Babies make a variety of strange noises, whether asleep or awake, and this is quite normal. Most of these are due to the immaturity of her respiratory system and will soon disappear.
Snoring Your baby may make some grunting noises when she’s asleep. This is not a true snore, and is probably caused by vibrations on the soft palate at the back of her mouth as she breathes.
Once you bring your newborn home, you’ll have some sleepless nights unless you are very lucky. Although most newborns usually sleep when they are not feeding – typically spending at least 60 percent of their time asleep – some will remain active and alert for surprisingly long periods during the day and night.
Assume that your baby will try cry a lot and you might be pleasantly surprised if she doesn’t. If you think she won’t cry and then she does, you may find yourself overwhelmed and disorientated.
Remember that there are really only three states your newborn baby can be in: asleep, awake and quiet, and awake and crying. If causes are tiredness, hunger, loneliness, and discomfort – she is too hot or too cold, is in an uncomfortable position, or needs changing. You must accept sometimes, though, that a baby will cry for no discernible reason. This type of crying can be the most stressful for a parent.
It may take you a while to get used to your baby’s behaviour. It is worth studying his reactions to various stimuli and becoming familiar with some of the traits that will mark his personality as he grows. Young babies have far more individuality than they are usually credited with, and this is a useful fact to bear in mind as you get to know your child.
REFLEXES
One thing common to all healthy babies is a number of reflexes that can be stimulated from the very first moments after birth. These reflexes are involuntary movements that eventually , at about three months, start to be replaced by voluntary movements.
Grasp reflex
If you put something in the palm of your baby’s hand, he will clench it surprisingly tightly. The grasp of a baby is often tight enough to support his entire body weight (although you should never try this).
© 2010 Baby Care
