Video of newborn ‘walking’ goes viral with over 70 million views

DUBAI: A video that appears to show a newborn baby taking its first steps has gone viral online, with more than 70 million views on Facebook as of Monday.
The 41-second clip was uploaded on May 26 by Arlete Arantes from Brazil and shows a newborn baby appear to walk with the help of a medical professional.
She captioned the clip: “This is amazing. A baby walks just after being born.”
Despite going viral, with more than 1.5 million shares, the baby is most likely simply showcasing stepping reflexes, a normal reaction to being held upright which usually lasts until the baby is about two-months-old.
The stepping reflex can be demonstrated at birth. When the soles of a newborn baby’s feet touch a flat surface they will attempt to walk by placing one foot in front of the other.
Despite the common behavior, Facebook users are amazed and have left a litany of comments – more than 140,000.
“My mouth literally hit the floor at the sight of this,” one user commented.
Meanwhile, the video has also taken social media site Reddit by storm.
“Gotta stretch the legs after a nine-month journey,” one Reddit user posted.
“That baby’s name: Usain Bolt,” another joked.