To date, these responses to touch by the neonate have been defined in the literature
as “reflexes,” or involuntary responses to stimulation,5,6 implying little or no
intentional behavior on the part of the newborn. Interestingly, examinations by
ultrasound have revealed grasping of the umbilical cord by the fetus at 18 weeks
gestation,7 and thumb-sucking at as early as 15 weeks gestation,8 suggesting that
sucking and grasping are not new behaviors for the neonate, or that the neonate
comes into the world with sucking and grasping experiences.