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9 interesting baby facts you didn't know!

April 10, 2016 08:14 IST

Did you know that a baby is born with 270 bones, unlike adults who have 206 bones!

Photograph: Devon Christopher Adams/Creative Commons

We all universally think that babies are too cute and vulnerable. This is why we often think that they are weak and incapable of doing anything on their own. But recent research and scientific evidence says that babies can comprehend in the womb and also remember a few of these things after they've been born.

The truth is that newborns are not as fragile as you think. In fact, they possess a few powers at the time of birth that even adults don't have.

Don't believe us, read about these 9 amazing baby facts that are hard-to-believe but true!

Babies have a grip of monkeys

You must have seen your newborn holding to your finger and not leaving it for a really long time. Babies have such strong grips that it can actually be compared to monkeys.

Scientific data shows that babies have such a strong grip that they can in fact support their own weight if you dangle them! (Don't try it at home, though)

Babies can read your lips

While all the baby talk and blabber would be driving you crazy, did you know that babies can actually read your lips? Do you remember that one of the first milestones of your baby was when he made eye contact with you, which is about six weeks from the time of birth.

However, at six months, babies focus more on the mother's lips than on the eyes, which is how they learn to cackle and say their first few words.

A newborn can recognize his mom's voice at time of birth

Yes, that's true. The mom's voice is the one thing that a baby recognizes even when he is still in the womb. Studies say that at the seventh and eighth month, a foetus's heart rate slows down whenever he hears his mother's voice indicating that it has a soothing effect on the baby. This is why they respond to their mother's calls more than anything else in the world.

Babies have more bones than adults

Did you know a baby is born with 270 bones? Human adults, on the other hand, have 206 bones! However, most of these bones are small parts of cartilage, which gradually combine together to form big, heavy bones as they grow.

Newborns are nearsighted at birth

As much as you like it or try, babies can only see 8 to 10 inches from their face and can only see black, white and grey colours. Gradually as they turn 6 months, they can start recognizing other colours and increase their line of sight.

Babies breathe more than adults

A newborn breathes at such a faster rate that it is way more than a normal adult or child. The normal breathing rate is usually 12 to 20 breaths per minute. In the case of babies, it is around 40 breaths a minute!

Babies double their birth weight in five months

This is something a mother might be familiar with. Healthy newborns are quite hungry and they put on weight at a much faster rate. They normally double their birth weight in five to six months.

Newborns can breathe and swallow at the same time

Infants can breathe, drink and swallow at the same time because their larynx and hyoid bone are situated higher up in the nasal cavity, which is why the drink and breathe at the same time and also end up choking on liquids and foods quite often.

Babies do not have kneecaps

Yes, babies are born without kneecaps and start developing them only after six months.

Also read: Learn to educate your baby inside your womb

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Avantika Kukreti