Why Is My Baby Obsessed With Feet? (3 Reasons Why)
Those tiny feet seem to hold a great deal of fascination for babies, so what makes them so special?
Well, to any parents, they are overwhelmingly cute for a starter, and they cannot resist kissing these tiny toes and feet.
But is it the same for babies?
Read on to find 3 reasons your baby is obsessed with their feet.
It is a crucial developmental achievement for most babies to discover their feet. This usually happens at around 4 months when they become fixated on their feet. In addition, babies start to comprehend that their feet are a part of them and they can move them! Secondly, babies have an innate curiosity about the world around them that drives them to learn, explore and experiment with things – such as their newly discovered feet. And lastly; their feet can mesmerise babies because it is simply fun for them to play with.
1. Discovering New Body Parts
So, have you noticed that when you lay your baby on their back, they tend to curl up with their legs up in the air and bring them close to their chest?
Don’t worry, this is a common position for babies during their first weeks of life.
It may take some time to fully extend their arms and legs during the stretching-out process.
Plus, this position can actually help them relieve trapped gas, which is also a perfectly normal part of their development.
But guess what? When your little one is around 4 months old and is lying on their back, they discover their feet and toes.
This is a wonderful milestone for them, and they will spend a lot of time playing with their feet. Just like they did with their hands a few weeks ago.
First – They Discovered Their Hands!
Remember when your baby discovered their hands between 6-8 weeks old?
Before that, they didn’t even see their randomly moving hands, and they didn’t realise that they were part of their body.
But once they grasped a noisy object, like a rattle, and followed the source, they noticed their hand touch it. And then, they realised it was THEIR hand holding the rattle, which is connected to THEIR body!
And from that moment on, they spent hours examining their hands in amazement, chewing on them, touching their fingers, and straightening and closing them back.
Then, They Found Their Feet!
Now that your baby is discovering their feet, they’ll take their time to inspect closely and experiment with them too.
And when you see your baby doing this, it is a confirmation that your baby is progressing well in their development!
They are hitting another milestone that allows them to become more aware of their bodies and the incredible movement they can make.
So, don’t take your baby’s obsession with their legs for granted or view it as a quirk. It’s actually a result of hard learning in the early weeks of their life.
*** As a side note, did you know that babies spend more time exploring their own bodies, including their feet, than they do exploring other objects? That’s what the scientists from the University of Massachusetts found when studying the behaviour of 5 and 6 months old babies,
Parent’s Guide to the Importance of Baby Reaching Hands to Feet
2. It’s Entertaining And Stimulating
Yes, indeed, playing with their feet and wriggly toes is simply fun for babies.
What is even more amusing (and super cute to look at) is when your little one stuffs their feet into their mouths. And they do it for an additional sensory experience. That’s because touching or manipulating the feet can activate the somatosensory cortex in the brain, which is responsible for processing touch and other sensations!
So they are eager to know what their feet taste like and how it feels to bite the little toes. Also, they need to master grabbing their feet and learning how they work and what to do with them.
Even more.
Some babies may find sucking on their toes or rubbing their feet against each other to be soothing!!
***As a side note, if you want your baby to have even more fun playing with their feet, you can pop rattle socks on their feet, which is basically a sock with a rattle attached to them. As they kick their legs around, they can hear a rattling sound. Not only will this provide them with entertainment, but it will also motivate them to continue practising their skills and developing their foot-eye coordination.
3. Natural Curiosity
In case you haven’t noticed it just yet – babies are born with natural curiosity.
And curiosity is a desire to learn, discover, explore, and figure out things. Curiosity drives them to understand the world around them.
And the funny thing is, we don’t need to do anything to encourage curiosity in our babies.
We just need to nurture and support it by creating opportunities for them to learn.
Because according to the study, the most curious babies will grow to become very curious toddlers.
And why is curiosity so important to them?
This will allow them to explore the world more deeply and extensively.
And playing with their feet to the point that it seems to us like an obsession is nothing else than their eagerness to understand the world and how it works and thirst for knowledge. This encourages them to explore their feet using all of their senses; they observe, touch, mouth, and taste with their feet.
Final Few Lines
So, be happy because when your baby plays with their feet, it means they are reaching another developmental milestone!
And this is not only gross motor skills but also the beginning of self-identification and self-cognition.
And, as a bonus, they stay busy entertaining themselves with their feet. How convenient is that?
No need to buy fancy toys when their feet are always within reach.
So, enjoy this precious time with your little one and encourage them to further explore and discover!
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