When babies are born, their hands are positioned into a tight fist. Why is this, do you think?

Question

When babies are born, their hands are positioned into a tight fist. Why is this, do you think?

Answer 1

Their overall position (called fetal) allows for the most protection to their body during delivery.

Answer 2

So they don't "catch" on anything, on their way out...

Like when you do a "cannonball" while jumping into the water. You tuck everything in close to you!

Answer 3

It also has to do with differences in the muscles between adults and infants.  For an adult, the most relaxed position for a muscle leaves a limb (finger, hand, arm, leg) outstretched.  For a baby, the relaxed position has the muscle contracted.  In the womb, the baby did not have much room, so this was the most efficient position.  But a newborn's hands also can grip very tightly.  If you put your finger against the palm of a newborn baby's hand, it will instinctively close its little fist as tight as it can.  This goes back to ancient times, when our ancestors were more like apes and very hairy.  Infants then held onto their mothers' fur, like baby chimpanzees and baby gorillas do.