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Senses 0 - 1 m
Getting Used to the World Outside the Womb
The first month of your newborn's life is dedicated solely to adapting to the drastic transition from the womb to our uncertain world. You can help him through this transition with stimuli that remind him of the womb and a comforting touch.
Sight
Your baby sees the world as if he is looking through poorly adjusted eyeglasses – everything is blurry and poorly defined. When you offer a high contrast, well-defined image, made up of strong colors within 8 to 12 inches of his face, he can see it this quite well.
Sound
Your newborn’s hearing is specifically attuned to the human voice, especially the female voice. In fact, within a week from birth, he clearly recognizes his mother's voice.
Touch
The pleasure you get from holding and caressing your baby is more than a natural communication of love and affection. Your baby's entire body is sensitive to touch. By holding him often, and hugging and stroking him gently, you are enhancing his tactile development.
Taste and Smell
Your baby's mouth is the area most developed and sensitive to stimulation. This is why he nurses or sucks from a bottle so efficiently. We see that a baby's taste leans toward the sweet (like mother's milk) and he shows a distinct preference for his mother's smell.
- Optimal vision is at between 8 to 12 inches (20-30 cm.). Anything beyond that range is blurry.
- Your baby prefers looking at moving objects, human faces, strong colors and simple geometric shapes.
- Within hours of birth, you baby recognizes her mother's scent.
- Watch as the baby expresses pleasure at sweet odors, such as banana and vanilla, and reacts negatively to sour or bad odors.
- By the end of the first week, your baby recognizes her mother's voice.
- During the first month, you will see that your baby's head tilts toward the side. In order to stimulate her vision, place toys and objects on the side she is facing no more than 8 to 12 inches from her face. Move the objects from side to side to encourage her to look to both sides.
- Speak up - the nursery is not a library! It is an extension of the nurturing environment of the womb – complete with its sounds.
Fascinating Facts about Music and Babies
