10 facts about babies that will blow your mind

That cute baby smell, their little noises, and of course that newborn scrunch! There's no denying that babies are simply adorable.

And despite being so little and helpless, there are some facts about babies that are mind-boggling.

Here are 10 facts about babies that will blow your mind.

10 facts about babies that will blow your mind

1. They have more bones that adults: Babies are born with 300 bones, 50% more than adults. And the reason is a number of these bones fuse together during the first several years, bringing the total bones down to 206.
2. Their first few poops don't smell: In the first few days, newborns poop has very little odor. As their gut becomes colonized with bacteria, the stool becomes smellier. This is a normal process.
3. Newborns can't taste salt: A baby's ability to taste salt develops postnatally. In fact, up until at least about 3 months of age, babies can't taste salt at all.
4. They don't have tears until 2-3 weeks old: They can scream! But newborns can't produce tears until around three weeks of age because their tear ducts aren't fully developed at birth.
5. Babies can pick up your accent: Research has shown that babies pick up their mother’s accent during the third trimester of pregnancy, and this accent is even reflected in how a baby cries after birth!
6. Newborns can appreciate your taste in music - even if no one else can! From around four months into your pregnancy, your baby is able to hear sounds and music, so you might find that music you played frequently during your pregnancy helps to calm your baby after delivery.
7.  Babies have three times as many tastebuds as newborns: They have around 10,000 to be exact. Babies start developing taste buds all around the mouth during the last trimester of pregnancy. Some researchers suggest eating a range of different foods during the third trimester to help pass these varied tastes onto your baby in the belief that this could lead to less fussy infants when you start weaning.
8. They can swallow and breathe at the same time: Have you ever noticed your baby can drink their bottle without stopping? This is because your baby has the unique ability to swallow and breathe at the same time until around 7 months of age. If your baby gets a cold or a blocked nose, they lose this unique ability. That's why they can get so miserable and refuse to feed during this period.
9. Baby girls can menstruate: During pregnancy, a baby shares their mother’s hormones. After birth, some of these hormones will still remain in their body. Because of this, baby girls shed their uterine lining which can result in a mini period. Both baby girls and baby boys can also lactate a little.
10. Babies don't have kneecaps: How bizarre! But it's true, babies are born without kneecaps. Instead, they have a structure made of cartilage that resembles a kneecap, but they don’t fully develop until around 6 months of age.