I’m sure you’ve heard the stories, time and time again, of how utterly exhausted you’ll be when baby finally arrives. And it’s true. While your baby will do nothing more than eat, sleep and poop, that’s pretty much all you’ll do too… minus the sleep. But it’s no matter – you’ll be completely smitten from the moment your little one wraps their teeny-tiny hands around your finger that you’ll brave the sleepless nights.
From birth, your newborn will instinctively start doing particular things – like wrapping their hands around your finger when you tickle their palm – it’s all part of their newborn reflexes. It’s pretty darn adorable and exciting to see, and it’s an automatic response that you can actually prompt.
It’s important to test these reflexes out and encourage them, because some eventually develop into skills. Grasping your finger, for one, will sooner or later lead to reaching for and grasping their favourite toys.
Below we’ve listed all the actions you’ll want to monitor as you watch your little ones grow. Click on each for a video, description and quick read on how you can test those wonderful newborn reflexes.
The palmar grasp reflex
The rooting and sucking reflex
The spinal galant reflex
The moro reflex
The plantar reflex
The asymmetrical tonic neck reflex
The stepping reflex
The pincer grasp reflex
Share your experience with your babies and their new reflexes by emailing chatback@parent24.com.
Sign up to our weekly newsletter to receive Parent24 stories directly to your inbox.