New Parents ‘Can’t Believe’ What One-Month-Old Baby Learns From Dad

The phrase “monkey see, monkey do” is often used to describe how children learn and imitate behaviors from those around them. And this apparently applies from as young as one month old, as seen in a viral TikTok video.

In a clip that’s racked up 1.2 million views, Travis Homestead can be seen lying on the sofa with daughter Monroe on his lap. His wife Charlotte can be heard behind the camera laughing as the dad attempts to demonstrate how to encourage bowel movement.

The on-screen text explained why. It read: “We learned that around one month old, babies lose the automatic reflex to poop. Our daughter was gassy and in pain, so my husband decided to teach her how to ‘push.'”

It seems his technique was a success, as it wasn’t long until the deed was done, leaving both Monroe and Travis with big smiles on their faces. Newsweek spoke to Charlotte about the November 28 video, which already has over 212,000 likes.

She said: “As sleep-deprived newborn parents, we were willing to try just about anything to help our one-month-old alleviate her stomach grumbling.

“We saw a video that explained how newborns lose the automatic reflex to poop around her age and must learn how on their own. So, my husband put her in what he now calls ‘the toilet,’ grabbed her little hands, and squeezed and grunted in hopes she’d catch on and push.

“I started filming because it was making her smile, but on cue, she let it go—on video. We might have been more relieved than her upset tummy in that moment!”

“I can’t believe this worked,” states the caption, and the text layered over the clip explains the couple were in disbelief.

But upon reflection, Charlotte told Newsweek: “Monroe is not only a Daddy’s girl; she’s also practically his doppelgänger. So, she’s essentially looking in a mirror, practicing how to poop. I guess we shouldn’t have been surprised, but it happened so fast.”

How Parents Can Support Healthy Bowel Activity

Newsweek reached out to Dr. Gareth Nye, who is a lecturer in physiology at Chester Medical School in England, and serves as the program leader for the BMedSci Medical Science course. His expertise lies in the physiology of pregnancy, with a specialization in maternal and fetal health.

“Most babies will have a reflex called the gastrocolic reflex which essentially causes a bowel movement immediately after they have eaten,” he said. “It usually is active for the first few weeks of life and is more obvious in babies who are breastfed.

“This may be actual poo or passing wind but is a way of regulating the digestive system in the early lifetime as babies are not doing this during pregnancy.

“In some babies this reflex is gone by 1 month although it will gradually disappear over the first few months and it’s important babies learn to regulate their digestive system and poo themselves to avoid digestive issues.”

Like Travis, parents can help encourage bowel activity. Nye recommends massaging the baby’s tummy in a clockwise direction or gently stretching and relaxing their legs.

TikTok Reacts

So far, the video shared to @charlottehomestead has over 200 comments.

“We did this with my baby too, and it worked. She would grunt every time she pushed; it was hilarious,” said one user.

“That’s adorable, and it worked!!!!” commented another, and Charlotte responded: “Haha, they melt me and gross me out at the same time.”

A third commenter joked: “Should’ve done it on the toilet! Infant potty training.”

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