Memory Development in Babies
Even if your baby can’t remember later on, the first memories they form play an important role in baby development. Even before they are born, babies begin to perceive and distinguish certain situations and experiences (especially sounds) while in the womb, and keep them in their brains unconsciously. For example, when your baby hears your voice in the womb, your voice is recorded in your baby’s brain and allows him to distinguish it from other sounds in the future.
From When Do Babies Start to Remember?
Newborn babies begin to learn and remember their mothers’ voices, and babies who are breastfed begin to learn and remember their mothers’ scent within 1 week.
Remembering and distinguishing people or objects they have seen before starts from the 3rd month. From three months old, babies are able to recognize toys or pictures that were shown to them 1 to 6 days ago.
At 9 months and beyond, babies now begin to remember more specific things in greater detail. For example, he can now remember where they put his toys or repeat a move he has seen before. However, these memories do not cover long periods of time and are forgotten by your baby at a later age.
Memories that stay in the brain for a long time develop between 14 and 18 months. However, until your baby turns 3 years old, memories that he can remember in the future are not in his memory.
Ways to Help Babies’ Memory Development
Give your baby new experiences often. Your baby’s brain cells develop as they gain new experiences. Adding new situations, toys or movements to the games you will play with your baby will speed up the bonding of these cells. For example, it would be good practice to show a new way of playing with a toy while taking a bath, or to introduce objects of a different physical nature (liquid, sand, gel, etc.) than you normally see.
Have your baby repeat new experiences often. The more your baby repeats an action, the more this experience will be reinforced in his brain. Try to establish a certain routine.
Approach your baby positively. In a study of 5-month-old babies, it was seen that these babies are more likely to retain happy memories and objects that evoke these memories in the brain. Since your baby is seriously affected by your emotional state, being cheerful and happy while spending time with your baby will significantly affect your baby.
An important aspect of language development, especially in infants, is to talk to your baby and make sure he or she hears as many words as possible. Talk to your baby aloud often and give him the opportunity to respond when he starts making noises.
Reading to your baby from an early age is very important for both memory and language development. Make regular reading.