Further Reading

Before they were born their curled up position in the womb will have placed your baby’s hands close to their mouth and face and they will have started to put their hands in their mouth before birth.^[1] The area of the brain linked to touch and movement around the mouth is one of the first areas to be active before birth and your baby’s brain will have started to make connections in response to their hands touching their face and mouth.^[2]  Your baby’s first movements are not well controlled, but you might notice that they are beginning to move their hands to their mouth more purposefully as they gain control of their movements.  

The area of your baby’s brain that controls the movement and sensation of their mouth and tongue was one of the first to develop before they were born, and they will have been practising moving their mouth and sucking for some time before they made their debut in your life! 

The fascinating journey of your baby’s brain development began in the womb, and, at birth, the most active parts of their brain were those linked to survival – the areas that control vital functions such as breathing, heart rate and reflexes. But other areas of their brain have also been active for some time. 

They developed touch in the womb

During pregnancy, your baby slept most of the time, with sleep cycles lasting around 40 minutes; after birth, newborns often have a period during which they are a little more awake and alert. While every baby is an individual and will have different sleep needs, all newborns have a small stomach – around the size of a walnut – so will need to wake regularly for feeds throughout the day and night.