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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Can babies remember?

13 replies

MusicMum18 · 14/09/2015 16:18

I know this sounds a weird question. I have a 5 month old dd we went swimming today and have taken her regularly since she was around a month old. She has an inflatable yellow ring which she sits in.
Today she was staring at it, and i wondered if she remembered the last time we went swimming and the yellow ring? Or is each time we go swimming like a brand new experience for her?
Do babies have any recollection of previous experiences?

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itsonlysubterfuge · 14/09/2015 18:37

It depends, I think. My DD has always had an excellent memory and could remember things like that. So I suppose your DD could remember it .

Ferguson · 14/09/2015 19:34

There must be official research on this somewhere, but I guess as they gradually get older experiences accumulate in their memory, so they can remember certain things.

I often wonder what the EARLIEST real memories a baby can have are.

(Use your DD as a guinea pig, and do some original research!)

itsonlysubterfuge · 14/09/2015 19:48

My DD is only 3, so she may remember some parts of being a baby. As we age we gradually loose our memories as a toddler/baby. I think I read that it was around later pre-teen so maybe 11-12ish where we've lost all our memories as a baby and usually our first memories are from when we are about 5.

Pointlessfan · 14/09/2015 19:52

I've been wondering about this. Obviously they can remember things like new skills they have learnt or familiar faces but I don't think they consciously remember those things in the same way we don't consciously remember how to walk, drive etc we just do it.
I wonder what DD is thinking about and whether she recalls things she has done during the day.

FattyNinjaOwl · 14/09/2015 19:56

I've always said babies hold the secrets to the universe, but are nob-verbak so can't tell us and then as they grow they forget.

It's possible that she remembers. My first memory is from when I was 2. I remember it clearly.

Ferguson · 14/09/2015 22:43

I kept a diary of our DS, so we can tell him what he did as a baby, and schoolboy, but obviously that doesn't mean he actually remembers much of it himself; but he does enjoy hearing about it.

itsonlysubterfuge · 15/09/2015 09:45

I questioned DD today about what she remembers. It wasn't that revealing as she is in a baby crazy phase and is extremely interested in everything about babies. In fact she even told us she doesn't want a pet she just wants a baby. I asked her about two "big" events in her life. When we went on a trip to Utah to see my family, she was 5-6 months old, she did not remember this. When we went to Disneyworld nearly a year ago, she remembers this very vividly and talks about it quite frequently, a lot of very specific and varied details.

So she can remember things really well from a year ago, maybe a bit before then, it's just trying to think of a specific thing she would remember that I can question her about.

landofgiants · 15/09/2015 10:53

When my son went for his 3rd set of baby injections, he definitely remembered where he was! So I think they can remember things at an early age, hopefully good things as well as bad.

Snoozebox · 15/09/2015 11:00

How old is your DD, subterfuge?

I think babies do have memories but obviously they won't have the language to frame them in their mind. So something very visual rather than an event which involves a lot of time adjectives and verbs etc. will strike more of a chord...it's no wonder the bright yellow ring is familiar to her. They also seem good at remembering people and animals, and it can't all be down to smell.

Racundra · 15/09/2015 11:15

Babies must have memories, though I suppose a lot of it is overwritten.
My DC recognised my voice when they were born, they recognised me by sight and DH by sight when tiny, so they must remember things.

itsonlysubterfuge · 15/09/2015 11:52

My DD is 3.

Rubygillis · 15/09/2015 12:16

I think they remember things at the time, but then new memories come along and overwrite them.

My son is 5 and for the last 2 Christmases we have left Australia for the UK. He said he doesn't remember ever having a hot Christmas (the last one he had he was 2.3)

He also said he doesn't remember before his brother was born and when we talk about some quite specific things that happened around that time, he doesn't remember.

However, he does remember eating a kit Kat at Singapore airport on our first trip back when he was 3.3!

Original poster

MusicMum18 · 15/09/2015 20:23

Those comments are interesting, isn't the brain an amazing thing!! When my dd has nightmares I often wonder what she dreams about!! The trauma of being born? Being overwhelmed with the world? It must be like landing on mars!! Babies are amazing little miracles!

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