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The arrival of your little one can change the lives of everyone in the house. Be it a parent, a grandparent or a sibling, everyone is affected by the new baby in town! They are beautiful creatures that brighten our life, but their presence can also fill us with some doubts and fears. How much do you really know about your baby anyway? Taking care of your little one can be daunting and scary when you don’t know what signs to look out for, what’s normal and what to be concerned about. And the worst part is that some of these things differ from baby to baby. However, there are some basic facts that you must be aware of. Knowing how their body works and knowing what to expect at each stage of their development can help us experience their first months in a better way. This way you are less likely to have an anxiety attack every time they burp or rush to the ER when their hair is falling out. Here are some little known facts about babies that will help you understand them better.
1. They Will Lose The Hair They Were Born With
Yes this is completely normal! If parents or caregivers begin to notice that their baby begins to lose their hair during the first 6 months after birth, know that this is nothing to worry about. It is normal for it to happen during this period. The hair fall is attributed to natural hormonal changes that might take place in the first 6 months of life and to the friction caused by the baby lying on its back as this is the most common position for babies and, besides, this is how they should sleep (1).
According to specialists new hair will grow back between the 6th and 12th month of life. But it is important to note that by then, the little one will have “renewed” hair that can even look a little different than what you first saw when they were born. So, if your baby has curly hair and it falls off, chances are that the hair that grows back could be straight or wavy. However, if you notice any redness or flakiness of the scalp it is recommended that you consult your doctor as soon as possible.
2. They Sneeze More Often In Order To Keep Their Nose Clean
If you’ve heard your little one sneeze for the third time today and are worried that they might be coming down with something, hold off before you call the doctor because they might just be cleaning their nose. When babies are newborns it is common for them to sneeze frequently. You may not be able to track how many times a day they do it but it’s a lot. Don’t worry, contrary to popular belief, this shows that your baby is healthy. Sneezing is a reflex for the little one that allows them to clean their nostrils and protect themselves from germs (2). However, if in addition to sneezing they present some of these symptoms like difficulty breathing, fever, lack of appetite or no appetite, nasal secretions, or cough, you should take them to see their pediatrician.
3. Can Can Lose Weight During Their First Days Of Life
Now it goes without saying that all babies are unique and that not all babies weigh the same but specialists suggest that a healthy baby can weigh between 5.5 and 10 lbs at birth (3). But it can cause some concern between parents, especially first time parents when, later on, instead of gaining weight, the baby loses weight. But this is fairly common. It is normal for your baby to lose between 7% and 10% of their body weight during their first few days of life. Then they will start to gain weight around 2 weeks or so after birth (4).
4. Babies Cry A Lot But Have No Tears
A baby’s tear ducts are still developing after birth, so it’s not uncommon for them to cry with tears for the first few weeks after birth. However, most babies begin to shed tears after 2 weeks of age but some babies take upto 2 months of age to be able to do so. Although babies do not have tears, they spend at least 2 to 3 hours of a day crying. This can be due to several reasons. Crying is how babies communicate their needs to their caregivers. Sometimes they do it for no reason but more often that not it is because they are either hungry, sleepy or in need of a diaper change (5).
Taking care of a baby can be overwhelming, especially during the first couple of months when they are going through major developmental changes all the time. Now that you know a couple of facts about your newborn, you can sit back and relax when things unfold. Happy parenting!
