From the moment a child is born, we can’t help but be fascinated by their every move and sound. Here are a few fun facts that will have you more amazed by your new bundle of joy, and hopefully let you understand them a little bit better.

1. Newborns Can’t Shed Tears: Newborns welcome the outside world with a big ol’ cry. However, there aren’t any tears with that cry. A newborn’s tear ducts and glands can only produce enough liquid to lubricate and protect their eyes. They don’t actually shed tears until they are between one to three months old.

2. No Hard Kneecaps. Although a baby can start crawling as early as six months, their kneecaps don’t actually start to develop into hard bone until the ages of three to five. Before then, a newborn’s kneecaps are made entirely out of cartilage.

3. Objects That Are Out of Sight, Are Out of Mind: Newborns don’t have the ability yet to understand that an object may still exist or be there even though they can’t see it. That’s why they love playing “peek-a-boo.” When you hide behind your hands they think you’re permanently gone until you open your hands and re-appear! It’s also why they might throw a tantrum when you step outside of a room for a minute!

4. The Womb Influences Their Fingerprints: Genetics are certainly a big factor in shaping the patterns on our fingerprints. However, while a fetus is developing, pressures in the womb can influence the ridges of the fingerprints. That is why identical twins don’t even have the same fingerprints!

5. Newborns Have More Bones Than Adults: Newborns are born with 300 bones, while adults have only 206 bones in their bodies. As babies develop, many of their small bones fuse together. The smaller bones make it easier for infants to pass through the birth canal.

We love educating our patients with important pregnancy care tips, but we find these facts to be just as interesting. Consider Cheyenne OBGYN for your healthcare needs throughout your pregnancy.