ABSTRACT
Parents' sensory cues - movement, touch, smell, sounds, and body temperature - can have regulatory effects on their babies. This is well documented among non-human primates. The mother's body is the first environment for the unborn and newborn baby. Data concerning parents' and baby's sensitivity to each other's sensory cues and body language indicate that sleeping in a separate room soon after birth may deprive babies of vital sensory cues that are more important for some than for others. The effects of rhythmic rocking and movement on the human infant have been recognized since prehistoric times. Rocking stimulation can soothe as well as alert the baby, because of its effects on reticular activating system. Touch affects breathing and is crucial for healthy development. By stimulating the skin, touch promotes a balanced distribution of muscle tone. Research shows that mother's heartbeat soothes the infant and produces greater weight gain in early infancy and that mother's heartbeat is "imprinted" during intra-uterine life.
