5 Strange Things That Babies Do But Are Normal

Before you go running to your paediatrician to examine those strange incidence your child might be having, look below to find what’s a normal occurrence with babies but are often considered strange.   

1. FREQUENT POOPS: I remember complaining to my paediatrician about my baby’s frequent poop. It is absolutely normal for a baby to poop as often as after each meal and this is a good sign. It means baby is getting enough milk. It is also normal for the baby to go several days without pooping. This doesn’t mean that she is constipating as breastfed babies do not constipate, it just means their body is working differently. The frequency of poop can change as the baby grows.

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2. CRYING IN HER SLEEP: Don’t call your Pastor just yet! Babies dream just like adults do, but because they do not understand what they see, they cry. As a baby grows, she will adjust. However, dreams are not the only reasons why babies cry in their sleep – hunger, feeling of discomfort, wanting a cuddle, or a wet diaper are other reasons why babies cry when sleeping.

3. NIGHT TERRORS: Experienced by older kids ranging from 2 to 7 year old, night terrors are different from nightmares. In nightmares, your child wakes up from a terrible dream and is able to relate to you the dream she had. You can see that she is terrified and allows you to comfort her. But in night terrors, your child wakes up abruptly from her sleep, crying or screaming (usually at a particular time of the night), she calls out for you, you come to her but she cannot “see” you even though her eyes are wide open. She looks like she is awake but she really isn’t. She throws her fists in the air and is inconsolable, if you try to touch her, she resists you and continues being frantic, calling out for you as if you are not there. This display can last up to twenty five minutes before she calms herself down and goes back to sleep.

By morning, she does not remember what happened. This can be very scary for any parent to watch but it is completely normal. It is not a spiritual attack or a sign of an impending mental illness, it’s simply a night terror and it goes away on its own. The causes of night terrors are unknown but it can be hereditary. 

4. TOUCHING THEMSELVES: You probably tap his hands to stop him everytime he does this, but this is just another normal stage of development in boys. He is not intentionally trying to please himself like in the form of masturbation so there is no cause for alarm.

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Your child has simply discovered a part of his body and is innocently exploring it, in the same way he play swith his arms or stomach. It provides comfort while watching TV, settling into a sleep, or when stressed. Calmly telling them to stop is the best you can. Do not yell. Remember, it is all innocent.

5. LATE WALKERS. Some babies use their feet as early as seven months while others stick to crawling or rolling until much later. If your child is a year old and is not walking yet, do not be worried as kids develop at their own pace. My daughter didn’t walk until she was a year and three months old. A visit to your paediatrician can put your mind at ease.