The fourth trimester describes the time from the time your child comes into the world until 3 months after their birth which you may discover the term a little strange as your baby is already born. However, human babies go into the world completely dependent on caregivers to provide for their every need. In contrast to other primates, the brains of human babies are relatively underdeveloped – actually, for a baby to be born in the same neurological stage like a chimpanzee, the gestation period will have to be between 18 and 21 months! Um, no thanks – nine months is quite enough thanks. So why are humans born so underdeveloped and thus helpless.
The most generally accepted scientific explanation is that due to our ancestors starting to walk upright, leading to restrictions towards the width of the birth canal, as well as our large brain size, natural selection favored childbirth at an earlier stage of development. Actually, human babies are born when their marbles are under 30 percent how big an adult’s brain, to become able to fit through the narrow birth canal. However, other recent explanations include a limit on how long the baby can be sustained in the womb, as this requires a huge amount of energy from the mom.
Why may be the fourth trimester essential for the infant?
The fourth trimester is really a time for your baby to get used to life away from womb. Although your baby’s mental abilities are well toned at birth, their neural pathways and central nervous system continue to develop, with many of the changes occurring in the fourth trimester. Within the first three months of life, you may notice that the baby is:
- Settling into more consistent sleep and feeding patterns
- Developing more controlled movements and startling less
- Breathing more steadily
- More in a position to sleep through noise and disturbances
- Learning to assuage herself or himself
- Improving their social skills so they can communicate with people with greater attention and for for a longer time of time
What differentiates the fourth trimester to later periods of development?
Your baby is likely to cry more during the fourth trimester, in contrast to other development periods. Crying tends to peak around 5 to 6 weeks in most cases subsides when your baby is around 3 months old. In addition, your child will be sleeping a great deal during this time, particularly in the first few weeks. Sleep is super important for your baby at this stage because it helps his or her brain to process all that sensory input that he or she has been exposed to while they’re awake. During this period, your baby will not be likely to possess a sleeping pattern and for the first couple of weeks or months, they will not be able to tell night from day.
Feeding is yet another area where the fourth trimester differs from later periods of development. As a newborn, your child has a small stomach and consequently she or he needs a minimum of eight feeds every 24 hours. Signs that your baby is hungry include:
- Sucking on fingers
- Turning his or her head
- Opening his or her mouth
- Crying
Crying can often be the final sign that your baby is hungry so attempt to watch for the earlier signs first – if your baby reaches the purpose of crying, he or she may be too upset to latch onto your breast properly or to settle down for any feed.
During this period, your child needs to be fed on demand because they are too young for a feeding routine just yet. Don’t be worried about spoiling your baby – on the other hand, it will help she or he feel more secure and maybe even cry a little less.
Although your baby’s senses are quite well-developed at birth, they'll still improve throughout the fourth trimester. In particular, sight develops most rapidly during this time and by eight or nine weeks, your baby’s vision is going to be almost as good as an adult’s vision.
By time your baby comes into the world, he or she can recognize the noise of your voice and perhaps those of your partner’s too. Consequently, your child will love hearing you talking and will feel soothed by familiar noises and sounds.
Methods to assist your child with the fourth trimester
There are certain steps you can take to assist your baby result in the transition from inside the womb facing outward world. These include:
- Swaddling – this mimics the womb for the reason that your child feels contained, and could help your baby sleep better and soothe her or him if they're crying
- Skin-to-skin – your baby will be reassured by your smell and heat, along with the familiar sound of your heartbeat; skin-to-skin likewise helps your baby latch on for breastfeeding
- Feeding on demand – within the womb your baby was constantly provided with nourishment in the umbilical cord by feeding when needed you're mimicking this constant supply of food
- Baby wearing – wearing your baby in a sling recreates the movement your baby might have felt within the womb and could comfort him or her if they're crying
- A warm bath might help soothe your baby and mimic the womb
The fourth trimester is challenging, for babies and parents alike, but it's also a critical duration of development and like so many other periods inside your child’s life, it truly is only a phase, albeit a very important one. Being aware of what your child goes through and helping your baby transition during this time will make this period a little easier to cope with.