The Truth About Babies

What they can see and feel, plus how much they need to eat, sleep and more

In addition to babies’ other senses, touch may be particularly critical, as evidenced by the fact that it is present at birth. “We believe the sequence [in which newborns develop their senses] is touch and sense of placement, then taste, smell, hearing and vision,” says Ann Critz, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.
To get in as much touch time as possible, carry your baby with you in a sling or front carrier as you do chores, take naps together, and get in some extra strokes during feedings.