Understanding the experience for the infant

The ‘outside world’ after birth is a very different sensory experience compared with that of the intrauterine environment

For example:

• Sounds are no longer muffled through the amniotic sac/subcutaneous tissue – they are loud.
• Light is no longer filtered through the womb – things are bright!
• Smell is a new sensory experience.
• Movement is no longer supported by fluid around the body and the baby must learn to move against gravity without the proprioceptive feedback from the uterus wall.
• Nutrition is no longer automatically delivered gradually via the umbilical cord…the baby experiences hunger and the sensation of being full.

Strategies used to minimise the harsh reality of this new world and keep the baby in a calm/settled and secure state include: wrapping, rocking, talking softly and responding to cues by keeping baby clean, warm and fed.

For an unwell infant, hospitalisation can impact on the infant’s ability to engage in and develop/experience mastery in infant occupations. This may be due to:

• Limited opportunities to experience movement through mum’s body and initiate movement in different positions
• Limited opportunities to explore surrounding environment and experience new sights/sounds/smells/wind/sun.
• Multiple changes in carer can lead to inconsistent cue reading.
• Sleep/wake cycles can be disrupted by medical, nursing or cleaning staff entering the room, by procedures such as blood tests and noise from other patients in adjacent beds.
• The potential for accumulation of overwhelming stimuli including repeated noxious touch (procedures, nasogastric tube insertion), clinical smells or noise.

Click on the purple hotspots in the photo below to uncover more about the hospital experience for the infant.