Your little 12-pound bundle of joy is a charmer, but this little cutie also does a thing or two that will make you say, Huh? Here are some explanations to some of those little mysteries.

“My baby smells so good … what’s her secret?” Two words: No sweat. The apocrine glands, which are found in the armpits, breasts, and groin associated with strong body odor, aren’t active until puberty. Another reason she smells to good to you may because her scent is familiar. Each of has our own odor print.

Moms have been known to recognize their newborn by scent alone. One theory for this phenomenon is olfactory cues from baby may be circulating in Mom’s bloodstream during pregnancy, giving her an early exposure.

“What’s the deal with toe-sucking?” Your little one learns about the objects around her by putting them in her mouth. Nerve fibers in the mouth are more sensitive than those in the fingers, so babies can experience many wonderful touch sensations when they suck on their body parts.

While babies love to suck anything they can get their lips on - toys, the remote - many 4- and 5-month-olds find it easy to put their feet in their mouth simply because they’re so flexible.

“Do all newborns get startled as much as mine does?” All healthy newborns are born programmed with an involuntary impulse called the Moro reflex. So, if your baby is startled by the sound of a slamming door or by and siren, for instance, he’ll fling his arms out, spread his fingers, then grab instinctively-for Mom. Then he’ll bring his arms back to his body and relax.

Newborns haven’t learned to differentiate from common and uncommon noises. As your little one matures, his brain learns to distinguish sounds and movements, and suppresses this primitive reflex.

“What’s the reason for all the drooling?” Infants have an immature nervous system and they don’t have as much motor control for their mouth as older children and adults. The dribbling usually lessens by the time they reach age one.

“Every time I give my baby her bottle, she wraps her fingers around mine. What’s going on?” It’s her way of showing you her love. Starting at 3or 4 months, your baby is able to hold onto your fingers and she may do it every chance she gets. She also gets a kick out of hearing your voice so another great way to bond is to talk or sing to her.

“My newborn looks like a frog when she sleeps.” During the first month or two of life, your baby’s arms, legs, elbows, and knees are bent when she snoozes, similar to how they were in the womb. As her nervous system matures, her legs will straighten and she’ll sleep in a looser position.

“Why does my baby hit or scratch at a picture in a book?” She’s used to seeing things in 3-D, so she doesn’t know what to do with a 2-D picture. Keep reading to her and marvel as her cognitive skills develop.

Around the age of 9 months old, she will begin to tell the difference between real objects and images and become intrigued. Around 15 months she will scratch and hit pictures less and begin pointing at them more often, sometimes making sounds as she points, showing that she is recognizing the meaning of images.

Becoming a parent is definitely a learning process, but what a fun adventure!

Kat Hafen writes for many baby publications including HugaMonkey, which has baby slings, changing pads, baby carriers, and much more. Visit HugaMonkey to find the perfect item to help with your baby!

[tags]baby tips, why baby smells good, baby drooling, why babies startle, why babies suck their toes[/tags]