THAT'S ONE TIGHT GRIP YOU'VE GOT THERE!!!
The grasp reflex is one of many reflexes a baby is born with. Lay your finger on the palm of a baby's hand, and they will usually clamp their tiny, butt mighty fingers around it. In fact, a newborn's grip is so strong that they can briefly support their own weight.
A recent study has showed that when they hold on to their mothers, an infants' heartbeats slow, this suggests that babies receive a calming sense of security from contact with Mom.
As babies grow, they replace the involuntary grasping reflex with a keen interest in trying to control their movements, attempting to master such fascinating activities as spoon holding and sippy-cup-against-the-high-chair whacking. At this point, they move on to dropping, throwing, and letting go of everything in sight. Except, that is, when a coveted toy might be taken away, in which case they rediscover their iron grip. Whoever said taking candy from a baby is easy has obviously never tried.
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