Aunt Notices Baby Pretending to Be Asleep–but When She Starts Filming, Baby’s Next Move Is Amazing

(Video screenshot | Jukin Media)

Newborn babies sleep a lot. Of course they do; they’re brand new! Babies need all the shut-eye they can get to grow big and strong and internalize all the incredible new sensory input from each fun-filled day.

But have you ever heard of a newborn baby faking sleep? Prepare to be bowled over.

Illustration - Unsplash | Aditya Romansa

The little one in this extraordinary video clip might just be one step ahead of his peers. At just 6 days old, the tiny baby was being cradled by his doting aunt when she noticed something peculiar. He appeared to be dozing peacefully in her arms, but then the baby’s aunt looked closer.

The “sleeping” tot seemed to be peeking at her through semi-closed eyes. What was this cheeky baby up to? The aunt reached for her phone and immediately started recording.

Amused and intrigued, the baby’s aunt asked her tiny nephew gently, “Are you awake?” What happened next sent the aunt’s video into the viral-video stratosphere.

©Video screenshot | Jukin Media

The snoozing baby, called out for peeking on his aunt, burst into a fit of giggles. What a prankster! What do you think? Was he doing it on purpose? His infectious giggles seem to suggest so!

The unwitting aunt was smart and lucky to catch this hilarious moment on camera. She promptly shared the clip on YouTube, where thousands of people agreed; this baby is as cute as they come.

“This is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen,” wrote one viewer.

“Cute baby,” added another, “playing possum, pretending to be asleep!”

“Now I really can’t wait for my granddaughter to be born in two months,” added an older viewer, proving that this funny clip is for absolutely everyone who loves babies. The footage is only 7 seconds long, but its joyful content is immeasurable.

©Video screenshot | Jukin Media

According to Healthline, it’s not uncommon for a newborn baby to laugh in their sleep. It’s “harmless,” say the experts.

“Laughing during sleep, also called ‘hypnogely,’ is a relatively common occurrence,” the site explains. “It can often be seen in babies, sending parents scrambling to note down baby’s first laughter in the baby book.

“It’s not entirely clear what causes a baby to laugh in their sleep,” the experts continue. “We don’t know for sure whether babies dream, although they do experience an equivalent of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep called active sleep.

“It’s believed that when babies laugh in their sleep,” they say, “it’s often a reflex rather than a response to a dream they’re having.” Babies caught in active sleep may even make “involuntary movements,” like smiling and laughing.

That all makes good, solid, scientific sense. But something doesn’t add up here; what about pretending to be asleep? That’s a phenomenon that demands further scientific research!

It’s a pretty universal opinion, regardless, that a baby’s laughter will improve anyone’s mood. What do you think? Did this adorable, pint-sized prankster brighten up your day?

Be sure to share this cute video clip if you think it would make someone laugh! We’re off to watch it one more time. How about you?