Human Development
Peri-natal psychology
Description:
The experiences received in the womb mean that the neonate is not entirely "sensorially bereft". When a child is born it already has psychophysiological stabilities. Studies of sensory range and responses indicate very young babies to be active rather than reactive, and to discriminate sufficiently to solve such problems as how to suck when bottle rather than breast-fed.In addition, the emotional state of the mother both before and after the birth of the child evokes matching responses in the child, which in turn amplify the feelings of the mother, with resultant self-reinforcing and cumulative effects. Neurotic, hyperactive and hypoactive traits can therefore be alleviated, with the proviso that an already anxious woman is not made more anxious by knowing that this very anxiety is likely to have ill-effects on her child.