A video of a baby “two-stepping” is melting hearts everywhere.
In the clip, a healthcare worker can be seen stroking down each side of a newborn’s spine, with its bottom instinctively wiggling in the same direction.
But is this wizardry? Or is there a reason why babies do this?
Dr Karan Raj, a medical doctor and author of This Book May Save Your Life, took to TikTok to explain the phenomenon, which is known as the Galant reflex.
The purpose of the reflex is to “encourage movement and develop a range of motion in the hips”, he said, which helps prepare babies for crawling and walking.
The reflex can also be tested in newborns so healthcare professionals can help rule out brain damage at birth, the doctor explained.
The doctor describes is as a “cute baby software glitch” because hypothetically, it should disappear by around nine months old.
Reflexes happen when our bodies are stimulated in some way and our muscles respond to that stimulation.
“The presence and strength of a reflex is an important sign of nervous system development and function,” say experts at Mount Sinai.
A lot of infant reflexes – like the Galant reflex – disappear as a child gets older. If it’s still present as they age, it can be a sign of brain or nervous system damage.
Another fascinating reflex babies are born with is the rooting reflex, which happens when a baby’s mouth is stroked or touched.
According to Stanford Medicine, in response to this touch, the baby should turn their head and open their mouth to follow and root in the direction of the stroking.
It basically helps them find the breast or bottle so they can fill up on milk.
They also have a suck reflex, whereby when the root of their mouth is touched, they’ll automatically start to suck.
And one many parents will be familiar with is the Moro reflex – otherwise known as the startle reflex. When there’s a loud noise or movement, a baby will throw back their head and extend their arms or legs out, like they’re falling.