The instinct in new babies to turn their heads towards a touch on the cheek or mouth, which is important for breastfeeding.
The automatic response of a baby when the cheek is touched or stroked, as with a finger, to turn the head to that side and start sucking; a type of “primitive” reflex found only in babies and disappearing generally in three to four months but sometimes as late as 12 months. It is this type of reflex that allows the baby to find the nipple in breastfeeding.
Normal response of newborns whereby touching or stroking the side of the mouth and cheek causes the infant to turn toward the stimulated side and begin to suck.
The turning of an infant’s mouth toward the stimulus when the infant’s cheek is stroked. This reflex is present at birth; by age 4 months it is gone when the infant is awake; by age 7 months it is gone when the infant is asleep.
The rooting reflex is an innate response observed in newborns. Triggered by a gentle touch to the baby’s cheek with a fingertip, this reflex helps the infant locate the mother’s nipple for breastfeeding.