A Peek into the Newborn Mind

Did you ever wonder what was going on in your newborn baby’s fresh little mind? After watching part three of Oprah’s Soul Series interviews with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, I think I have a much better idea. These interviews are fascinating, and it’s well worth your time to watch the entire series.

In case you’ve been away from the computer for the last six months and somehow haven’t heard of her, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a brain scientist who had a stroke and remained fully conscious as she observed the left hemisphere of her brain shutting down. The left side controls, among other things, language, logic, judgment, mind chatter, and the illusion that we are each separate from one another. If you practice meditation, this is the side of the brain you are actually trying to quiet so you can get to a sense of peace, clarity and truth. Dr. Bolte Taylor had hers completely shut down for her, and after years of recovery from the stroke, is sharing the life-changing insights she learned from the experience. I wrote a bit more about the spiritual implications of her experience a while back in Off-Switch for the Ego, in case you missed it.

Now, what does this have to do with newborn babies? A lot, I think! In part three of the interviews, she describes what it was like to be preverbal, pre-thought. Her senses were working just fine, and she was keenly aware of the energy surrounding her. She felt it when people expressed care or respect for her, and also when they were dismissive. As a result of the stroke, though, she had no words and therefore no thoughts. She just felt and responded. For example, she didn’t know who or what her mother was. She describes feeling the excitement in the room about the arrival of G.G., her mother. She had no idea what a G.G. or a mother was, but she responded to the excitement of the others and felt excited, too. When her mother arrived, only then did she begin forming an association of what “mother” was, based on her direct experience: someone kind, caring, loving, and respectful. Again, she had no words or thoughts at the time to describe this, but the energy her mother shared with her created a field of trust, and was pivotal to her healing.

Are you beginning to see the implications for understanding the experience of the newborn baby? Her mental slate was wiped clean, so she was essentially a newborn baby in a woman’s body. The fascinating part is that she remembers this experience, and since she has regained her speech and thoughts, she is able to communicate it to us! While she was talking, there were a few points that jumped out at me as crucial in interacting with our babies, and I share them with you here:

• The importance of caring for, and not just taking care of your baby. Are you going through the motions or are you really present with your baby? For example, do you multi-task while breast-feeding? (I was guilty of it!) They feel the difference.
• Respect your baby. Look them in the eyes and honor the miracle that they are. They know they are amazing beings and they want you to recognize it, too.
• Openly celebrate the many tiny milestones along the way. Talk about them; get excited about them! Your baby is watching, listening, and feeling your respect, or its lack.

Watch the interviews and I’m sure you’ll find many more points that translate well to the experience of newborn babies. Let me know what you think and if you have something to add. I am excited to read her newly published book, My Stroke of Insight, and see what other gems she has to share.