If you’re an expectant mother, we’re pretty sure that one of the most annoying things you hear almost every day is what you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to raising your baby. The topics could range from the choice between breastmilk and formula to which crib or minky throw blanket you should buy. Raising a child, especially if it’s your firstborn, is already nerve-wracking enough. So, why exactly are baby myths so popular?
While it’s difficult to figure out why these misconceptions persist, we can certainly shed some light on some of them. Now, with all the technology and social media information that are easily accessible, it has become even more challenging to separate the truth from the legend. Beneath all the noise however, is something interesting: A number of these so-called “myths” that are actually true.
Babies Are Not Colorblind, but They Do Like Monotones More
A lot of parents seem to believe that their babies are fond of flashy toys and bright colors. That’s why when decorating their nursery, bold colors are a common choice for many. But while it’s true that these things can distract a child – after all, newborn babies get easily overwhelmed by their surroundings – they cannot actually see things clearly especially if they are 8-12 inches away from them. The same is true for bright colors – they don’t necessarily have a preference for them. Because babies see things in black and white, they can process all the new information they see for the first time a lot better because there’s less distraction. Bright colors tend to overwhelm them. Eventually, of course, they will grow to love colors, but for the early stages of their development, having a simpler color palette is better.
A Newborn Baby’s Head Is the Heaviest Part of Their Body
Babies may look almost alien-like with their unusually large heads, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Newborn babies really are top-heavy. They’re completely out of proportion, with their heads being the heaviest part of their entire body. After they are born, it takes a while for the rest of their body to catch up to their heads until they finally become proportionate. This is why it’s highly important for parents to provide as much support to their baby’s head as possible whenever they’re holding them. When a baby can finally hold their head up without any support, a lot of parents seem to commemorate this special day. After all, a baby’s head is too heavy – for them, at least – so it’s quite an achievement.
Babies Don’t “Cry” Until Three Weeks After Their Birth
This one is more of a technicality. You may think, “How is this one possible when babies actually make tremendous amounts of noise the first week of their birth?” Here’s an interesting fact: all these noises cannot actually be classified as crying simply because babies aren’t physically capable of crying during the first three weeks of their lives. This is because a baby’s tear duct develops a lot later, and this one is totally normal and should not be a cause for concern.
