BRAIN WONDERS BIRTH
		What's Going On: Brain Growth A newborn's brain is tiny - only about 25% the size of an adult's. When fed, kept safe from harm, and stimulated, it grows in size, in weight, and in its ability to take in and make sense of the world. The infant's brain is vastly more complex and active than previously thought. Most human babies are born with about 100 billion brain cells. Not all of these are meant to survive. A baby's brain cells take in signals from other cells. These are the cells that grow strong and survive. Inactive cells, those that fail to communicate with other cells, wither and die. What You Can Do: Brain Growth Feed your baby breast milk or formula with essential nutrients, including folic acid, in order to get brain development off to a good start.  What's Going On: Safety First The temporary opening in the middle of the skull of infants (the fontanele or soft spot) allows room for the brain to grow. The baby's neck muscles are not strong enough to support the sensitive nerves and spinal bones that connect the brain to the body via the neck. What You Can Do: Safety First Put safety first. Protect your newborn's tender skull and her developing brain. Try not to let her head flop or fall back. Support her head with your hand until her neck is strong enough to hold up the weight of her head. Avoid jiggling her or throwing her up in the air. This is one way that her brain could bruise if it bangs into her hard skull. Never shake her in anger or in fun. Her brain could bruise this way, too. The fontanele, a canvas-like material protecting the brain, is safe to touch. Eventually the bones of her skull will grow together  What's Going On: Early Learning At birth, nature gives a baby most of the brain cells that she needs. She must still grow essential connections between those cells in order to be normal and healthy. These connections are the keys to learning and remembering. What You Can Do: Early Learning Play with her and show her interesting things. Newborns may look quiet, but they are alert and ready to learn. Keep your baby's life interesting with sounds, smells, sights and things to touch. An active life encourages her brain to develop and supports her "love of learning."  Take a break or quiet down if your baby looks away or fusses.  What's Going On: Senses (Vision) Vision is one of the newborn's major sources of information about the world. Before 3 months, infants see best when looking at things "out of the corner of their eyes" (peripheral vision). They most easily notice movement and high-contrast (light vs. dark) patterns. At about 1 month, they may get "visually stuck" and cry because they can't STOP staring at one thing! Soon, they learn to "detach" their gaze to look at something else. Older infants gradually develop a preference for staring "right at something" (central vision), and by 3 months most like to watch their hands, and can visually follow an object that is moving in a circle (such as toys on a mobile).  What You Can Do: Senses (Vision) Spend lots of time engaging your baby in eye contact. A newborn loves to look at your face and especially your eyes. She sees you best about 9-12 inches away. Don't worry if her eyes wander independently or if she looks at you "out of the corner of her eye" in the early months, this is normal. By 2 months the infant especially likes to look at your face if you widen your eyes and move your mouth. You can move your head slowly so the infant can follow it from side to side or up and down. Provide your newborn with many opportunities to watch your face and hear your voice. What's going on: Senses (Hearing) Newborns can hear a variety of sounds and are especially sensitive to the sound of human speech. They prefer their mother's voice to that of any other person. Experts say that babies who are as young as four days old can tell one language from another and can ignore sounds from foreign languages they do not need.  What you can do : Senses (Hearing) Talk and sing to her during caregiving times, even if you don't think she will understand you. Watch for the her response. Babies can hear sound differences. Your conversation, songs, and stories can be the single best head start for understanding and speaking a language. Notice how you speak to an infant. At this point the baby is most attracted to the sound, pitch and rhythm of your voice - the music of language. What's going on: Senses (Touch) The newborn's sensitivity to touch is well developed at birth. Her skin is so receptive to touch that the brain registers it at the slightest pressure. Her ability to calm herself will benefit from the comfort of your touch, gentle motion, soothing voice, soft music, swaddling, or use of a pacifier. When she feels soothed, her brain produces substances that help to calm her down and reduce her stress.  What you can do: Senses (Touch) Hold, cuddle, and rock her--watch for what she likes best. Caress or gently stroke the head and skin. Bathing, diapering, and feeding also involve your touch. Avoid leaving an infant for long periods of time in a swing or infant seat. This keeps the infant away from your loving touch.   What's Going On: Relationships and Emotions Crying is the newborn's way of communicating her needs.  What You Can Do: Relationships and Emotions Respond to her crying. You will not spoil her. You will not only be responding to her immediate needs, but teaching her that she is important and worthy of your attention. Be aware that infants do feel pain, and may cry in response to it. When infants cry, look for anything that may be hurting them, as well as considering whether they are hungry or wet, before assuming they are "just fussing for attention." Give her only comfortable amounts of activity. Watch for cues that tell you what she likes and when she wants to take a break. Remember that infants need to take breaks, and may tell you this by looking away. When she does this, be quiet for a moment. Stop or change activities if she seems distressed or overloaded. Too much stimulation is not helpful to her developing brain.
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