Newborn reflexes explained

Newborns are born with a set of automatic, involuntary movements called reflexes — the sudden arm-flinging, the surprisingly strong grip, the way they turn toward your touch. They can look startling or funny, but they’re a normal, healthy sign your baby’s nervous system is working. Here’s a guide to the main ones.

The startle (Moro) reflex. When your baby is startled — by a loud noise, a sudden movement, or the feeling of falling — they may fling their arms and legs out, then curl them back in, often with a cry. It’s completely normal (and one reason swaddling helps babies sleep, by gently containing it). It fades over the first few months.

The rooting reflex. Stroke your baby’s cheek or the corner of their mouth and they’ll turn their head toward it and open their mouth, “rooting” for the breast or bottle. This clever reflex helps them find food, and it’s why brushing the nipple against their cheek encourages them to latch.

The sucking reflex. Babies are born ready to suck — anything that touches the roof of the mouth triggers it. Combined with rooting, it’s what makes feeding possible from birth. Babies also suck for comfort, not just food.

The grasp (palmar) reflex. Place a finger in your baby’s palm and they’ll grip it surprisingly tightly — that heart-melting newborn hand-hold. There’s a similar reflex in the feet (toes curl when you stroke the sole). The hand grasp fades over the first months as voluntary movements take over.

The stepping reflex. Hold your newborn upright with their feet touching a surface and they may make little stepping or walking movements. It’s not real walking (that’s many months away!) — just a reflex, which disappears after the early weeks and returns as a learned skill much later.

The tonic neck (“fencing”) reflex. When your baby’s head turns to one side, the arm on that side often straightens while the other bends — a bit like a fencing pose. It’s normal and fades over the first few months.

Why reflexes matter. These reflexes are checked as part of your baby’s newborn examination, because their presence (and later disappearance) is a useful sign of healthy neurological development. Your midwife, GP or child health nurse looks for them at check-ups, so you don’t need to test them yourself.

When to mention something. Reflexes vary a little between babies, and you don’t need to worry about the exact timing. But do mention it to your child health nurse or GP if reflexes seem absent, very asymmetric (much stronger on one side), or persist well beyond when they’d usually fade, or if you have any concerns about your baby’s movements or development — they can check and reassure you.

Those jerky, gripping, rooting newborn movements are a normal and rather wonderful sign of your baby’s developing nervous system — enjoy the tiny hand-grips and don’t be alarmed by the startles. Your health team keeps an eye on reflexes at check-ups, so simply raise anything that seems off and otherwise enjoy watching your baby’s quirks.