Are you having a baby boy? You must be wondering what makes them special. All babies are amazing and quirky. They do things that surprise right from the womb. Even though there are not many differences in the experience that you will have with a baby boy or a girl, in the long run, some things about them as a baby will take you by surprise. Read on to understand what makes your baby boy quite amazing.
#1 Breast Milk Nourishes Baby Boys More
Breast milk is the best source of nourishment for all babies under the age of six months and even for quite a while afterward. Ideally, it must not be substituted by any other foods unless you are left with no choice. Studies in an Australian University showed that baby boys benefited more from breast milk nourishment than girls did. The study was conducted on 10-year-old children whose academic scores were observed. Breastfed babies scored more than formula-fed ones. Boys scored significantly higher than girls among the breastfed children.
#2 Boys Prefer Actions and Movements over People
Baby girls are more responsive to faces and people when compared to baby boys who are more responsive to actions and movements. Studies show those baby girls are better are reading emotions and understanding human expressions which doesn’t seem to appeal as much to baby boys who prefer watching windshields getting wiped rather than watching people talk. Further studies indicated the same through children who were presented with gender-neutral toys. Girls tend to gravitate more towards toys with faces like dolls whereas boys prefer toys that could move around- like cars and trains.
#3 Boy Babies are More in Number When Compared to Girls
This is a very multidimensional statement because it is only applicable at birth. The sex ratio during birth is definitely in favor of boys. More baby boys are born across the world compared to baby girls and the sex ratio depends on a variety of external factors as well. However, in an uncontrolled and natural environment, you might have a higher chance of having a baby boy than a baby girl. However, this number does not apply later on in life. Around the age of 30, the number is quite evened out because women have a higher life expectancy. Later in life, when the age is around 70 years, women outnumber men significantly.
#4 Baby Boy Brains are Wired Differently
Some strange studies indicate that boy babies have roughly the same amount of testosterone that a man in his mid-twenties does. They are in fact, born with this much testosterone, to begin with. The amount significantly decreases very soon after birth and is not at all a cause for any kind of worry. However, due to the initial levels of testosterone being quite high you will notice that there are a few changes. For instance, the synapses that join together different brain cells are strengthened in some parts of the brain whereas loosened in others. This can result in a variety of changes. Coolly enough, on average baby boys have brains that are bigger by about 15% when compared to girls.
#5 Baby Boys Don’t Hear as well as Baby Girls
Baby girls tend to hear better than baby boys when they are young. This is especially applicable in the 1000-4000 Hz range. This is significant because this is the range that plays a major role in identifying speech and discriminating between different aspects of speech. Baby girls are more responsive and stimulated by speech and tend to recognize human voices distinctly when compared to baby boys. Girls are born with cochleas (inner ear parts) smaller and stiffer than boys. This impacts the sensitivity of hearing at different frequencies. This is also a great explanation as to why baby girls are better at speaking initially when compared to boys who have slower speech.
#6 Baby Boys are More Prone to Injuries
For some reason, baby boys are way more prone to injuries when compared to baby girls and in different parts of the body at that. Injuries to the face, neck, and head are most common in boys. This could be because they move around a lot and are generally more active and curious about different things around them that could potentially harm them. They are particularly attracted to movement and actions which could put them in more vulnerable situations when compared to baby girls. Also, different emergency room consensus shows that a slightly higher number of male babies visit the ER compared to girls.
#7 Baby Boys are Way More Active
There is a lot of evidence that proves that baby boys are generally way more active than baby girls and can quite shake your world as they grow. Not only are they more energetic, they are more prone to be attracted to movement and actions as well and they also require more attention from you. Compared to baby girls, they have higher levels of energy whether they are eating, lying down, or simply sitting somewhere. They get restless more often and squirm around a lot more as well. On average, the difference might not be very significant but it becomes more apparent with age.
There is so much to love about you baby boy and girl but baby boys make the experience unique in their ways. No matter what gender your baby is, you know you’re in for the ride of a lifetime.