Anyone who has ever had a newborn can speak of the wonder that they feel when first laying eyes on their little one. Every part, from hands and feet to even those tiny strands of hair is an interesting discovery for new parents.
If you have been blessed with a hairy baby, don’t worry. You might get curious about why he is so furry from the time of birth but it isn’t anything to be concerned about.
Pattern Of Hair Growth On Newborns
Lanugo, the thin and soft hair found all over a newborn’s face, shoulder, and back will appear during gestation but fall off by 4 months of age. If your baby is born with significant amounts of fuzz on his body it should disappear within four months
During this time in the womb, your baby’s skin will have a cheese-like substance called vernix to prevent it from getting chaffed. There is also lanugo on his skin that acts as an adhesive surface for the vernix and keeps it attached without being washed off by amniotic fluid.
Heartburn In Pregnancy And Hairy Babies
The old wives’ tale states that if you have intense discomfort with heartburn due to acid reflux, it could be because your baby has a thick head of hair. Heartburn is not pleasant during pregnancy and can cause women lots of problems such as bad moods and trouble sleeping at night.
Before you laugh off the idea as some silly folklore, it’s important to know that scientific researchers actually found this tale to be true. Long-term studies conducted on pregnant women with mild or severe cases of heartburn revealed that babies born to women who suffered from frequent bouts of acid reflux had plenty of hair on their heads. Sometimes there was even detectable hair in an ultrasound image!
Pregnant women experience heartburn and bloating due to the relaxation of their lower esophageal sphincter, which makes it easier for acid from your stomach to get into your food pipe. However, estrogen is thought of as one factor that contributes to hair growth on a baby’s head.
Home Remedies For Heartburn During Pregnancy
You might not be able to control how much hair your baby has, but you can reduce heartburn by following these tips.
• Eat small meals throughout the day.
• After eating, avoid bending over, lying down, or doing sudden movements
• Make sure to limit your intake of spicy, bitter, sour, and salty foods.
• Eat alkalizing foods like almonds, avocados, leafy greens, herbal teas, garlic, curd, and smoothies.
While there is evidence to support the link between heartburn and an abundance of hair, it’s not a foolproof claim. Many women who have no complaints about acid reflux during their pregnancies still give birth to babies with glorious manes! On the contrary, we know that some pregnant women experience chronic acid reflux throughout pregnancy and they deliver bald newborns instead.
Pregnancy is a long, sometimes complicated journey. It’s influenced by the environment, genetics, and hormones among many other factors. The best thing to do during your pregnancy is optimistic about it! Take care of yourself and keep an open mind for all possibilities – whether you end up giving birth to a hairy baby or not!
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