A Newborn Dolphin Learns to Swim in the First Few Hours of Its Life

Like humans, dolphins give birth to live young, but rather than a hospital room, they do so while submerged entirely underwater! As you can imagine, this comes with a unique set of challenges. Imagine being born in the middle of the ocean: how do you take your first breath? How do you eat? And how do you keep up with the pod? Like the newborn in this YouTube video, dolphin calves need to learn a lot very quickly to survive.

How Dolphins Give Birth Underwater

Dolphin pregnancies last a long time — anywhere from 10 to 18 months, depending on the species. Females typically give birth to just one baby, or calf, at a time. Because dolphins have sleek, streamlined bodies with limited space, a baby dolphin’s dorsal fin and tail fluke stay folded while in the womb. This makes it less cramped for the developing baby and helps the mother during birth.

Giving birth can take several hours, but the mother is usually not alone. Many dolphins form “maternity pods” where other females act as midwives. These helpers stay with the mother throughout the birth, assisting her as needed. If the mother is too exhausted after delivery, the midwives can also help her reach the surface to breathe.

A Newborn Dolphin’s First Breath

Dolphin calves are born entirely underwater, and the birthing process can last for several hours. Like all mammals, dolphin calves are connected to their mothers by an umbilical cord, which helps them receive essential nutrients. Once this cord breaks, however, the newborn calf must quickly reach the surface to breathe on its own.

To allow the calf to stay inside its mother for as long as possible during the hours-long birth, dolphin calves are born tail-first, unlike humans, who are typically born head-first. This way, once the calf’s head emerges, the mother can quickly guide it to the surface for its first breath.

Newborn dolphins are naturally clumsy and uncoordinated, making the journey to the surface a challenge. They also need to get used to using their blowhole to breathe, which takes a lot of practice. Young calves often display “chin slap breathing,” where they lift their heads much higher out of the water than they need to as they learn to locate and use their blowhole effectively. Because of these challenges, mothers time their nursing sessions carefully to ensure the calf can breathe frequently at the surface.

Dolphin mothers are incredibly vigilant, as they need to ensure their babies are safe, protected, and getting enough oxygen. Much like human mothers with newborns, dolphin mothers don’t get much sleep at first. For at least the first month after birth, studies show that dolphin mothers get little to no sleep, keeping their eyes open for 93 to 98 percent of the time.

Drinking Milk Underwater

Like other mammals, newborn dolphins drink their mother’s milk shortly after birth. Dolphin milk is incredibly rich and high in fat, which helps the calves grow and develop quickly. Initially, it also contains colostrum, which is rich in special antibodies to protect against infection.

Dolphin calves typically nurse until they are two to three years old, although some continue nursing for even longer. On average, baby dolphins nurse every twenty minutes, both day and night. During this time, their mothers also teach them to hunt and supplement their diet with small fish, preparing them to find food independently.

Drinking milk underwater can be a challenge, but fortunately, a baby dolphin’s tongue has tiny fringes along its edges. When the calf rolls its tongue, these fringes come together to form a watertight funnel. This unique adaptation allows the milk to flow directly into the baby’s mouth without mixing with the surrounding water.

Becoming a Part of the Pod

Sometimes, female dolphins will stay somewhat separate from their group or pod for a short time after giving birth. However, it’s not long before they rejoin the pod with their new calf, as seen in the YouTube video. Here, the baby meets other female dolphins, who are often aunts or sisters.

The females in these maternity pods often help each other, taking turns babysitting and guiding the newborn calves. Young calves learn to swim alongside their mothers or other caregivers in the “echelon position.” This means they swim right next to the older dolphin, using its slipstream or wake to save energy as they try to keep up with the rest of the pod.