Todays Read

“..techniques prove that babies remember their mothers’ voice and face within thirty-six hours of birth. Within days, an infant recognizes and prefer not only his mothers voice but also her native language, even when spoken by a stranger.  You might think this knowledge comes from postpartum interactions – quick learning indeed. But a newborn doesn’t recognize his fathers voice, indicating the neonatal preferences reflect learning before birth. The auditory system’s rapid development in utero and the watery wombs excellent sound system surround the fetus in a symphony. Bathed for nine months in his mothers vocalizations, a babies brain begins to decode and store them – not just the speakers tone but her language patterns. Once born, a baby orients to the familiar sounds of his mothers’ voice and her mother tongue, and favors them over any other. In doing so, he demonstrates the nascent traces of both attachment and memory. “-  A General Theory of Love, Thomas Lewis, M.D., Fair Amini, M.D., Richard Lannon, M.D.