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Breastfeeding is best for babies. Breastmilk provides the ideal balanced diet and protection against illness for your baby. We fully support the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.
As you navigate the early days of parenthood, your little one will constantly amaze you, and there are plenty of incredible surprises in store! From how their tiny bodies grow to the unique ways they interact with the world, newborns are truly remarkable.
Here are 17 of the most fascinating newborn facts every Canadian parent should know about their new baby.
1. They Aren't Born with Solid Kneecaps
Babies are actually born without solid, bony kneecaps! At birth, their knees consist of soft cartilage structures that resemble kneecaps. The cartilage gradually ossifies into hard bone over time, usually completing between 2 and 6 years of age.
2. May Babies Tend to Be the Heaviest
While many assume winter babies born in January might weigh the most, research shows that babies born in May are statistically the heaviest, weighing about 110 grams (around a ¼ lb) more on average than babies born in other months.
3. Newborns Don't Produce Real Tears
While your baby will certainly cry and shout to let you know they need comfort or milk, they won't shed actual tears at first. Newborn tear ducts produce enough moisture to keep their eyes healthy and lubricated, but true tear drops usually don't appear until around 3 to 4 weeks of age.
4. Babies Are Born with Nearly 300 Bones
Adults have 206 bones, but newborns enter the world with nearly 300 separate skeletal structures! Over time, many of these bones fuse together. For instance, the soft spots on a baby’s head (called fontanelles) allow the skull bones to overlap safely during birth, fusing together over their first 18 months of life.
5. Most Babies Have Birthmarks
Birthmarks are extremely common: in fact, about 10% of infants are born with vascular marks like "stork bites" (salmon patches) or hemangiomas. These occur when tiny blood vessels dilate near the skin's surface during development or birth, and many fade naturally within the first few years.
6. Newborn Hair Often Falls Out
Don't be surprised if that full head of soft birth hair thins out! Many newborns shed their initial hair during the first few weeks due to changing hormone levels after birth. When new hair grows back over their first year, it may even arrive in a slightly different texture or shade.
7. They Possess Impressive Primitive Reflexes
Newborns are equipped with around 70 built-in reflexes. Place your baby upright with their feet touching a flat surface, and they will automatically execute a stepping motion! Another common reflex is the Moro (startle) reflex, where sudden loud noises cause them to throw their arms out and pull their knees up.
Related Reading: Planning your first family outing or vacation? Learn how to navigate early travel with ease in our guide: Traveling with a Newborn: A Canadian Parent’s Guide to a Stress-Free Vacation
8. Brain Development Makes Them Sleepy
During early infancy, a newborn's brain uses up a significant portion of the body's total glucose supply as it rapidly absorbs information. All that hard cognitive work explains why newborns spend the majority of their day sleeping or resting!
9. Social Smiles Emerge Around 6 to 8 Weeks
While early post-feed grins are often involuntary reflexes, true "social smiling", where your baby smiles deliberately in response to your voice or face, typically develops between 6 and 8 weeks of age.
10. They Recognize Music Played During Pregnancy
By around 16 to 20 weeks of pregnancy, a developing baby can hear external sounds. Studies show that newborns often recognize and feel comforted by songs or musical routines that were played frequently while they were in the womb.
11. They Have Thousands of Taste Buds
Babies have around 10,000 taste buds, nearly three times as many as adults! These taste receptors cover not just the tongue, but also the roof and sides of the mouth. Flavours from a mother's diet pass into amniotic fluid and breast milk, subtly introducing infants to family tastes early on.
Related Reading: To learn more about newborn digestion, feeding transitions, and stool changes, check out: Baby Poo, Formula Changes & Digestion: A Canadian Parent's Guide
12. Babies Laugh Up to 300 Times a Day
Once your baby discovers their giggle (around 3 to 4 months), they practice it constantly! The average infant laughs up to 300 times a day, compared to just 60 times a day for adults.
13. Cries Carry Regional "Accents"
Research from developmental linguists suggests that babies absorb the cadence and intonation of their mother's native language while in the womb. As a result, the melody of a newborn's cry subtly mimics the accent and speech patterns of their parents!
14. Maternal Hormones Cause Brief Bodily Changes
Before birth, babies share their birth parent's circulating hormones. In the days immediately following delivery, a drop in these hormones can cause temporary breast swelling in both boys and girls (and occasionally light lactation), as well as minor uterine shedding ("pseudo-menstruation") in baby girls. These effects are harmless and pass quickly.
15. They Can Swallow and Breathe Simultaneously
Because a newborn's larynx is positioned higher in the throat than an adult's, infants can breathe and swallow at the same time during feeds until roughly 7 months of age. If your baby catches a common cold or nasal congestion, this natural rhythm is temporarily disrupted, which is why congested babies can become fussy during feeds.
Related Reading: Supporting your baby's growth with formula? Read our safe preparation guide based on Health Canada recommendations:
• How to Prepare Baby Formula Safely: A Canadian Parent's Guide
• What Is Whole Milk Formula? The Kendamil Difference Explained
16. Eye Colour Shift Over the First Year
Melanin production in the iris increases over a baby's first few months when exposed to light. While many infants are born with blue or grey eyes, their permanent eye colour usually becomes clearer between 6 and 12 months of age.
17. Their Proportions Are Uniquely Top-Heavy
At birth, a baby's head makes up approximately one-quarter of their total length, and their brain accounts for about 10% of their body weight! Their body quickly grows over the first two years to bring their overall proportions into balance.
The newborn stage is filled with rapid development, unique biology, and unforgettable milestones. Understanding these surprising biological quirks helps make those early weeks feel a little less mysterious as you watch your baby grow and thrive.
If you ever have questions about your baby's physical development, growth curve, or health, resources like the Canadian Paediatric Society (Caring for Kids) or your local public health nurse (accessible via 811) are always available to provide support.
About the Author
Katie Hilton is a Paediatric Nurse, Health Visitor, and Infant Feeding Expert. She specializes in practical infant health education, supporting parents through early feeding, digestion, and developmental milestones.
Medical Disclaimer
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your family doctor, pediatrician, public health nurse, or a qualified healthcare professional if you have any concerns about your baby's health or development.
