AMAZING TALENTS OF YOUR NEWBORN A Guide for Parents and Caregivers States of Consciousness The Senses Temperament Attachment
PREFACE Every child deserves a healthy start in life. For almost a decade, the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C. (JJPI) has been devoted to improving the lives of children and their families. From their first breaths through their early years, children are challenged to survive and thrive in the world. Every country, every family and every child face unique obstacles to the promise of a healthy life. At the forefront is JJPI continually addressing the challenges and priorities in children s health. A commitment to mothers and their babies has been at the heart of Johnson & Johnson for over 100 years. Reinforced by the Johnson & Johnson Credo that states, We believe our first responsibility is to the doctors, nurses and patients, to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services, JJPI was established in 1998. It s mission is to save babies lives and contribute to a healthy environment for children. Collaborating with worldwide leaders from government, medicine, nongovernmental organizations and industry, JJPI identifies the needs of local children and their families. With our partners, we develop high-impact educational programs to: Ensure mothers have safe and healthy pregnancies Improve care for babies from birth through the early years Resources for professionals and parents is a vital part of the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute s programming. We hope you find the following educational material a valuable resource. 2006, 1998, Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C.
AMAZING TALENTS OF YOUR NEWBORN A Guide for Parents and Caregivers CONTENTS Introduction... 1 Infant States of Consciousness... 3 Sleep States... 3 Waking States... 4 The Senses... 5 Hearing... 5 Vision... 6 Touch... 6 Taste and Smell... 7 Breastfeeding... 7 Temperament... 7 Attachment... 8
AMAZING TALENTS OF YOUR NEWBORN I N T R O D U C T I O N 1 At one time, we believed that newborns were not active participants in the parent-infant relationship. Today, we know that newborns greet the world with finely tuned senses. They have an eager enthusiasm to establish contact with their parents. Many parents are still surprised to learn how well a newborn can see and hear. They can recognize your face and voice and are even able to imitate facial expressions. This booklet covers some of this exciting information. This knowledge can help you to enhance your relationship, improve the quality of care you provide and enjoy the individuality of your newborn. It is important to understand that, for the newborn infant, there are six different states of being or acting. You can learn to recognize each one. By identifying the different states and realizing when they occur and what the expected responses are, you can get to know your infant. And, you will be able to better provide for his needs. Of course, the more you understand about your new baby, the more prepared you will be to enjoy this early time. Marshall Klaus, MD
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AMAZING TALENTS OF YOUR NEWBORN Infant States of Consciousness Your newborn s behavior depends on his level of arousal. Through careful study, researchers have classified infant consciousness. They have divided it into six different states of arousal. These states are based on the infant s degree of wakefulness. You will see your baby moving up and down through these levels of arousal. You will begin to recognize the specific behaviors associated with her states of consciousness. These states include quiet sleep, active sleep, drowsiness, quiet alertness, active alertness and crying. The better you understand which state your baby is in, the more able you will be to read her signals and respond to her needs. right. Young babies require a lot of rest and sleep as much as 20 hours each day. There are two distinct patterns of sleep for newborns. These two patterns alternate about every 30 minutes. During quiet sleep, your newborn will lie very still. Heart and respiration rates are very regular and his face is relaxed. The other sleep pattern is called active sleep. This is marked by the same kind of rapid eye movement Sleep States Sleep gives your newborn a chance to recharge. If you think your newborn spends a lot of time sleeping, you are 3
(REM) that adults experience. Your newborn may move his arms and legs, and a wide array of expressions may play across his face. Drowsiness Drowsiness is an intermediate state which occurs while your baby is waking up or falling asleep. Waking States When your baby is awake, you will notice 2 different waking states. The most rewarding waking state is called the quiet alert state. Newborns only spend about 10 percent of every 24 hours in this highly receptive state during their first week of life. These precious and wonder-filled moments provide the best opportunity for you and your baby to begin building a relationship. Newborns in the quiet alert state look directly into their parent s eyes. Their eyes are open wide and their faces shine with a sparkling look. There is little body movement and breathing is regular. Many infants have a prolonged period of quiet alertness right after birth. During the first hour of life, newborns may look directly into their mother s and father s faces and respond to their voices. In this state, your newborn makes her first attempt to understand the world and to interact with you. The active alert state is very different. In this state, your newborn will exhibit frequent, rhythmic movements of the arms and legs. These movements will often get your attention. This state helps to promote a natural interaction between you and your baby, since it appears when he is ready to eat or is fussy. Crying Crying is one of your baby s ways of communicating her needs. Your baby will cry when hungry or 4
uncomfortable. As you respond to your baby s cries, you will learn to distinguish between different types of crying. Many parents find that they can move their babies out of the crying state by picking them up, soothing them and putting them over their shoulders. At the University of Minnesota, scientists have completed a study on infants and stress. They showed that babies who received warm, responsive and consistent care were better able to handle stress at the end of their first year. This tells us that they become better at facing life s challenges as they get older. They also improve at achieving secure attachment. The Senses The senses help your baby develop an understanding of the world around him. Even before birth, your baby is able to sense touch and motion. He can notice different tastes and odors and recognize his mother s voice. Hearing Your newborn is immersed in the world of sound as early as the sixth month of pregnancy. Studies have shown that newborns who are frequently exposed to the same music while still in the womb can be calmed almost immediately when they hear that music after birth. They can also recognize the voice of their mother. The rhythms and melodies of your culture are becoming familiar to your baby. Studies have shown that babies in the first few weeks after birth can differentiate their mother s voice. They also actually prefer it. Given a choice, your newborn will choose the familiar and comforting tones of his mother s voice. Interestingly, 5
newborns prefer the higher pitch of the female voice. This may explain why many fathers use a higher pitch when talking to their babies. Hearing your voice is essential to your baby s language development. Parents around the world talk to their newborns the same way. They speak in high-pitched voices, stretch their words into long syllables and use short sentences. This is how your newborn begins to learn language. When you talk to your newborn, you are teaching him the building blocks of human conversation. When you talk to your newborn, you are teaching him the building blocks of human conversation. Vision Both sound and motion attract your newborn s attention. They help stimulate her brain. She will enjoy watching your face, focusing first on the edges and then exploring the eyes, nose and mouth. In fact, newborns instinctively seek out the high-contrast areas of a human face. Your baby is best able to see objects that are 8 to 12 inches away. She will also be able to follow moving objects, first with her eyes and then by moving her head. Amazingly, newborns have a natural ability to imitate the facial expressions they see in their mother or father. Try sticking your tongue in and out at your newborn every 20 seconds. Be sure he is in the quiet alert state and looking at your face. It may take a minute or two, but you may soon see a tiny tongue sticking back out at you. Touch Of all the senses, the power of touch is perhaps the most important for a newborn. In the womb, your 6
baby experienced the light pressure of fluid. Now he will be comforted by caresses and light touches. Stroking that is firm enough not to tickle your baby reduces his restlessness and promotes sleep. Parents around the world naturally lift, hold and stroke their newborns. This produces a variety of physiologic and emotional responses that relax and soothe. When you touch your baby, you can also boost her growth hormones and immune system. Taste and Smell Your newborn has a keen sense of taste and can distinguish between sweet and bitter. A breast-fed baby will be exposed to the flavors of the food his nursing mother eats. Smell is another sense that takes on an important role in survival. Research shows that your baby quickly learns the scents associated with her family. She can distinguish the scent of her mother over those of other mothers. And, she can do this after only a short period of exposure. A mother can also identify her own baby s scent soon after birth. Breastfeeding During breastfeeding, a newborn grows close to his mother. He feels the rhythm of her heart, sees the shape of her face and experiences her taste and smell. Your baby is born with a remarkable readiness to respond to you. Some parents have experienced a very dramatic example of these astonishing natural talents. A newborn, if left quietly on her mother s stomach after birth, may crawl to the breast, find the nipple and start to suckle. This ability reminds us that babies are born with a unique instinct to survive. Temperament Babies are individuals with likes and dislikes from the first days of 7
life. Some babies need very little stimulation to reach a state of quiet alertness. Others may need a bit more before they will open their eyes and return a smile. The ease with which babies transition through different states defines them. So too does the degree to which they react to sights and sounds. It also describes the boundaries around which a loving, caregiving environment is created. One of the challenges in those first days of life is to learn who your baby is and what best soothes him and makes him most comfortable. Dr. Nathan Fox is a researcher at the University of Maryland. His work has shown that from the early days of life there are biological differences in how infants react to the world. The key is to understand the way in which biology and the parenting environment interact. Parents can help their baby define his or her individuality, says Dr. Fox. Parents who know how their baby reacts to different levels of light, noise or touch, may be able to modify the baby s environment. This will help her feel safe and secure. Attachment The first few days and weeks following birth are very important in developing ties. But, this is only the beginning of the process by which you and your newborn become attached to each other. The more time that you can spend with your newborn during the first few days, the better you ll be able to recognize and meet her needs. Being close to your newborn is better for you, too. Newborns require nurturing, but so do new parents. As a new parent, you face as many challenges as your newborn does. The intensity of your parental feelings grows deeper as you 8
learn more about your newborn. It is often the private, quiet time that you and your newborn share that brings out these loving and unique feelings. Simple acts like nurturing, feeding and caring for your newborn, feeling the touch of his skin and the warmth of his body, solidify your growing attachment. Experts describe the process as gradual for most parents. It can take a week or longer following birth for parents to feel confident in the feelings of responsibility and love for their child. So do not worry if you do not feel as if the newborn is yours right away. For some, the feeling begins during pregnancy. For others, feeling that your newborn is not a stranger can take a week or more. Give yourself and your newborn time to grow together. The experience will last a lifetime. The intensity of your parental feelings grows deeper as you learn more about your newborn. As a new parent, understanding the behavior of your newborn can help you provide the best care. When you see your newborn and hear how she responds, you will instinctively react differently. And when your newborn sees you respond to her needs, she feels secure in your care. The first days and weeks following birth should be a special, private time for you and your newborn. It is your time to nurture, grow close and begin to develop a relationship for a lifetime. Use and enjoy this time. Become aware of your newborn s amazing array of natural abilities to learn and to communicate. 9
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NEWBORN CARE: Other Resources Amazing Talents of the Newborn Professional Monograph Taking Your Baby Home A Parent s Guide The materials available in our Newborn Care Program provide professionals and parents with guidelines and suggestions for infancy. For related information during pregnancy, please see materials in our Pregnancy Program. This unique program is supported by research that is reviewed in these materials and translated for practical application. For downloadable versions, see www.jjpi.com. AN06-B1 www.jjpi.com