A New Family Member

Chapter 7 Section 3

The Developing Child

Introduction

Pearl S. Buck once noted, “Who can gaze at a newborn baby, and not wonder again at

the miracle?”

What did Buck mean? In what ways are newborns miraculous?

The Amazing Newborn

• Newborns use their senses to learn about their new world.

• At birth, some baby’s are sensitive to bright light.

• They are sensitive to sounds and smells also.– Most babies prefer sweet smells such as: milk,

vanilla, bananas, and sugar.

• Newborns use crying to signal their needs.

Reflexes

• Reflexes- instinctive, automatic responses. – Sneezing and yawning

• Reflexes help the baby’s body function.

• Rooting Reflex: automatic response when touched on the lips, they begin to turn toward the stimulus and suck. – This helps baby find food.

Reflexes

• Grasp Reflex: automatic response of the hand to close over anything that comes in contact with the palm.

• Startle Reflex: automatic response to a loud noise or touch on the stomach. The legs are thrown up and fingers spread.

Learning to Care for the NewbornWhat Do Babies Need…

• Food• Sleep- an average of 15 hours per day• Exercise- waving arms and legs• To be kept Safe, Clean, and Warm- diaper

changes and bathes• Medical Care- periodic checkups• Things to Stimulate them- things to look at,

touch, and play with• Love- nurtured, close contact with warm

affectionate adults

What Do Parents Need…

• Knowledge of how to care for an infant.• Resources that can provide answers to their

questions• Information about how babies act and change.• Time to fill their many roles.• Emotional support from family and friends.• Financial planning.• Personal health, rest, and nutrition

Adjusting to New Routines

• It takes several weeks for newborns to settle into predictable patterns of behavior.

• Parents must adjust their schedules to meet baby’s needs. This usually means feeding and changing at all hours, day and night.

• Daily patterns will begin to emerge to manage the baby’s hunger, sleepiness, and wakefulness.

Understanding the Baby’s Language

• Baby’s have one way to communicate with the world- crying.

• Although newborn’s never cry for fun, they may cry for reasons that are far less serious than the worried parents imagination.

• The average newborn cries about 1 hour/day, individual babies may cry more than that.

• Parents begin to recognize their baby’s different cries making it easier to address their needs.

Early Temperament

• Temperament- style of reacting to the world and relating to others.

• Parents need to be sensitive to baby's own style.

• Studies have shown that babies as young as 2 weeks of age adjust their reactions depending on how parents handle and talk to them.

Review

• Define reflex and give an example of one.

• What do you think is the most important thing a baby needs? Why?

• How much do newborn babies typically sleep?

• What is temperament? Why does it matter?