Is my newborn developing too quickly?

[ftmpp]

This might sound ridiculous but I’m a FTM and I’m not sure what’s the normal? My baby is 2 weeks old and is doing things that I THOUGHT baby’s don’t start doing till about 3months onwards? He’s putting his hands in his mouth and would try eat them, he lifts his head slightly, when he’s laying down and his dummy falls out of his mouth he moves his head over and actually sucks the dummy back into his mouth if that makes sense? He is extremely strong, I have to use a lot of effort to hold his head when winding him, he could easily jump out of my arms. He also digs his nails very deep into me and it’s actually quite painful. He tries to eat his bib or my arms anything he can get his mouth on he’ll try. Even when he’s wrapped safely in blankets he can easily make his way out of the blanket, he’s always kicking and he goes crazy with his arms. Would like to add he’s VERY alert and it’s the first thing people say when they meet him. Does this all sound very normal for a newborn at 2 weeks? I didn’t think they had so much strength!

Completely normal.
Newborn babies are extremely strong, it’s a biological reflex to cling to their mother.

Yea that all sounds pretty normal. I couldn’t believe it when my son lifted his head off me within a day of being born (was sure I had the next Hercules 😂) but I think it’s pretty standard! Congratulations 💐

Yes it's reflex and normal.

I think it goes away after 6ish weeks I can't quite remember

I think a lot of the initial milestones are over cautious so that you don't have a host of worried parents seeking medical advice when it's been five days and their baby can't hold their head up yet.

Babies are very strong and have an amazing cling reflex. Apparently they could hold their own weight hanging from a washing line, although I expect that's generally frowned upon. 😁

My little treasure used to pick her head up and turn it to the other side if she objected to the way she has been put down…at 30 weeks gestation in the nicu…with a cpap machine on. If the are determined enough they will do it! She still has a will of iron, so good luck!

Yes, all completely normal. My newborn son was super alert, he was so curious about everything. And so strong! At 10 months he into everything, walking and talking and he’s an extremely strong and sturdy chunk of a baby. We think he’ll be huge 😂

Not all of it obviously.

Some babies are just very strong and active right from the get-go. DC1 came out already able to lift their head. When learning to pull up, DC1, once lost their footing and clung to the underside of the table swinging until I could reach them, so I definitely believe the washing-line tale!

Mine was strong like this, very awake and not at all newborn like at 2 weeks. I always suspected it was because she’d been 2 weeks overdue.

Yes I wouldn't worry - DS1 lifted his head off his Dads shoulder to try and look around when we were still in the hospital. My friend's DD couldn't lift her head properly for months and months to the point I was getting concerned. They are both 19 and very physically able and do high level sport and dance. DS 2 walked at 10 months but he's fairly average in terms of physical ability now and his fine motor skills have been a bit delayed overall - all DC are different!

Completely normal, I'm afraid!

Babies have very strong feeding instincts and reflexes, and he'll find the dummy and get it back easily as it's like a breast.

My eldest was like this. He was 2 weeks late and nearly 10lbs so I always assumed that was why. He never had that 'floppy' new born stage; could pretty much support his own head and look around. Up to about 6 weeks people were always really surprised if they asked how old he was as they thought he was older. He rolled over really young too and used it as a way of getting about. I never had the stage where you could put him down and him still be in the same place past about 4 months! He could sit up at 5 months. After that he was fairly standard with all his other milestones. He's 18 next week and I'd forgotten about it till I read your thread!

My son once almost made us both fall down the stairs when he was a “tiny helpless newborn” and suddenly flung his head backwards when I was carrying him on my shoulder and walking down the stairs. He almost jumped straight out of my arms. I was so shocked!

I have an 8 week old and she pretty much did all of that since birth! I'm a FTM so I'm not sure what's 'normal.'

Yes, that’s all normal. Chewing on their hands can be a signal that they’re hungry

I see a lot of brand new babies in my.job and this is completely normal. Every parent tells me how strong their baby is with leg movements and head lifting!

The hands in mouth is a feeding cue at this point. If you are BFing, this is when you should offer the breast! Around the 3 month mark it becomes more developmental/exploration/teething.

I usually say "he/she's very alert" about a new baby I've been invited to admire, (unless they're fast asleep of course) mostly because I want to be nice and can't think anything else to say. All babies look the same to me!