Baby Quirks

Every new parent at some point wonders: Is my baby supposed to do that? Is this normal?

Morgan Shandler, Overland Park, recalls several moments of new mama anxiety during the first few weeks home with her daughter, who is now a busy 1-year-old.

“One thing that particularly freaked me out was when Violet would bob her head when attempting to nurse. It almost looked like she was having a seizure or like she was a broken down robot,” Shandler says. “But my pediatrician assured me it was a completely normal part of ‘rooting’ for the breast.”

Startle reflex. Parents also worry about seizures when their infant suddenly throws out his arms and legs as if he’s falling.

Jennifer Mellick, MD, FAAP, Pediatric Partners KC, and president of the Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, says that the startle or Moro Reflex is a normal neurological infantile reflex that disappears as the nervous system matures.

“If you believe in evolution, there’s probably some reason why mammals and homo sapiens have this instinctual need to grasp, and if they’re falling, reach out to find something and grab on. Babies do that same kind of thing. If they feel like they are falling, they are going to throw their arms and legs out wide to find their caregiver and grab,” Dr. Mellick says.

If you’re ever concerned about strange movements your baby makes, try to video record it, suggests Jennifer McBride, MD, internal medicine and pediatric specialist, Truman Medical Centers and Children’s Mercy.

“Nine times out of 10, Baby won’t do the motion when in the office with us. If parents record it, I can see what the baby looks like when they are doing that movement and either reassure them or decide if we need to do something else,” Dr. McBride says.

Funny breathing. Babies have breathing patterns that alarm many newbie parents. Physicians call it “periodic breathing of the newborn”—and it’s completely normal. 

“They will almost pant for a period of time and then they will pause for several seconds—several seconds in baby breathing seems like a really, really long time. Then, they take a deep breath, let out a deep sigh and they pant again,” Dr. Mellick says.

Babies also often make lots of “gurgly, snorty sounds,” says Michael Greenfield, MD, internal medicine and pediatric specialist, Shawnee Mission Health.

“This is pretty normal because babies have to breathe through their noses when they’re eating and a lot of babies have congestion so it will make their breathing sound much worse than it really is,” Dr. Greenfield says.

Bless you! Just as babies make funny sounds when they breathe, they often sneeze, which leads parents to wonder whether their child suffers from allergies or is getting sick.

“That’s just how the baby clears out his nose because babies can’t blow their noses like we can,” Dr. McBride says.

Hiccups. Just like the rest of us, babies experience hiccups, which are sudden contractions of the diaphragm. Often a baby can get hiccups after a feeding.

“Babies will hiccup for hours on end, which doesn’t bother them at all,” Dr. Greenfield says.

Scaly scalp. Cradle cap, which is a greasy, yellowish, scaly rash on the head, may not look cute, but it’s usually nothing to worry about. Try brushing your baby’s hair or head once a day with a soft baby brush, which will help loosen the natural oils on the scalp to avoid buildup. Moisturizers like baby oil, mineral oil or coconut oil also can help.

“If it seems to be getting worse or looking really red, that would be a time to see the pediatrician. It could be a sign that Baby is going to have eczema, which typically runs in families,” Dr. McBride says.

Strange colored poop. Depending on whether babies are breast-fed or formula-fed, the color of their poop can range from green and yellow to brown. Breast-fed babies will have more color variations because breastmilk is composed of mom’s diet.

“I get worried if the poop is a gray color or lacking in the brown or green tones or if there is ever blood or red in the diaper,” Dr. McBride says.

Difficulty pooping. Babies may appear to struggle when they go, but as long as their poop is soft and doesn’t look like pellets or rocks (a sign of constipation), parents needn’t worry.

Babies can have dirty diapers anywhere from once a day to every few days.

“Formula-fed babies don’t necessarily poop every day, and sometimes that concerns parents, but the body doesn’t process formula as fast as it does breastmilk,” Dr. McBride explains.

If your little one is passing watery diarrhea, contact your doctor, as this can be a sign of an infection.           

Jeepers, creepers… It may look weird, but babies sometimes sleep with their eyes half open or appear as if their eyes are rolling around in their heads.

“I don’t know that anyone knows why eyes roll around the head. It’s probably something to do with their sleep patterns. They don’t have well-organized R.E.M. sleep at that age,” Dr. Mellick says.

Occasionally, your baby’s eyes may appear to cross, which is normal up to 18 months of age. If your baby’s eyes seem persistently crossed or turned in or out, however, talk with your physician.

More zzz’s…pretty please? The most popular questions pediatricians field from tired parents have to do with sleep and when everyone in the family can get more of it.

“Sleep is the holy grail of parenthood,” Dr. Mellick says.

Babies generally don’t sleep for long periods of time because they need to eat every few hours. Their tiny tummies can hold only so much milk.

“As they get older, they still need to eat frequently because they need a large volume to get the calories they need to grow,” Dr. Mellick says.

By about 6 months, your baby should be sleeping for a seven- to eight-hour stretch.

Wait, they changed. What is normal today probably won’t last because babies grow and change rapidly, but always consult your family physician with any concerns.

“We’d rather you call with a question that isn’t really something to be alarmed about than miss something that is,” Dr. Mellick says.

Freelance journalist Christa Melnyk Hines resides in Olathe with her husband and their two adolescent sons, who still do strange things! Christa is the author of Happy, Healthy & Hyperconnected: Raise a Thoughtful Communicator in a Digital World.

As always, please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns.2222222