PERINATAL STIMULATION AND ADAPTATION OF THE NEONATE

The present report describes psychobiological studies of behavior arou nd the time of birth. An adaptive, ecological perspective iis presente d in which stimulation of the fetus and newborn is purported to instig ate adaptive postpartum behavior. Studies describing the perinatal sen sory environment are reviewed, with a consideration of emergent sensor y function of fetus. It is asserted that afferent input associated wit h parturition perturbs the fetus and neonate, producing a general arou sal state that facilitates breathing, suckling, and early learning. Th e view developed herein is that perinatal sensory input induces and ca nalizes the newborn's behavior, thereby regulating adaptive postpartum function. Deviations in afferent input may alter ontogenetic trajecto ries and compromise developmental outcome by reducing availability of conditions necessary for adequate postpartum adaptation.