Baby Care Encyclopedia

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 of man had to cling to their mothers’ bodies. The strength of this grip weakens as babyhood progresses.

If you place your finger in a newborn’s hand, he can grasp it, but reaching and grasping is a more complicated task. A three-month-old baby may swipe at a toy held several inches from his face, but the organized sequence of reaching the correct distance, grasping, and letting go is still several months away.

Stepping
An infant held upright makes foot and leg motions that resemble walking. This step reflex disappears in a few months, to be followed eventually by the normal phases of crawling and walking.

Startling
A baby who is startled or moved suddenly, as if about to be dropped, flings his arms and legs out and then back toward the body. This gesture, called the Moro reflex, disappears by the fifth or sixth month of life. If your baby displays this reflex frequently, it may mean that your handling is a bit too rough.