The baby we know today: a workshop as a space for updating knowledge

Abstract

This study analyzes three sessions of the workshop "The Baby We Know Today," a training program created by the authors to disseminate contemporary research that recognizes the baby as an active and engaged subject from the first days of life, in contrast to classical conceptions that considered them a mere receiver. The content addressed distinctions between growth, development, and psychic constitution, as well as evidence on early competencies, such as neonatal imitation, recognition of one's own name, and sensitivity to sight and voice. The workshops took place in person in three Brazilian cities, lasting two hours each, bringing together 32 participants: pregnant families (14) and prospective adoptive parents linked to the National Adoption System (18). The methodology combined oral presentations, videos, group discussions, and the application of online questionnaires before and after the meetings, aiming to identify changes in participants' perceptions of the infant's communicative abilities and psychic constitution. The results indicated a significant expansion of conceptual repertoire, shifting from conceptions centered on crying to a multimodal understanding of language, valuing gestures, body movements, gazes, and vocalizations as legitimate forms of communication. It is concluded that the workshop promoted transformations in the participants' knowledge and practices, strengthening preventive, ethical, and respectful approaches to psychic suffering in early childhood, as well as reaffirming the infant as the protagonist of their subjective constitution. The experience proved replicable in different contexts, reinforcing the relevance of formative actions based on scientific evidence for improving care and promoting respectful listening to the infant.