Long before you first hold your baby their brain has already gone through great transformation. Your baby’s brain begins to develop just three weeks after conception and by nine weeks appears as a small smooth structure that continues to grow and develop so at the time of birth it is structurally developed but still immature.
At birth your baby has billions of neurons or brain cells. What they don’t have a lot of in comparison is the connection between these neurons. It is in the first two years of your infants life that there is the most phenomenal growth and laying down on these connections which is largely driven by sensory input. The brain continues to grow and develop all the way into early adulthood.
From the time of conception, you can do things that will have a positive effect on your baby’s brain development. By taking care of yourself during pregnancy you are in turn taking care of your baby, Having a healthy diet, avoiding alcohol, smoking and other toxin and limiting stress and anxiety will be beneficial for your baby.
Babies are born ready to learn and how their brain grows is strongly influenced by their experiences and the environment. Nurturing and responsive care is key to supporting the healthy development of the brain. Infants and children will learn and grow if they feel safe and connected and are given opportunity to explore and play. In contrast to this is an infant or chlid is exposed to stress and trauma there can be long term negative effects on their brain development. Known as “toxic stress”, chronic and unrelenting stress in childhood such as extreme poverty or abuse can have a detrimental effect on the growing brain.
Loving and nurturing our infants, fostering positive social interactions, allowing them to experience many and varied sensory activities will support their brain growth. Laying these foundations at an early age will contribute to developing adaptability, resilience and independence and giving your child the opportunity to reach their full potential.
To learn more about your baby’s brain development check out these videos –