Archive for ‘June 30th, 2010’
Babies are born with the ability to perform certain instinctive or reflexive behaviors. Some of these reflexes disappear and never return; others remain for life; and a few fade and then return later when the time is right for new developmental milestones. The major infant reflexes are: Sucking, Swallowing And Rooting Babies need to suck, not just for food but for comfort. In the womb, babies swallow the amniotic fluid that surrounds them, and some even suck their thumbs. Newborns are also programmed to seek out food, at least within the tiny confines of their mother-baby universe, through the rooting reflex. When a newborn's cheek is stroked lightly, he or she turns to that side, lips pursed for sucking. As a baby learns to feed voluntarily, this reflex lessens. Grasping It's always surprising to feel the strong grip of a tiny infant's fingers. This powerful grasp tight enough to hold up a baby's own weight may be an evolutionary throwback to a time when the primate ancestors o...