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Newborns
never cease to make humans wonder at the miracle of nature.
These little bundles of joy come into the world seemingly helpless and
defenseless. Many wonder whether the infants are born with all their
five senses fully activated. Studies show that infants possess all the
five senses, i.e. touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste, quite
adequately for their size and needs.
1. Touch (Feel) - before birth, a baby is floating in the amniotic
fluid of their mother's womb. At that time the sense of touch is not
very important. Once a baby is born however, the situation changes
drastically. For one thing, the baby gets to know different textures
against its skin, i.e. the hands of the doctor or the person who helps
in delivery, the mother's touch as she breastfeeds, the touch of cloth
nappies. At birth a baby will feel disoriented because of all the new
feelings and sensations being experienced for the first time. This is
why swaddling a baby snuggly in a blanket or holding him tightly
against the mother is calming and reassuring.
2.
Sight (Vision) - In pre-born stages
usually
have their eyes closed.
Babies are able to see immediately after birth but can only bring into
focus objects that are at close range, not more than 10 to 15 inches
away. They
can see objects further away than that but cannot bring them into
focus. In the first few weeks after birth a baby's eye movements will
seem uncoordinated and uncontrolled. Babies are unable differentiate
between colors until they are a few months old; however, they can
follow a moving object and their focus range does improve rapidly.
Within two years, the baby should have a perfect 20/20 vision.
3. Hearing -
are
born with a fully developed
sense of hearing. All mothers are aware of this since
can
wake up at the slightest
noise. You will notice that
clearly
responds to their
mother's pacifying voice, get startled at loud noises and can have an
aversion to male voices. It is imperative to be alert regarding the
hearing capacity of a baby. Deficiencies, unless carefully investigated
might be neglected until the baby is a year or so old. This in turn
could affect the baby's speech and learning abilities.
4. Smell - a baby's sense of smell is fully functional at birth. Many
studies have shown that
recognize
and are pacified by
the smell of their mother. They also readily recognize the smell of
their mother's breast milk.
5. Taste - most
prefer
sweet taste to salty,
sour or bitter taste. Their taste buds are fully developed. they prefer
breast milk to any other milk and show preference to sweetened over
unsweetened milk.
Victoria
Hemingway is a staff writer at babyandstroller.com. For the best in Baby
Gear and Supplies visit us today. Two of our favorite
websites: Bargain prices on Britax car seats
and Baby Einstein DVD sets below retail.
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