’t Smile
This is a controversial one! I’m often told that the baby smiles in the first few days of life, but it’s just a facial expression. It takes six weeks for them to engage socially and smile at your silly faces and funny voices.
Samantha, a Newborn Photography client from Margam,
11. Newborns Sync Heartrate
Studies show that a newborn heart rate, much faster than an adult's, can sync with the mother when she looks into the baby's eyes. This means her heart rate will temporarily shoot up to the same rate.
Katherine, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Port Talbot.
12. Newborns Like Your Music
Since the hearing sense is functional from around 18 weeks gestation, by the time the baby is born, it is fully aware of the music you played while pregnant.
Sian and Gavin Newborn Family Photoshoot, from Swansea,
13. Newborns Breathe Fast
A baby's breathing rate is also much faster than an adult's. They take approximately 60 breaths a minute, whereas we take only 20.
Kelly, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Llanelli,
14. Newborns Can’t Laugh
Another skill that doesn’t develop straight away is the ability to laugh. This takes about three months to kick in, and then you will start to hear the delightful sound of baby laughter.
Nicola, Newborn Family Photoshoot, from Llandaff in Cardiff,
15. Newborns Taste More
Newborn babies have many more tastebuds than adults. They decrease as the baby grows, and to start with, they aren’t needed.
Sian and Gavin Newborn Family Photoshoot, from Swansea,
Although there is never a shortage of ideas regarding capturing these important memories in a photo shoot. Sharing this special time together and capturing it as a professional portrait, means you can be enjoyed these memories for years to come.
16. Newborns Have an Accent
Remember, we said that babies could hear in the womb? This gives them the ability to pick up the accent of their mother, and it is audible in the way they cry.
Kelly and James, Newborn Family Photoshoot, from Ammanford in Carmarthenshire,
17. Female Babies Mimic Periods
Another normal phenomenon is that female babies can be born with a mini period involving white discharge and milk discharge from the breast tissue.
Sally, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Mumbles,
18. Newborns Grow a Moustache
Around four months gestation, the baby grows fine hair that starts with a moustache and covers the whole body. It’s called Lanugo, which will fall off before birth and get absorbed by the foetus.
Fatima, Newborn Photography client from Gower,
19. Newborns Can’t Breathe and Swallow at the Same Time
Okay, this isn’t limited to newborns because we can’t either. But this clever reflex prevents anything from entering the lungs except air and stops them from aspirating food or drink.
Hannah, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Llandaff,
20. Newborns Have No Self Awareness
If you were to hold your baby up to a mirror, they would be unaware that they are looking at themselves and assume it is someone else.
Hayley and Natasha, Newborn Photography parents from Blaenau Gwent,
21. Newborns Prefer the Mother’s Voice
That is to say that the higher pitch of a female voice is preferable to a baby's ears than the lower picture of a male voice.
Mia, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Caerphilly,
22. Newborns Use Gestures
While they can’t talk, babies communicate even from birth by waving, pointing and clapping their hands. Responding in kind helps develop verbal communication.
Clare amd John, Newborn Photography client from Merthyr,
23. Newborn Eye Colour Can Change
No matter what colour eyes your baby is born with, this is subject to change until they are between six and 12 months old.
Rhodry and Dan, Newborn Photography parents from Monmouthshire,
24. Newborns Have Big Heads
Proportionately, newborns have big heads. But don’t worry, even if your baby resembles a bobblehead when it pops out, it will grow, and the proportions will even up in no time.
Neriah, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Newport,
25. Newborns Grow Fast
The first year of life sees incredible growth. It’s a lot faster than we grow from then on; from birth to 12 months, it triples in weight.
Nicky, Newborn Photography client from Torfaen,
26. Newborns Resemble Both Parents
Unsurprisingly newborns look like both of her parents as they are a genetic combination.
Aisha, Newborn Photography client from RCT,
27. Newborns Don’t See Colour
It takes a few months before your baby can see in colour. Until then, everything is black and white.
Abigail, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Vale of Glamorgan
28. Newborns Don’t Dream
The ability to dream occurs once your baby is three or four years old.
Cath, Newborn Photoshoot client, from Pyle,
29. Newborns Prefer Music
Not only do newborns share their parent's taste in music, but it also helps keep them calm when speaking alone.
Joe and James, Newborn Photography parents from Llantrisant,
30. Newborns Don’t Make Memories
Well, if they do, they don’t remember them. As an adult, you cannot remember anything from the first three years of your life.
Deb Newborn Photography parents from Porthcawl
Do you miss any Newborn facts out? Comment below so I can continue to update the blog.
About the Bridgend, Maternity Newborn and
Family Photographer Blog Author:
I can provide a wide range of professional photography services that caters to all your needs. Regardless of whether you’re searching for memorable newborn photography in Bridgend or wish to document your maternity in style, why not get in touch to see what is possible when creating memories that last forever?
Adele Morris Specialist Award-Winning Photography. Maternity, Newborn, and Family Porthcawl Studio Photographer near Bridgend, in South Wales.
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Adele Morris Photography
Specialist Maternity, Newborn, Baby, and Family studio photographer.
Porthcawl Photographer in Bridgend, Serving all of South Wales.