STATE is a group of characteristics that regularly occur together: body activity, eye movements, facial movements, breathing pattern, and level of response to external stimuli (e.g., handling) and internal stimuli (e.g., hunger).

CHARACTERISTICS OF INFANT STATES

STATES

Body Activity

Eye Movements

Facial Movements

Breathing Pattern

Level of Response

IMPLICATIONS FOR CAREGIVING

DEEP SLEEP

Nearly still, except for occasional startle or twitch.

None.

Without facial movements, except for occasional sucking movements at regular intervals.

Smooth and regular.

Threshold to stimuli is very high so that only very intense and disturbing stimuli will arouse infants.

Caregivers trying to feed infants in deep sleep will probably find the experience frustrating. Infants will be unresponsive, even if caregivers use disturbing stimuli flicking feet) to amuse infants. Infants may only arouse briefly and then become unresponsive as they return to deep sleep. If caregivers waits until infants move to a higher, more responsive state, feeding or care giving will be much more pleasant.

LIGHT SLEEP

Some body- movements.

(REM), fluttering of eyes beneath closed eye lids.

or crying sounds.

Irregular.

stimuli. When these stimuli occur, infants may remain in light sleep, return to deep sleep, or arouse to drowsy.

usually precedes waking. Due to brief fussy or crying sounds made during this state, caregivers who am not aware that these sounds occur normally may think it is time for feeding and may try to feed infants before they are ready to eat.

STATES

DROWSY

Activity level variable, with mild startles interspersed from time to time. Movements usually smooth.

Eyes open and close occasionally, an heavy-lidded with dull, glazed appearance.

May have some facial movements. Often there are none, and the face appears still.

Irregular.

Infants react to sensory stimuli although responses are delayed. State change after stimulation frequently noted.

From the drowsy stab, infants may return to sleep or awaken further. In oar to awaken, caregivers can provide something for infants to see hear or suck, as this may arouse them to a quiet alert state, a more responsive state. Infants left alone without stimuli may return to a sleep state.

QUIET ALERT

Minimal.

Brightening and widening of eyes.

Faces have bright, shining sparkling looks.

Regular.

Infants attend most to environment, focusing attention on any stimuli that are present.

Infants in this state provide much pleasure and positive feedback for caregivers. Providing something for infants to see, hear or suck will often maintain a quiet: alert state. In the first few hours after birth, most newboms commonly experience a period of intense alertness before going into a long sleeping period.

ACTIVE ALERT

Much body Activity. May have periods of fussiness.

Eyes open with less brightening.

Much facial movement. Faces not as bright as quiet alert state.

Irregular.

Increasingly sensitive to disturbing stimuli (hunger, fatigue, noise, excessive handling).

Caregivers may intervene at this stage to console and to bring infants to a lower state.

CRYING

Increased motor activity, with color changes.

Eyes tray be tightly dosed or open.

Grimaces.

More irregular.

Extremely responsive to unpleasant external or internal stimuli.

Crying is the infant's communication signal. It is a response to unpleasant stimuli from tire environment or from within infants (fatigue, hunger, discomfort). Crying tells us infants' limits have been reached. Sometimes infants can console themselves and return to lower states. At other times, they need help from caregivers.