Your newborn's brain develops rapidly during the first year of life, nearly doubling in size by her first birthday. Your newborn's brain is basically a blank slate, so everything she learns about her senses, likes, dislikes and language is taught through growth alone. While you can't make your baby's brain develop faster, you can help stimulate the brain through daily activities that help your newborn learn more about the world around her.
Language Stimulation
Your baby needs to learn an entirely new language during his first year of life. Not only will he learn about the various common words you use, but he'll also learn to decipher tone and inflection as part of his language training. Stimulating your baby's brain to understand language begins with talking to him throughout every day. Rather than resorting to using baby talk while speaking to your baby, use your normal tone of voice so he becomes used to the way you sound and learns to discern your voice from others. You can also mimic the sounds he makes to start to teach him about conversation and reaction to language.
Sleep and Nutrition
Your baby's sleeping and eating habits can help stimulate her brain throughout the learning and development process. A newborn's sleep is imperative to overall development. Your newborn will sleep anywhere from 16 to 20 hours per day in a combination of naps and nighttime sleep. Allowing your newborn as much sleep as possible helps to stimulate brain growth and development. Proper nutrition can also aid in brain development. Breast milk is best, but your baby's complete diet should be made up of breast milk or formula exclusively for the first four months of life. Discuss your baby's feeding and sleep habits with your pediatrician, who can give advice specific to your situation.
Visual Stimulation
When your baby is born, her sight is poor. She'll be able to see just 8 to 12 inches in front of her face for the first few weeks. As your baby's brain develops, she'll be able to see farther. You can support that development by offering things that are easy for your baby to focus on. Your baby's eyes see heavily contrasted patterns the best, so black-and-white patterns and designs can help your baby learn to focus her eyes as they become stronger.
Attention and Exploration
While your newborn is mostly concerned with eating and growing in the first few months of life, he'll begin to form his likes and dislikes as his brain develops. Giving your baby plenty of attention can help create a positive connection between touch and happy feelings in your baby. Allowing your baby to watch your facial expressions and follow your eyes can help him feel loved while stimulating his brain. As your baby becomes more mobile and interested in colors or toys, offering a safe environment in which to explore allows him to learn more about the world around him.
References
- BabyZone; Your Brilliant Baby in Week 4: Identifying Smells, Sounds, and Tastes; Jan Faull, M.Ed.
- University of Maine Extension; Children and Brain Development: What We Know About How Children Learn; Judith Graham
- University of Georgia; College of Family and Consumer Services: Building Baby's Brain: The Basics; Diane Bales, Ph.D.
- KidsHealth: All About Sleep
- Babies Today; A Baby's Brain Development; Teri Brown
