Understanding a newborn baby’s psychosexual development can be a fascinating topic for parents, caretakers, and anyone interested in child development. Sigmund Freud, a famous psychologist, proposed the theory that the human psyche is composed of three parts: the id, ego, and superego. He also highlighted that psychosexual development occurs in five phases. In this article, we will focus on the first stage, which is the oral stage, and explore how it presents in newborn babies.
Table of Contents
The Oral Stage
The oral stage is the first stage of psychosexual development. It lasts from birth to around 18 months of age. During this period, the infant’s primary focus is on the mouth, lips, and tongue, which are the primary sources of pleasure and satisfaction. Babies rely on their mouth to explore the world, learn about their environment, and communicate their needs.
According to Freud, the oral stage is focused on the development of trust and security in the infant. If a newborn baby’s needs are met by their caretakers, they will develop a sense of trust and security. This trust will later affect the infant’s personality and social interactions in adulthood. On the other hand, if the infant’s needs are not met, they will develop mistrust and insecurity that will negatively affect their personality and social interactions.
During the oral stage, a newborn baby will experience two sub-phases: the oral-sensory sub-phase and the oral-incorporative sub-phase.
The Oral-Sensory Sub-Phase
The oral-sensory sub-phase is from birth to around six months of age. During this phase, newborn babies derive pleasure from sucking, biting, and mouthing objects. They learn to differentiate between different sensations, such as cold, warm, and soft, by putting objects in their mouth. Oral stimulation is vitally important for newborns as they explore their environment through their mouth. That is why, during this phase, newborn babies tend to put everything in their mouth.
It is essential during this phase to provide the newborn baby with adequate sensory stimulation to facilitate their growth and development. Caretakers should also ensure that the newborn baby’s needs for nourishment, comfort, and security are met. This will promote the newborn baby’s development of trust and security, which is essential during this stage.
The Oral-Incorporative Sub-Phase
The oral-incorporative sub-phase is from around six months to 18 months of age. During this phase, newborn babies become more mobile and start exploring their environment more actively. They use their mouth to explore objects by biting and chewing them. They also start to differentiate between different tastes and textures. It is during this phase that many newborn babies begin teething, which can be a challenging time for both the infant and the caretakers.
It is crucial to provide the newborn baby with safe and appropriate objects to chew on during this phase. This will not only help with their teething but also promote their sensory development. At the same time, caretakers should continue to meet the newborn baby’s needs for nourishment, comfort, and security to promote a sense of trust and security in the infant.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a newborn baby is in the oral stage of psychosexual development from birth to around 18 months of age. During this stage, the newborn baby’s primary focus is on the mouth, lips, and tongue. They derive pleasure from oral stimulation and use their mouth to explore their environment. The oral stage is focused on the development of trust and security in the infant. It is essential to meet the newborn baby’s needs for nourishment, comfort, and security to promote a sense of trust and security in the infant during this stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the stages of psychosexual development?
A: The five stages of psychosexual development are the oral stage, the anal stage, the phallic stage, the latent stage, and the genital stage.
Q: What is the oral stage of psychosexual development?
A: The oral stage of psychosexual development is the first stage and lasts from birth to around 18 months of age. During this stage, the newborn baby’s primary focus is on the mouth, lips, and tongue. They derive pleasure from oral stimulation and use their mouth to explore their environment.
Q: What is the importance of the oral stage of psychosexual development?
A: The oral stage of psychosexual development is essential for the development of trust and security in the infant. It is also crucial for the infant’s sensory development and exploration of their environment.
Q: What can caretakers do to promote the newborn baby’s development during the oral stage?
A: Caretakers should meet the newborn baby’s needs for nourishment, comfort, and security. They should also provide safe and appropriate objects for the newborn baby to chew on, which will promote their sensory development.
Q: What can happen if the infant’s needs are not met during the oral stage?
A: If the infant’s needs are not met during the oral stage, they may develop mistrust and insecurity that can negatively affect their personality and social interactions in adulthood.