Get to Know Your Newborn Reflexes

Put your finger on your baby's palm and he'll grip it. Hold your sweet pea upright and he'll move his legs as though he's walking. You can even place a finger on one side of his cheek and he'll swivel his head in that direction. Although you may think those actions are clear evidence that your baby is one smart cookie (of course he is!), they're actually reflexes, or involuntary responses infants are born with. But why? "Some reflexes, such as feeding and sucking, are key to survival, but others occur without a whole lot of explanation," says Kirsten Weltmer, M.D., a pediatrician with Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, in Kansas City, Missouri. We've got all the info you need on your child's awesome auto responses.

Rooting
Trigger Your finger (or anything else) brushes against your newborn's cheek, lip, or the corner of her mouth.

Response She turns her head toward the side you stroked and opens her mouth wide like a baby bird. This is how infants seek out Mom's nipple or the bottle when they're ready to feed.

Why it happens You can probably guess. "The rooting reflex ensures that your baby gets her nutrition," says Tanya Remer Altmann, M.D., a pediatrician in Westlake Village, California, and author of Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya Answers Parents' Top Questions About Babies and Toddlers.

How long it lasts This reflex vanishes around 4 months, Dr. Altmann says. Eventually your little one will be an expert nipple-finder, so she won't have to root around as much.

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