What is rooting reflex?
When babies are born, everything they experience is new. They go from
being safe and warm in the womb to being bombarded with all sorts of sights,
sounds, smells and feelings.
By adapting to this vast world, newborns are born with primitive
reflexes that help them survive. One of them is the rooting reflex, or the
reflex of moving the face in search of the mother's nipple for feeding.
How does the rooting reflex help your child?
If your baby feels some flesh on his face, he instinctively turns his
face towards the touch and finds the nipple. This helps your baby communicate
that he is hungry and needs to breastfeed.
The sucking reflex goes hand in hand with the rooting reflex. As soon as
the nipple touches the palate, your baby will automatically start suckling.
They instinctively know that rooting will lead to a nipple, and sucking means
nourishment.
It is important to understand that while it starts as a reflex, caring
for a baby will eventually develop into well-honed breastfeeding skills.
Finally, they will make mental connections between these actions and outcomes.
At this point, the reflexes will become a conscious response to suckling or
taking a bottle.
How long does the reflex last?
The reflex lasts until your baby is four months old. As your baby gets
better at breastfeeding, the rooting reflex may seem to disappear. Indeed, your
baby understands better how to suckle or take a bottle.
They know they don't have to look or look for a pacifier as they will be
fed regularly. Instead, they learn hunger signals and do not respond to every
contact with the need to suck. If you offer a bottle or your breast, your baby
may turn away if he is full.
Milestone in four months. Four months is an important milestone in your
baby's development. This is the time when they are no longer newborns, but are
considered babies. As they become more aware of their surroundings, their
brains get a lot more information to process. Your baby will give up his
newborn habits and his brain biology will change.
Your child will have additional cognitive milestones as they gradually
become more independent. They will become more and more aware of everything
that is happening, and will test how they can interact and react, gradually
letting go of their other reflexes.
Other neonatal reflexes
Moro reflex. The Moro reflex is
more commonly referred to as the startle reflex. If your baby hears a loud
noise or sees a sudden movement, he will tilt his head back and spread his arms
and legs in response. Your baby may even be frightened by the sound of their
own crying.
After such a violent reaction, your baby may cry and be restless until
he is calmed down and understood that he is not in danger. This reflex persists
for the first two months of life.
Tonic neck reflex. You may notice that
if your child turns to one side, he simultaneously extends his arm and arm in
the same direction. At this time, your child will bend the other arm at the
elbow. It often looks like a good stretch. This reflex lasts up to five to
seven months.
Grasp reflex. Newborns have
impressive grip. If you stroke your child's hand, he will instinctively close
his fingers around you. It can be very comforting to think that your child
wants to snuggle up to you, but at this age, this is not a controllable
reaction.
If you stroke his legs, he may also try to grab you with his toes. The
hand reflex lasts five to seven months, and the foot reflex lasts seven to nine
months.
Stepping reflex. If you take the
child under your arms and put his feet on the surface, you will notice that he
begins to "walk", putting one foot in front of the other. If you try
to do this, be sure to support his head and remember that he can't hold his
weight, so don't let him go.
This reflex lasts for about two months and is excellent proof that
although your child was born completely dependent on his parents and
caregivers, he still has a survival instinct.
The rooting and sucking reflexes are important for your baby to suckle.
Talk to your doctor if you're worried about your baby being rooting, suckling,
or breastfeeding to make sure he's getting enough milk and nutrients.