Most people understand that babies eat a lot, sleep a lot and go through a lot of diapers. Has someone taught you why a baby’s body moves the way it does? Have you figured out the secret to infant development? Most people don’t concern themselves with the smaller details of a baby’s growth. Other people are fascinated by the way a baby grows and develops as it is conceived, grows within the mother, is born and then grows up.
Every day is a surprise when you have a baby! Think of what you know about babies and toss half of it out-you’ve been given a lot of bad information! You will probably learn at least a few new things when you read this article.
At birth a baby’s skull has yet to fuse together. This is why it is so important for adults to be careful when handling a newborn’s head. Serious damage could be done to your child’s development if you are not careful when handling his or her head-be careful of that soft spot! About three months after your baby is born its skull plates will have started to fuse together and you won’t have to be quite so careful with the soft spot at the back of his or her head. It can take as long as a year and a half for the frontal plates of your baby’s skull to harden, so don’t assume that the worst is over when the soft spot calcifies together.
Did you know that not all babies are born toothless? On the other hand, other babies don’t even start teething until they are more than a year old.
No parent looks forward to having their baby start teething. There is no reason to fret if your child starts teething earlier or later than his peers. Each baby is different and develops at his or her own pace so, even though you might have had three kids who started teething at six months, that doesn’t mean that your newest baby will start at that time.
Common knowledge states that babies don’t smile until long after they are born. If a smile is detected it is blamed on gas. Nobody thought that smiling could be instinctual; instead it was widely regarded as learned behavior. Crying seemed to be instinctual so everyone thought it was simply easier for babies to show when they were displeased and that expressing pleasure was something they had to be taught how to do. Now we know better. Ultrasounds have gotten a lot better in recent years and prove that babies can smile before they are born. Doctors are now able to give parents pictures of their children’s’ smiles weeks before the children are due to be born. Common belief now is that the birthing process is so traumatic for infants that they do not smile until they have gotten over the shocking change in environments. Baby books make reading easy again, you can forget about reading glasses. Large pictures and bright lettering are easy for us all to see.
Common knowledge does not include very much in the way of baby development at all. Infant and childhood development is fascinating. The more you know about the subject the more you will enjoy watching your children grow up!