Fact or Fiction? Facts About Babies

Babies cannot see or hear immediately after birth. Fact or fiction?

Fiction. Babies can see and hear from the moment they are born. When you look into your baby's eyes and smile in response to their smile, they begin learning how to communicate and interact with you. In fact, many babies remember songs they heard repeatedly while still in the womb. That is why you should start talking — and singing — to your baby right away, even before birth.

Before a child learns to speak, crying is the only way they communicate. Fact or fiction?

Fiction. Babies communicate their feelings in many different ways. They laugh and smile to express pleasure, and they cry, fuss, or squirm to show discomfort. By paying attention to what your baby is trying to tell you and how they are communicating it, you can better understand their needs and respond appropriately.

You should talk to your baby even before they start talking. Fact or fiction?

Fact. Babies enjoy making new sounds such as squeals and laughter. They respond to your voice with sounds of their own and begin imitating the sounds they hear. Long before they say their first words, they are already learning how to communicate with you.

Babies throw and drop things just to annoy you. Fact or fiction?

Fiction. Babies are natural explorers. From their earliest months, they are eager to discover how they can affect the people and objects around them. By stacking blocks, dropping and throwing objects, or banging them together, children are learning about the world and how it works.

Babies learn best by trying things themselves and copying others, rather than simply being told what to do. Fact or fiction?

Fact. Children learn by playing, experimenting, observing others, and imitating what they see. For example, if you would like your child to try a new food, it can help to eat that food yourself in front of them.

A child's brain develops most rapidly once they start school. Fact or fiction?

Fiction. A child's brain develops most rapidly before birth and during the first two years of life. During this period, up to 75% of the nutrients a child receives through food support brain development, and just 15 minutes of play can stimulate the formation of thousands of neural connections in the brain.

And remember: with every hug and every kiss, every nutritious meal, and every moment spent playing together, you are helping your child's brain grow and develop.