Pregnancy & Birth
The Fourth Trimester
A.K.A Why your newborn baby is only happy in your arms
Jo Watson, a Private Midwife, explains why the time between birth and the end of a baby's third month is now commonly referred to as the fourth trimester.
The time between birth and the end of a baby's third month is a unique stage of life that many now refer to as the "fourth trimester". It is in understanding the affects and attendant stresses that life outside the womb has on our babies that we can best respond and comfort them.
Sarah Ockwell-Smith, a parenting author who specialises in the psychology and science of parenting, drew up a very helpful table highlighting the differences between the womb and the world:
Source: http://sarahockwell-smith.com/?s=fouth+trimester
So it is clear that in the womb your baby gets constant holding, rocking motion and is always in contact with you. This is why you will find that your baby is so happy in your arms, loves being rocked and enjoys you saying “shush “as it feels familiar and comforting.
Experts have identified that the human newborn’s brain, is only about 25 per cent of its adult weight at birth, while most other mammals are born having 60 percent to 90 percent of their adult brain size.