*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases through links in this post.*
Ever wonder what goes on in the tiny head of a baby that stares deeply into your eyes or laughs at a funny face?
This question has been surfacing on TikTok because of a video of a baby, now deemed “The Four Seasons Baby” that seems conscious of itself.
The baby responds to its mom who asks her family “Who wants to go to the Four Seasons Orlando.” Then, the baby responds, “ME” while holding up a finger.
This has brought attention to the baby’s consciousness. Consciousness is the state of being aware of oneself and the ability to think of your existence.
Since consciousness is multifaceted and complex, there are several ways to determine whether babies are conscious.
In this post we’ll go over what it means for a baby to be fully conscious and when, exactly, that happens.
What does a fully conscious baby look like?
Daily Signs of Awareness
Babies will show signs of awareness from the day they are born. First, they show awareness through eye movements, tracking sounds and light.
Second, Babies will often respond to their parents’ voices since they hear them while in the womb. We recognize their responses to voices as opposed to other sounds proving familiarity with the people around them.
Lastly, as babies age, they will start to recognize and mimic expressions such as laughter, sadness, and anger.
Facts about the developing brain
Babies brains are 80% the size of an adult brain by the age of 2
A baby’s brain grows rapidly during the first few years of life. Not only are they making several neural connections every second, but they are also developing senses of the world around them.
This rapid growth supports the idea of babies being conscious beings early in life.
Babies are born with 100 billion neurons
At birth, babies have almost the same neurons as adults. The difference is the neural connections that develop as we age. The connection between neurons is called synapses, and these connections form millions by the second.
Brain signals speed up
Myelin, a fatty substance, coats the neural pathways during a process called myelination. This speeds up the transmission of electrical signals to the brain.
Furthermore, myelination aids in enhancing cognitive and motor functions that are essential in proving consciousness.
Mirror neurons develop
Empathy and imitation are key components of social consciousness in babies. If we take our example from the intro of this post, the baby learned the behavior of saying “me!” and raising a finger, likely, through imitation of mom or dad.
This type of imitation is made possible by mirror neurons which are brain cells that respond when you do an action and someone else performs the same action.
Real examples of a fully conscious baby
As a parent, examples of babies proving consciousness happen all the time, especially when you’re watching your little one grow.
However, many of us don’t often witness clear signs of a fully conscious baby, so when little ones show signs of awareness, they’re often taken by surprise.
For example, Tik Toker @mmarkroberts shares his experience with a conscious baby. He explains that he meets a baby whose parents believe only knows 3 words “mom,” “dad,” and “love.”
The parents decide to leave their baby with Mark. During his babysitting moment, he quickly realizes that the baby knows more than a few words, he can form sentences relating to him/herself. To his surprise, the baby speaks a full sentence stating, “I speak more.”
With this, he goes on to explain the experience to his parents who don’t believe him, but he knows what he witnessed.
Although terrified of his experience, this proves that babies are more aware than we might think, even as parents.
How to help your baby’s brain develop
Stimulation
Fun and hands-on experiences help your baby develop the neural connections needed to promote the development of consciousness and early memories.
Activities like reading, playing, and connecting with nature are great ways to show your baby the nuances of life.
Activities for babies include:
- Water play
- Touch & feel books
- Song and dance
- Baby instruments
- Exploring the backyard
- Sand play
- Puzzles
- High contrast images
- Building blocks
- Baby sign language
Read their cues
Understanding your baby’s needs is one way your baby will create connections between actions to feelings.
Reading your baby’s cues helps them understand that you understand them. A back-and-forth response to their emotions, sounds, or actions will garner their understanding of the world.
Furthermore, they will learn to do the same and respond to your emotions, actions, and the world around them.
Some cues to look out for when interacting with your baby include:
- Crying and whining: Babies will often use this when in distress, hungry, tired, or in discomfort. Scientists believe that different cries have different meanings. Recognizing these cries will help you understand what the baby needs.
- Body language: Babies show emotion and need through their bodies. Infants will communicate hunger by smacking their lips or sucking on their fingers. As your baby grows, they’ll develop more body language cues that help you understand them before they learn to speak.
- Sleep cues: Rubbing of the eyes, yawning, and overall fussiness are signs that your baby needs sleep.
- Playtime: Your baby will learn to copy your behavior. Some early behaviors they will copy include clapping hands, peek-a-boo, waving hello, and laughing.
Final Thoughts
Babies are tiny mysteries, but they are much more conscious and aware than we might think. The viral “Four Seasons Baby” video has brought this fascinating topic to light, showing us that even the youngest babies display self-awareness. From recognizing familiar voices to imitating actions, babies demonstrate various signs of consciousness early in life.
The examples and activities shared in this post highlight the incredible potential of every baby. By observing and responding to their needs, we not only nurture their development but also strengthen the bond that fosters a secure and loving environment. So, the next time your baby stares deeply into your eyes or laughs at a funny face, remember that there’s a lot more going on in that tiny head than meets the eye.
Resources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myelin
- Windows to the Womb: Revealing the Conscious Baby from Conception to Birth By David Chamberlain
- https://theshymomslife.com/2023-best-montessori-toys-for-infants