the oral stage of Psychosexual Development
(0-1 Year Old)

The nerve endings in the mouth and lips are highly sensitive, and the baby derives pleasure from sucking for its own sake (non-nutritive sucking).  it does this to explore and recognise tastes, to learn about its environment.  nutritive sucking on the other hand is for the baby to obtain food for survival.  In the earlier incorporate sub-stage, the major oral activities are sucking swallowing and mouthing. In the later biting/aggressive sub-stage, hardening gums and erupting teeth make biting and chewing sources of pleasure.

y