What happens when a newborn baby is frightened?

Although newborns' consciousness is not yet fully developed, they will be frightened if they encounter something beyond their imagination. When a newborn is frightened, he or she will have some physiological reactions, such as sleep symptoms, mental symptoms, or physical changes. Below, we will introduce to you the symptoms, common causes and prevention methods of newborns being frightened.

1. Symptoms of a frightened newborn

1. Sleep symptoms

When a newborn is frightened, his eyelids will be half open and half closed when he sleeps, his eyeballs will shake frequently or become dull, his hands will be clenched (normally they will be sometimes loose and sometimes tight), his tongue will not be pressed against the upper teeth but will hang loosely at the bottom, or his palms may jump and the veins on his head may be exposed. Some people may also have restless sleep at night, be startled from time to time, suffer from insomnia, nightmares or intermittent talking in their sleep.

2. Common symptoms

When a newborn is frightened, he or she usually becomes listless, loses appetite, refuses to suckle, and some even cry loudly, with the symptoms coming on and stopping suddenly.

3. Symptoms of physical changes

When a newborn is frightened, his face will often turn gray, his tongue coating will not change, his eyelashes will become like fly legs (several strands together), and his fingerprints will turn purple. That is, there will be a vein on the palm of the hand below the baby's thumb that will turn blue, which is particularly obvious. Some babies may also have abnormal stools, such as green stools.

2. How to prevent newborns from being frightened

1. Comfort and hug your baby as much as possible during the day. The warmer and more intimate the parents' embrace is, the more stable the baby's emotions will be.

2. Provide your baby with a good sleeping environment. If your baby goes to bed early, try not to watch TV in the room and don’t talk too loudly.

3. Know clearly what your baby likes or dislikes, do not force your baby to accept things he does not want to do, or use a gentler approach. For example, if a baby who doesn't like taking a bath is wrapped in a large towel before taking a bath, it will eliminate the baby's nervousness. Let the stranger play with the baby first, and then hold the baby after the stranger is familiar with the baby.

3. Common reasons why newborns are frightened

1. The body and mind are subjected to intense stimulation without any warning. For example: falling from a height (bed, table, etc.); a sudden loud noise.

2. Unstable sleeping environment. For example: sleeping in a moving car; sleeping in an adult's arms while walking

3. Being forced to do things you don’t want to do. For example: a baby who doesn’t want to take a bath is forced to take a bath; a baby is forcibly hugged and kissed by someone the baby thinks is a stranger, etc.

4. Be frightened by new things.

5. If the baby lacks certain nutrients (such as calcium), it will affect the development of the nervous system, making it more likely for the baby to become excited, cry, be restless, and be easily frightened.

6. A small number of babies are born with weak psychological endurance and will be frightened by the slightest noise. We should pay more attention to this type of baby and let him receive less stimulation.