5 fascinating facts about babies

1. Babies kneecap’s are not visible on an x-ray!

This is because at birth the kneecaps are made up of soft cartilage that hasn’t yet ossified into bones, so they don’t show up on x-rays until around 4 years of age.

2. Babies grow super fast!

Babies double their birth weight by 5 months and triple it before their first birthday (approximately).

3. Newborns don’t have tears!

Babies tear ducts are not fully formed when they’re born. They produce enough moisture to coat the eye and keep it it healthy, but not enough to form drops until around 3 weeks of age.

4. Babies have 3 times more tastebuds than adults!

30,000 to be precise! They start developing around 9 weeks gestation and 1/3 disappear as they grow. Research has shown that the foods you eat during pregnancy help shape what your baby will enjoy eating, even years later.

5. Premies are 5 times more likely to become left handed!

Approximately 10% of the population are left-handers. That percentage more than doubles for premature babies born with a low birth weight, one study found that percentage jumped to a staggering 54%.