What to Know About Baby’s Cute Little Newborn Scrunch
Even after birth, newborns tend to remain curled up in the fetal position they got so used to in the womb. This position is sometimes referred to as the newborn scrunch—and a quick scroll through social media will show you several videos of new parents soaking in this delicious cuteness. But exactly why do newborns scrunch themselves up, how long will you be able to observe this sweetness and how can you gauge if baby’s development is on track? Read on for all the intel, straight from experts.
The newborn scrunch is basically just a cute term that describe baby’s preferred posture after birth, explains Erin Dalton, MD, a board-certified pediatrician and partner at Brooklyn Bridge Pediatrics. “Most newborns arrive to the world with their body curved inward with their arms and legs flexed.” In other words, even after they’ve made their grand debut, most newborns continue to curl into the fetal position they held in the womb. You’ll see this when baby’s laying down, but you’ll also notice it when picking them up—they’ll continue to “scrunch” their legs up toward their body.
“When prone (on their belly), it looks like a frog position,” says Denise Scott, MD, an Oklahoma-based pediatrician and author of Feed Your Child’s Future Health: Prevent Disease Before It Starts. As you may have guessed, this inward curve to fetal position can usually be seen in baby’s spine, legs and arms. Plus, their hands are usually fisted (another remnant of their posture in the womb).
The reason newborns scrunch is pretty simple: “This is the position they’ve been used to prior to birth, and [it’s] comfortable for them,” Scott says. Plus, it also helps keep them warm, as a newborn will struggle to regulate their body temperature. “Holding the arms and legs close to a baby’s core serves as nature’s own way of ‘bundling,’ keeping a newborn warm,” Dalton says. In other words, the newborn scrunch is “warm, cozy and familiar, just like their previous home in their mother’s womb,” adds Dalton.
“Some babies will naturally curl and roll to their side when you put them to sleep,” Scott says. This is known as the newborn curl. It’s similar to the newborn scrunch, but the newborn curl generally applies to baby’s positioning in their sleep. “Parents don’t need to worry that a baby will roll onto their stomach from ‘scrunching,’” Dalton says.
But, while both experts note that the newborn curl is safe, there are steps parents should take to ensure baby’s sleeping safely. These include putting baby to sleep alone (no toys or blankets) on their back on a firm, flat surface, such as a crib or bassinet mattress. If you’re swaddling baby, make sure it’s snug around their arms, leaves room for baby to kick out and is tied well below their nose and lips. (Once you see signs baby of [starting to roll] over, stop swaddling.)
How long does the newborn scrunch last? Not very long—it goes away within a month or two of birth, Dalton says. “As the newborn’s neuromuscular system matures, the arms and legs relax out of the flexed posture. This allows baby to engage in more purposeful movements,” such as kicking their legs and batting their arms.
If baby’s still exhibiting the newborn scrunch by 4 to 6 months, flag it with your pediatrician. “As bittersweet as it is to say goodbye to the newborn phase, if baby holds onto the ‘scrunch’ beyond the newborn period, it could affect their development,” Dalton says. While your pediatrician will look at baby’s posture and muscle tone during each of their checkups, it’s important to raise any concerns you have. “If there’s a problem, early intervention can make a world of difference,” Dalton adds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all babies do the newborn scrunch?
While most babies scrunch to some extent, you may not see it in all babies for a couple of reasons. First, if baby was born breech and delivered with their legs extended out, you might not see it, Dalton says. Additionally, if baby’s born prematurely and has a less developed neuromuscular system, it might not emerge at birth. “In fact, before ob-gyn’s could document gestational ages with the accuracy they can today, pediatricians often used a Ballard Score to assess a newborn’s gestational age,” Dalton explains. “One of the Ballard Score’s many assessments is of a baby’s posture, with a fully ‘scrunched’ posture giving a newborn a score of 4 (full term).”
Why does my newborn scrunch while breastfeeding?
According to Scott, the newborn scrunch is a comfortable position for baby, so it’s normal for them to do this while nursing. Dalton, however, notes that newborns don’t usually scrunch during breastfeeding but do tend to have a stepping reflex, which helps them crawl towards the breast when placed on their mother’s belly. “This can look a lot like scrunching,” Dalton says.
Is the newborn scrunch considered a milestone?
Both Dalton and Scott say the newborn scrunch isn’t considered a milestone, but rather a natural newborn posture.
If you’ve ever picked up your newborn and found they continue to curl up their arms and legs into their chest, you’ve witnessed the newborn scrunch. It’s one of the sweetest parts of new parenthood, but it can be fleeting—so enjoy this moment while it lasts!
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
Plus, more from The Bump:
Erin Dalton, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and partner at Brooklyn Bridge Pediatrics. She earned her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University and completed her pediatrics residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Denise Scott, MD, is a pediatrician and a pediatric endocrinologist based in Oklahoma with over 30 years of experience. Certified in culinary medicine, Scott also runs the blog Feed Future Health and is the author of Feed Your Child's Future Health: Prevent Disease Before it Starts. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch and completed her residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center with a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health.
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