The Wonder Weeks

Question 1

What did researchers discover in chimpanzees as well as infants?

Answer 1

• That babies go through developmental leaps with phases of “regression” of independence.
• The baby clings more to mother and cries more.
• Their research supports the idea of ontogeny, “a hierarchical organization emerges in the central nervous system that underlies the behavioral development of free-living chimpanzee babies and infants.”
• In further research, they found that “with each difficult phase, babies make a leap in their mental development. Each time, a sudden drastic, age-linked brain change enables babies to enter a new perceptual world.” At this point, the babies are able to discover more complexities within and outside of themselves as well as being able to master new complex skills. (p15)

Question 2

What are the three stages to a leap?

Answer 2

• brain change
• fussy phase
• magical leap forward

Question 3

What happens during the first stage of a leap (brain change)?

Answer 3

Baby is first to notice new mental abilities. Almost nothing is like it was before for baby (and soon family).

Question 4

What happens during the 2nd stage of a leap (the fussy phase)?

Answer 4

• Developmental change is an intense experience for baby.
• The three C’s: CRYING, CLINGINESS, CRANKINESS.
• Small regressions are normal.

Question 5

What happens during the 3rd stage of a leap (the magical leap forward)?

Answer 5

• Child attempts new things.
• “The brain change opened the way to a new ability that leads to skills they couldn’t develop before the leap. Some skills will be completely new whereas others will be improvements on skills they acquired earlier.” (p25)
• Your baby’s temperament, preferences, and physical characteristics will determine which parts of the world it explores first.
• Pay attention to your baby’s interest (let baby lead) and engage with them!
• easy period until next leap

Question 6

When does the third stage of a leap begin?

Answer 6

At the end of or peak of the fussy phase (2nd stage)

Question 7

What is the “easy period”

Answer 7

• “a lull before the next storm”

- Baby is busy practicing new skills, more independent again, less clingy.

Question 8

Leap 1: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 8

• Between 4.5 weeks and 5.5 weeks.
• 5 weeks.
• 6 weeks.

Question 9

Leap 2: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 9

• Between 7.5 and 9.5 weeks.
• 8 weeks
• 10 weeks

Question 10

Leap 3: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 10

• 11.5 - 12.5 weeks
• 12 weeks
• 13 weeks

Question 11

Leap 4: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 11

• 14.5 - 19.5 weeks
• 17 weeks
• 21 weeks

Question 12

Leap 5: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 12

• 22.5 - 26.5
• 26 weeks.
• 31 weeks.

Question 13

Leap 6: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 13

• 33.5 - 37.5 weeks
• 36 weeks.
• 39 weeks.

Question 14

Leap 7: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 14

• 41.5 - 46.5 weeks
• 44 weeks
• 49 weeks

Question 15

Leap 8: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 15

• 50.5 - 54.5 weeks
• 53 weeks
• 58 weeks

Question 16

Leap 9: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 16

• 59.5 - 64.5 weeks
• 61.5 weeks
• 66 weeks

Question 17

Leap 10: What is the earliest a baby can enter the fussy phase; when is the “stormy” period likely; when is the easy period?

Answer 17

• 70.5 - 75.5 weeks
• 72.5 weeks
• 79 weeks

Question 18

What happens around 29-30 weeks that resembles the start of another leap but is not? What is going on instead of a leap?

Answer 18

• Babies go through another fussy bout (three C’s)

- Baby discovers that their parents can walk away and leave them behind.

Question 19

What dates are the leaps based on? Baby’s birth day or due date?

Answer 19

• Dates of leaps are based on baby’s due date not actual date of birth.

Question 20

When caring for an infant, what is the purpose of stress?

Answer 20

• Stress functions as a way to make you more alert as a parent and more receptive to your baby’s changes.

Question 21

Characteristics of postpartum stress.

Answer 21

• Everyone experiences
• Stress levels peak
• Nothing wrong as long as it is manageable.
• Being conscious of the fact that you are going through a stressful period can help the stress from getting out of control.

Question 22

Characteristics of postpartum anxiety.

Answer 22

• The worrying thoughts are present continually or frequently; they control your thoughts, to a certain degree.
• You may have panic attacks: you are suddenly overwhelmed by anxieties and fears, and they control your mind and even your body at times.
• You may feel constantly restless, irritated, and rushed.
• You may have difficulty in getting to sleep, or wake often even when your baby is not crying.
• You may feel stress physically: pressure on your chest, extremely tense muscles, churning feelings in stomach, or queasiness.

Question 23

Statistics of postpartum anxiety?

Answer 23

1 in 5 women and roughly 1 in 10 men may experience some form of postpartum anxiety.

Question 24

When the region of the brain responsible for maternal care is activated, what other area of the brain is also activated and why?

Answer 24

• the stress region is automatically turned on with the maternal care region.
• The area of the brain responsible for maternal care overlaps with the part playing a role in stress. (p35)

Question 25

Characteristics of postpartum depression.

Answer 25

• Moods of despondency
• Crying fits
• Feeling empty or dead inside
• No interest in your baby, or even a dislike of them.
• Touchiness, irritation, feelings of aggression
• Fretting
• Lack of self-confidence, feeling of helplessness

Question 26

What are the different arguments about who can develop postpartum depression?

Answer 26

• “Some say the essential difference between postpartum depression and another type of depression is the hormonal aspect, and therefore the term “postpartum depression” only applies to women.
• Others believe that because testosterone levels in men who are heavily involved in their partner’s pregnancy decrease in the initial period after birth, men can also be affected by postpartum depression.
• Another group states that postpartum depression doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with hormones because parents of adopted children can also suffer from it.” (p.42)

Question 27

What is the problem with only cuddling, rocking, caressing baby when they are upset?

Answer 27

• They become “comforting” behaviors and can cause baby to cry even more and louder when you try to comfort them in such a way at a later time.

Question 28

Why should we cuddle, caress, and rock our babies when they are in a good mood?

Answer 28

• you will learn what comforts and relaxes them best.
• When you know their preferences you will be better able to sooth them when they are upset.
• They will not learn to only associate crying/fussiness with loving attention.

Question 29

What can newborns see?

Answer 29

• Can see clearly up to 8in.
• Can follow objects when they move slowly.
• Finds colorful objects more interesting than dull ones.
• Prefer defined stripes and corners over round shapes.

Question 30

What can newborns hear?

Answer 30

• Can clearly distinguish between different sounds.
• Will recognize mothers voice shortly after birth.
• May like music, the hum of an engine, and soft rhythmic drumming.
• Find people’s voices soothing
• Recognizes the difference between deep and high-pitched (female) voices.
• High pitched voices will draw their attention more quickly.
• Can differentiate between soft and loud sounds and does not like sudden loud noises.

Question 31

What can newborns smell?

Answer 31

• Very sensitive to smells.
• Do not like pungent or sharp odors. These smells will make them overactive. They will try to turn away from it and may cry.
• Can differentiate your scent from others.

Question 32

What can newborns taste?

Answer 32

• Can distinguish between several different flavors.
• Prefers sweet things
• Will dislike anything that tastes sour or acidic.
• Will spit out bitter foods.

Question 33

What can newborns feel?

Answer 33

• Can sense changes in temperature.
• Can feel heat (which is useful in breastfeeding)
• Can sense cold but cannot make themselves warmer.
• Extremely sensitive to being touched. Generally they love skin contact.

Question 34

What is it like for a newborn to experience their senses?

Answer 34

• Your baby experiences a world of mishmash sensations that changes drastically as soon as a single element changes. They receive these impressions but cannot distinguish among them. (53)
• They perceive the world and themselves as one and the same. Your baby is unable to make a distinction between sensations that originate within their own body and those that come from outside of it. They assume everyone else and everything else feels what their body feels. (53)

Question 35

Some ways to entertain a bored infant?

Answer 35

• Have a quiet chat. Talk to them without anything playing in the background. Although they can differentiate between voices when they hear them one at a time, they cannot distinguish one from the other when hearing them simultaneously.
• Place interesting objects in convenient places for baby to look at.
• Experiment with music. Find what they like!

Question 36

Which reflexes are automatic in a newborn but become much more voluntary once baby master’s the associated skills?

Answer 36

• Turning head when lying down to breath
• Turning head towards sounds
• Sucking
• Gripping
• The Moro reflex.

Question 37

What are the three C’s?

Answer 37

• Crying
• Clinginess
• Crankiness

Question 38

What are the top 10 things you really need to know?

Answer 38

1. You can anticipate when a leap will happen by age, but your baby’s choices make them unique.
2. Take advantage of your baby’s fussy phases - they are alerting you to new skills.
3. It’s not a motor skill competition!
4. We help you find patterns in your baby’s behavior during the fussy phase of a leap by offering checklists to prompt you.
5. You can take an active role during a leap. By helping and guiding your baby, you build a safe and strong bond, which is a gift for life.
6. Skills appear during a range of time! Don’t focus on the earliest possible age, as most babies exhibit these skills on the later side of the range.
7. It’s your baby’s intention that counts, not the perfect end result that parents expect.
8. Keep in mind that circumstances - like a stressful move or job disruption - may prevent you from recognizing a fussy phase. That’s okay.
9. A leap equals stress for baby and family, which means low resistance. Take care, as sometimes this might cause the sniffles.
10. A leap means progress, even if it feels like a step back at first.