In the first six weeks of life, a new-born has a lot to figure out. This period is all about adapting to the new “life outside the womb.” From breathing and eating to digesting, seeing, hearing, and moving, everything is a new experience that requires learning and adjustment. Armed with only a few basic reflexes, the new-borns must work hard to navigate this unfamiliar world.

Essential Reflexes of a New-born

Rooting Reflex: This reflex helps the new-born turn its head and open its mouth toward stimulation, allowing it to find the breast or bottle for nourishment.
Sucking Reflex: When the roof of the mouth is touched, the new-born begins to suck, which is crucial for feeding. Sometimes, they practice this reflex by sucking on their fingers or hands.
Grasp Reflex (Palmar Grasp): When an object strokes the new-born’s palm, it instinctively makes a fist and holds on, possibly to maintain a sense of connection with the caregiver. A similar reflex, the Babinski reflex, occurs on the feet.
Startle Reflex (Moro Reflex): When startled, the new-born throws back its head, extends its arms and legs, cries, and then pulls its limbs back in.
Walking Reflex: If held upright on a solid surface, a new-born may make stepping motions, as if “walking” or “dancing.”
Tonic Neck Reflex: When lying down with its head turned to one side, the new-born extends the arm on that side while the opposite arm bends, resembling a “fencing” position.

Learning the Basics

Beyond these reflexes, the new-born has a lot to learn. It must differentiate between day and night, manage digestion, and cope with colic pains. Over time, the baby begins to establish a rhythm of sleeping, feeding, crying, and being awake, although most new-borns will still sleep for the majority of the day (and night, if the parents are lucky).

Around four weeks, a new-born may give its first conscious smile—a rewarding moment for caregivers. At this stage, some babies may also develop small pimples caused by hormones still circulating in their bloodstream from the mother.

Sensory Development

While hearing and taste are well developed at birth, a new-born’s vision is still blurry, and they can only see objects 20-30 cm away. Over the first few weeks, visual and tactile perceptions begin to improve. Babies might start imitating facial expressions, like sticking out their tongues, as they observe others doing the same. Hand-eye coordination strengthens, and muscles and bones gradually develop. They also start cooing and making sounds, as their brain begins to process different tones and pitches.

Building Trust and Connection

The most critical objective during this period is building a foundation of trust and closeness with parents or caregivers. For the new-born, this is achieved through consistent care, affection, and interaction. For parents, especially first-time parents, this can be a challenging and sometimes overwhelming phase, full of insecurities and experimentation. It is a time of rapid learning for both the new-born and the parents, as they navigate this new stage together.

What was your biggest challenge during your baby’s first six weeks? How did you cope with it?

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