Nevertheless, childbirth in the United States is often accompanied by a variety of medical interventions. Although they help save the lives of many babies, these procedures can cause problems of their own when used routinely. Although most births proceed normally, serious complications sometimes occur. Among the most common are oxygen deprivation and prematurity. Fortunately, many babies who experience severe birth trauma recover with the help of favorable child-rearing environments.
Infants begin life with a remarkable set of skills for relating to the surrounding world.
Newborns display a wide variety of reflexes. In the early weeks, babies frequently move in and out of different states of arousal, although they spend the most time asleep, including important REM sleep, which stimulates the brain. Crying is the first way that babies communicate. With experience, parents become better at interpreting the meaning of the infant's cries. Newborns' senses of touch, taste, smell, and sound are well developed.