10 Weird Things Babies Do

There are many things babies do that make them incredibly adorable. From baby giggles to cooing, there are just so many cute things they do. However, from time to time there are things you will probably notice your baby doing that will leave you scratching your head. It is not uncommon for children and babies to do odd things or behaviors. In fact, it’s perfectly normal! Here are 10 weird things babies do that are not out of the ordinary.

1.) Frequent Hiccups
I think every new parent has a moment where they believe something is wrong with their newborn because they get hiccups so frequently. It’s not certain why, but newborns get hiccups quite frequently. It is believed that it’s possibly from your newborn’s inability to swallow and breathe in a normal pattern. While it may seem bothersome it is perfectly harmless.

2.) Frequent Sneezing
Young babies, specifically newborns, seem to sneeze quite often and is usually not associated with a cold or onset of an illness. This is a protective reflex nature instills in newborns as a means of removing foreign particles present in the air that make their way to your baby’s nose.

3.) Spastic Movements
While your baby is lying, quietly playing or gazing you suddenly notice them tremble or make sudden jerky movements. It’s nothing to be concerned with. What it is, your baby’s nervous system is still immature and so your baby isn’t able to control movements. If your baby catches a chill they will tremble much harder than you would. Check your baby to see if they feel cold and cover them if you suspect it may just be a chill in the air. If you notice your baby trembling a lot and is associated with crying then you should call your doctor.

4.) Eating Dirt (and other things off the floor)
Eating random things off the floor is one of those weird things babies do that parents often find very disturbing. To a crawling tot, anything they find on the floor is game. Even if your floors aren’t exactly immaculately clean, it won’t hurt them to ingest a little dirt here and there or other bits they may pick up. What is cause for concern are any small items that may fall on the floor that can pose a choking hazard. When you put your baby down to play, do a quick inspection at floor level for any items they can potentially get a hold of and put in their mouth. (See also, Babyproofing Basics)

5.) Touching Private Parts
It’s inevitable. Whether you have a boy or girl at some point they will discover their genitals. Most likely it will be while you are changing a diaper or giving them a bath. Relax, it’s perfectly normal. Babies are simply exploring their sense of curiosity and don’t understand what it is they are doing. Once your child is old enough to understand, however you can explain to them that this is not appropriate behavior in public.

6.) Head Banging
Many babies will show some odd behavior such as banging, rocking, bobbing, or rolling their head, usually around 10 months. There are times when my son is sitting in his high chair and all of a sudden just starts bobbing his head as though he’s jamming out to a heavy rock band. This is just your baby’s way of expressing their discovery of rhythm. Some babies (mostly in boys, though girls sometimes do it too) will bang their head against the wall or the side of the crib. Be assured that this is normal and completely harmless. Some reasons baby display this type of behavior include:

• Coping mechanism for teething pain
• Onset of stress (learning to walk, weaning, new bed)
• Releasing built-up tension from during the day
• Acts as a sleep aid

If you notice your baby doing this very frequently for a long period of time, shows odd behavior, or seems unhappy it may be cause for concern. Discuss the behavior with your doctor especially if your child is slow in development.

7.) Hair Pulling
Sometimes you may notice your little one pulling or tugging at their hair. My son used to do this all the time though he didn’t have much hair to pull. Often times babies find a comfort in stroking or pulling at their hair especially while nursing. Babies and toddlers may continue doing this when they are cranky or sleepy as a means of releasing tension or self-soothe. Occasional hair pulling is perfectly fine, though if you notice it is resulting in patches of hair loss or you see them doing it vigorously you may want to keep the hair cut short and offer other alternatives to dissuade the habit such as engaging in another activity.

8.) Dropping Things Repeatedly
After picking up that toy for umpteenth time you start to think your baby is out to get you. You would be right, in a sense. Babies often play this dropping game as a means of getting your attention. All babies do it and they love it. In order to avoid making a habit out of it, if your baby drops a toy simply pick it up and give it back to him without making a reaction such as saying ‘Uh-oh!’ If they drop it again leave it on the floor for a few minutes before reaching for it again.

9.) Holding their breath
This was something I had not experienced with either of my children but is something that 1 in 5 babies do typically between 6 months and 4 years. Babies usually do this behavior out of anger, frustration, or pain. Sometimes, babies may even pass out for a brief period after holding their breath. It can be very scary for the parent but your baby’s automatic respiratory responses kick in long before it results in brain damage. An indication that your baby is doing it intentionally rather than an indication of a serious medical condition (epilepsy) is if they are crying or fussy prior to holding their breath and the lips or face turn blue briefly just before loss of consciousness occurs. Cause for concern are if your baby’s breath holding is unaccompanied by crying, lasts longer than a minute, or it becomes severe in which case you should discuss it with your doctor.

10.) Erections
It may seem startling when you go to change your baby boy’s diaper and notice he has an erection. This is a typical normal reaction in this sensitive organ. The fact is all baby boys will experience this at some point, whether from his diaper rubbing against him or while in the tub. (Beware during diaper changes as this is also an indication that they are about to pee!)

These are just some of the weird things babies do, however they never cease to amaze their parents. Notice something strange your baby has done not listed here? Tell us about it!