Babies scream when they come out of the womb because it's a crucial, instinctive reflex to start breathing air, expand their lungs, and clear out the fluid and mucus, signaling the vital transition from a watery womb life to independent survival, often triggered by the shock of cold, light, and new sensations. This first cry is a sign of health, confirming their lungs and respiratory system are working, and it's also a primal form of communication to alert caregivers to their presence and needs in the new, overwhelming world.
The cooler air makes them gasp. They also gasp when the midwife or doctor touches their body to help them come into the world. That gasp is their first breath, which usually comes with a cry. And when this happens the gasp or cry triggers an amazing change in how the baby gets oxygen and moves it around their body.
There are several reasons a baby might not cry right away, including prematurity, C-section delivery, sedation, fluid in the lungs, low muscle tone, and birth complications. Sometimes, it's a natural variation and may not be cause for concern.
Infants cry as a form of basic instinctive communication. Essentially, newborns are transitioning from life in the womb to the external environment. Up to 27% of parents describe problems with infant crying in the first four months.
Your baby will sleep many times in the course of a day. During these times it does not move at all. Its periods of sleep last longer as the pregnancy goes on, but even as you approach the expected date of delivery your baby will seldom sleep more than an hour at a time.
Your baby may be taken to another part of the room to have some oxygen. They'll be brought back to you as soon as possible. Your baby will be examined by a midwife, neonatal nurse or paediatrician, then weighed and possibly measured, and given a wrist or ankle band with your name on.
SIDS is less common after 8 months of age, but parents and caregivers should continue to follow safe sleep practices to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death until baby's first birthday. More than 90% of all SIDS deaths occur before 6 months of age.
The first three months with your baby often seem the hardest. Sleep-deprived parents can feel overwhelmed, but that is normal and you will quickly learn how to read your baby's cues and personality. Don't worry about “spoiling” your baby at this stage.
Hold your baby until they're in a deeper sleep. Babies start in 'active sleep' (with faster, uneven breathing) and move into a deeper sleep after about 20 minutes. That's a good time to transfer them into their sleeping place. Many babies don't like being put down into a cot.
At birth, the baby's lungs are filled with fluid. They are not inflated. The baby takes the first breath within about 10 seconds after delivery. This breath sounds like a gasp, as the newborn's central nervous system reacts to the sudden change in temperature and environment.
Believe it or not, babies begin experiencing REM sleep even before they're born. Alford says that “between 28 and 30 weeks of gestation, most [of] a fetus' time is spent in REM (dreaming) sleep, with little signs of an [non-REM] sleep state.” So babies are likely spending a great deal of time dreaming in the womb.
The Key Lies in Instinct
Essentially, your baby feels safe because, instinctively, they know that if you are standing or walking, you are more capable of escaping danger. This makes them feel much safer and calmer than being held while you are sitting.
Separation anxiety, on the other hand, can cause much longer phases of clinginess. According to the AAP, many children begin having some feelings of separation anxiety around the time they're 8 months old, with the phase peaking between 10 and 18 months and mostly resolving by the time a child turns 2.
Your baby's eyes first open around 27 weeks of pregnancy, at the end of your second trimester. By 31 weeks, the pupils can constrict, dilate, and detect light.
Surprisingly, crying does not produce tears until after the first month or two. Crying is the way babies communicate. They cry because of hunger, discomfort, frustration, fatigue, and even loneliness. Sometimes, cries can easily be answered with food, or a diaper change.
The 5-3-3 rule is a loose guideline for structuring a baby's sleep schedule: 5 hours of wake time before the first nap, 3 hours of wake time before the second nap, and 3 hours before bedtime.
Because it has far fewer days than any other month, February is the least common birth month. In 2023, only 271,000 babies were born, according to the CDC. April, with only 30 dates, is often the second least common, followed by December; in 2023, April had 279,000 births while December had 297,000.
Second trimester (week 13–week 28)
Most women find the second trimester of pregnancy easier than the first. But it is just as important to stay informed about your pregnancy during these months. You might notice that symptoms like nausea and fatigue are going away.
Infants are at the highest risk for SIDS during their first 6 months of life. Most SIDS deaths occur when babies are between 1 and 4 months of age.
However, it can happen wherever your baby is sleeping, such as when in a pushchair or even in your arms. It can also happen sometimes when your baby isn't sleeping – some babies have died in the middle of a feed.
Risk factors for SIDS include:
The 2-hour rule for babies means they shouldn't stay in a car seat (or travel system seat) for more than two hours at a time, whether in or out of the car, because the semi-upright position can strain their developing spine and restrict their breathing, increasing the risk of low oxygen levels, especially for newborns and preemies. For long journeys, parents should take breaks every two hours to take the baby out, allow them to lie flat for a while, stretch, and feed, ensuring they get proper head/neck support and circulation.
Your body knows that and the muscles can return to their previous length, or become even shorter/tighter than before in response to delivery. Childbirth, no matter the method, is a trauma and injury to the pelvic floor, vagina, abdominal wall, and uterus.
Parents decline newborn vitamin K shots due to concerns about preservatives, high dosage, pain, and a belief it's unnecessary or "unnatural," sometimes influenced by misinformation about leukemia links (which studies disproved) or distrust in medicine, leading them to prefer alternative methods or forgo it, despite risks of Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB), a serious condition causing brain damage or death.