There are a number of things that babies dislike, from loud noises to having a dirty nappy. However, there is one thing that you may not understand they dislike until you are at a picnic or relaxing on your lawn. That’s grass, by the way. It is important to balance them out.
Surprised?
When that happened to me with my child, I had the same reaction.
What’s going on here? Is there something else going on here?
Countless videos have gone viral showing babies struggling valiantly to keep their feet off the grass as their parents slowly drop them toward a lush area of greenery.
It’s cute when they pull their feet up, but why do babies dislike grass so much?
There is no way to know exactly, however, there are a plethora of hypotheses.
Let’s get to know our infant a little better before diving into the details of the problem.
Baby’s Firsts- The World Outside the Nest
A baby’s firsts are a special time in their life. It is a time when they are exploring the world around them. The outside world is a scary place for a baby. It is full of new sights, sounds, smells, and textures that can be overwhelming. But it’s also full of exciting new things to explore!
Baby’s first contact with the world is through their senses. They are able to explore their surroundings and learn new things. However, they avoid things that they are not familiar with. They appear to be apprehensive of new experiences. They avoid grasses as you can see.
It’s possible that this is the result of the Familiarity-avoidance Response, according to experts.
Babies avoid grass for an unknown reason!
When parents introduce their new baby to the outside world, one of the first things they do is lay them down on the grass and let them explore. But why do babies often avoid grass? There is some science to this puzzling phenomena.
The main reason babies avoid grass is because it can contain a toxin called solanine. Solanine is found in many plants, but especially in green beans, potatoes, and tobacco. When ingested by a baby, solanine can cause serious health problems including seizures, coma and even death.
What is a Familiarity-Avoidance Response?
A Familiarity-Avoidance Response is when a baby avoids something that they are familiar with. This response is often seen in babies who are around four to six months old. It can be explained by the fact that babies have not yet developed a full understanding of what it means to be safe and what it means to be dangerous.
It’s this lack of familiarity that causes them to shy away from new things since they don’t know how to interact with them or what will happen if they do.
Scientists have a few theories about why babies avoid grass.!
Scientists have long puzzled over this strange phenomenon, which they call the grass aversion.
Theories: One theory is that babies avoid grass because of the smell. Another theory is that they avoid it because of the texture.
Babies have a heightened sense of smell, and they may not like the smell of the grass. Another theory is that they avoid it because they’re afraid of getting hurt if they fall down. Grass is often uneven and can be difficult to walk on, so this might be why babies are hesitant to go near it.
Now, new research has shed some light on the mystery. The problem is that grass-fed babies are simply less likely to thrive than those raised on a diet of other foods. For example, they tend to be heavier at birth and have lower birth weights. This is especially true if their mothers have eaten a lot of dairy.
The startling truth about why babies avoid grass
Babies have a hard time adjusting to the overwhelming sensory experience of being placed on the ground, which might include sharp, ticklish, and/or damp blades of grass. Some parents believe that the unexpected smell of grass may be to blame.
A possible explanation for What could be behind & why babies avoid grass!
“Since of its scratchy texture and feel, babies are typically afraid of grass because it is unlike any other surface they’ve ever come into contact with,” says Gina Posner, M.D., a pediatrician of MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
Dr. Posner further points out that grass can cause itching and even rashes in adults. As a result, she explains, “it can also make babies less inclined to crawl or play on it.”
A study by the University of Sheffield sought to find an answer and uncovered some surprising findings.
The study found that babies avoid grass because they can smell the chemicals emitted by the plants.
These chemicals, called allelochemicals, can be harmful to babies and cause them to avoid the plant.
Newborns are skeptical about plants in general, according to a study in Cognition Journal. Even infants as young as eight months show increased hesitation toward manual plant exploration, as the authors point out. Toxic exposure from plants, for example, may represent “ancestrally repeated risks” that they are hard-wired to be aware of.
The Importance of Familiarity Vs. Novelty for your Baby’s Development
A baby’s development is a complex process that takes place over the course of their first year. Familiarity and novelty are both important for your baby’s development, but it is important to know when each should be used in order to maximize the benefits.
A child’s growth can be hampered by the constant presence of new toys and activities. Introduce new things and then go over old ones to keep them interested and engaged. This is good for the baby’s growth.
Babies are born with an innate sense of curiosity which helps develop their brains. Too much novelty or too many new experiences can actually have a negative effect on your child’s development. It is important to balance them out.
Final Verdict
The science behind why babies avoid grass is interesting and helps to explain this puzzling behavior. The experiment showed that babies do, in fact, avoid grass because of the smell and the texture.
Reasons are…
Babies are born with a natural instinct to avoid new things. This is because they have no experience of the world and they are not sure what to expect. Babies also have a fear of falling as they do not yet know how to control their bodies.
Babies avoid new things because it is in their nature to do so, and it is also a way for them to learn about the world around them.
It’s common for babies to outgrow their fear of the big outdoors by the time they’re just a few years old!
They also overcome their phobia of grass and quit avoiding them after a few encounters.