What Is the First Thing a Baby Rembers

She's already started!

Your baby's memory is developing in stages. It's a gradual process, and there's no specific age at which it happens. But it began early on, before she was even born.

Your baby remembers in two ways. First, she's able to store information in her brain. Second, she can recall and make sense of that stored information, in other words, her memories. This second way of remembering develops much more slowly.

So, even before your baby was born, she was recording her experiences without being aware of what was happening. Your baby will have recognised your voice from the third trimester onwards.

Babies who are played the same nursery tune regularly during pregnancy can recognise and remember the song, both at birth and again at four months.

From birth, your baby will quickly learn and be reassured by your smell. Within the first few weeks, she'll be able to tell your face from a stranger's. She'll also recognise her dad soon after, if he's been present throughout your pregnancy.

The more often you share an experience with your baby, for example, seeing granny, singing a song, or playing a game, the more she will recall it. Each time the experience is repeated, it's easier for your baby to remember what happened last time, strengthening her memory.

Try playing simple games, such as peekaboo, often with your baby. It won't be long before she learns how the game works, and joins in excitedly with the fun. As your baby grows, she'll probably surprise you with just how much she can remember.

As your baby learns to recall the people she knows, she'll probably begin to be a bit wary of people she doesn't know. This is called stranger anxiety and usually sets in at about eight months or nine months.

As your baby develops, she'll start to link her past experiences with what she's doing now. She'll then begin to use these experiences to shape what she thinks will happen in the future.

Many memories are jointly created, so try keeping a record of events or talking about past experiences together with your baby as she grows. This way, you can help your child develop a rich story of her life.

Have you seen our fun memory games? They're a great way to help your baby remember all the fun things you've done together.

References

This article was written using the following sources:

Berry Brazelton T, Sparrow JD. 2006. Birth to Three: Your child's emotional and behavioural development. 2nd edition. Cambridge, MA. Da Capo Press

Nagy E, Kompagne H et al. 2007. Gender-related differences in neonatal imitation. Infant and Child Development 16. 267-276 pzacad.pitzer.edu [pdf file, accessed June 2014]

Partanen E, Kujala T, Tervaniemi M, Huotilainen M (2013) Prenatal Music Exposure Induces Long-Term Neural Effects. PLoS ONE 8(10): e78946.

Powell B et al. 2013. The Circle of Security Intervention. Guildford Publications. www.circleofsecurity.net [accessed June 2014]

Siegel, DJ. 1999. The developing mind: how relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are. New York: The Guilford Press

Sunderland, M. 2007. What Every Parent Needs to Know, Dorling Kindersley.

Joanne Lewsley is a freelance copywriter and editor, and specialises in creating evidence-based parenting, health and lifestyle web content.

What Is the First Thing a Baby Rembers

Source: https://www.babycentre.co.uk/x6888/when-will-my-baby-start-remembering-things

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