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Babies have a way of giving you mini heart attacks, and just when you think you should speed dial the pediatrician, little guy breaks into a huge toothless grin. Many moms have one time or the other been scared pale by weird things that babies do.
Since babies can’t talk, cries and sounds are their forms of communication. Their nervous system has also not fully developed, and they may make involuntary movements once in a while.
Before you rush to the ER because your baby looks and behaves funny, breathe in and relax, mama, he’s just fine. Some of these weird things are just babies being babies.
Here are some of the sounds, looks, and gestures that may leave you thinking, “Is he okay?”
Why Do Newborn Babies Look Funny?
Many times we don’t say it out loud, but newborn babies are sometimes a little less than cute. With puffy eyes and heads that passed through the harsh terrain of contracting muscles and lived to tell the tale, they can be quite a sight.
Babies are also quite crumpled in the womb in the last weeks of gestation, their legs might be a little bowed.
When a baby is born, the bones of their skull called the sutures are soft and flexible to allow it to pass through the birth canal. Babies born via a vaginal birth will sometimes have a weirdly shaped head – elongated in some places and flattened in others.
All this is normal, and the bones will fuse as the baby grows.
Babies Don’t Shed Tears
For little humans beings who spend most of their awake time crying, it’s peculiar that babies do not have any tears. The baby’s tear ducts form from the third week after birth. Before that, the little guy will be screaming blue with dry eyes.
Babies Can Menstruate
Okay, moms of girls, put the diaper bag down, it’s not time to go to the hospital. That blood on your baby’s diapers is pseudo-menstruation caused by the mother’s hormones that have not yet wholly been flushed out of the baby’s system.
Small Bodies, Big Projectile Forces
Have you seen a baby poop so loudly and forcefully that he startled himself? Or throw up their lunch 2 meters away? Babies have forceful projectile actions that can have your nursery painted mustard yellow if you leave them too long without a diaper.
Grunting Noises
Sometimes, the projectile pooping is preceded by noises that have you wondering, “Is grunting normal for newborn babies?”
The good news is grunting is one of the weird things that babies do. They are still learning to relax the pelvic floor, and it’s not an easy skill. In the meantime, everyone shall know that they need to go.
Why Does My Baby Grab My Face?
You have an enjoyable breastfeeding session, and your baby grabs your face. Why do they do that? The baby is beginning to recognize your face and is probably looking for more connections.
If the baby is touching your face, gaze back, and enjoy a special bond between mom and baby that no one else can have.
Startles
Does your baby suddenly flare his arms and legs and may look slightly frightened? The startle reflex is a common phenomenon in newborn babies, and it’s a good thing.
It’s terrifying for new moms as the first thought is that your baby is having a seizure. However, the baby is just practicing their survival instincts in case you forget they are in your arms and drop them.
Why Do Babies Hit Things?
Being restless and hitting things is one of the weird things that babies do. This is more common for older babies between 4 and 8 months who have developed some motor skills. Once he controls something, and it makes a sound, he gets very excited and decides to give you more of the performance.
It’s all fun until he discovers metal lids and glass tables. A gentle warning might distract him for a while. It’s not without a reason that most parents of toddlers have wooden tables and broken cups.
Hitting Themselves?
Babies generally love hitting things, but why do babies hit their chests? From around 6 months, they will hit to express anger and frustration.
They may also hit because they have discovered they can now control their hands significantly. The hitting sometimes is on the tummy as well.
Hiccups
Babies hiccup are distressing even for the mother. The hiccups are a result of pressure being exerted on the diaphragm and are common after a feeding.
Hiccups may be uncomfortable, but they are not painful. They eventually go away on their own.
Is He Breathing?
Which mother hasn’t bent over the crib to find out why the baby is breathing? The baby’s breathing is fast-paced, and then they seem to pause for a few seconds before exhaling and continuing with the fast-paced breathing.
Don’t nebulize the baby yet, it’s normal for the baby to have such irregular breathing. The breathing may also be a little noisy as babies tend to get a stuffy nose quite a lot.
If the baby has been eating and suddenly doesn’t seem to be breathing, he can’t cry, and his eyes are bulging, that’s not normal. He’s chocking, flip him over, and hit him on the small of his back with your palms.
Final Words
There are many weird things that babies do that shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. However, if the baby seems to have a fever or is unusually cold, you should get him to a hospital.
Taking a short course on infant first aid will be beneficial for you and all the baby’s caretakers. That way, it will be easy to differentiate what is normal and what requires urgent medical attention. It’s essential to know what to do in different situations.
The baby will soon outgrow all the weirdness as he grows and takes better control of his environment.
