Although many of a newborn's senses are still maturing, we must not underestimate what they perceive around them. Because, even though they are very small and spend most of the day sleeping and eating, it is incredible how they begin to connect with the extrauterine world little by little.

Here we tell you 7 things that your baby perceives from the first day!

1. His mother's face

Babies are born with the ability to focus their gaze only up close, at about 20 or 30 cm. This means that they are able to see their mother's face when she holds them in her arms. Since babies are with their mother most of the time, this is the face they perceive best, but they can also identify the faces of their father or people who live closely with them.

Fact: Their eyes are a little larger than half the size of an adult eye, and will continue to grow slowly until puberty ( New Born Senses, Stanford Medicine Children's Health ).

2. Lights and shadows

Newborns can detect light and shadow, but they cannot see color. That's why many baby and children's books have black and white patterns.

“By 3 to 4 months, most babies can focus their vision on a variety of smaller objects and recognize the difference between colors, especially red and green” ( Your Child's Eyes, AAP ).

3. Voices

During pregnancy, many mothers notice how their babies calm down with some sounds (like their voice) and can become restless with others, because hearing is a sense that is already very developed in newborns.

Since mom and dad's voices are the most familiar sounds to him when he was in the womb, they will also be the ones that calm him the most.

4. White noises

White noise replicates the sound that a baby heard in the womb, bringing him to a safe and supportive place. Because it is so familiar to a baby, it is a sound that is often used to help him fall asleep and maintain quality sleep.

"Sounds that remind babies of when they were in the womb can be calming, such as white noise machines , the hum of a fan, or a recording of a baby's heartbeat," ( Crying and Your Baby: How to Calm a Fussy or Colicky Baby, American Academy of Pediatrics ).

What is white noise? It is a sound that has the same intensity at all frequencies audible to the human ear. It sounds similar to an untuned television or radio or the noise emitted by a hair dryer.

Create an ideal sleeping environment for your baby wherever you go with the new Mini Rest® from Mamás Mateas® !

5. The smell of your mother (and her milk!)

Various studies have shown that newborns have a highly developed sense of smell , and that the smell they most prefer is that of their mother, especially breast milk.

6. Caresses

Newborns feel protected and calm through touch, which is why skin-to-skin contact is recommended immediately after birth or cesarean section, or as soon as possible ( WHO ).

“Putting your hand on your baby’s tummy or snuggling with him can help him feel more secure. Swaddling is another technique used to help newborns feel secure,” ( New Born Senses, Stanford Medicine Children's Health ).

7. Objects

A newborn begins to connect with the extrauterine world through its reflexes, initially through very basic mechanisms linked to feeding, such as sucking. That is why the baby's mouth is its means of exploring the world, and it is normal for it to want to 'suck' on everything.

Since his most instinctive reflex is to seek out his mother's breast, a newborn will want to replicate this search with other objects, such as a pacifier or other toy.