Foetuses are not self-aware and neither are newborn babies (hence kicking their feet in the air because they don't know that they are attached to their bodies)! The difference between legalising abortion and not infanticide is the fact that foetuses are parasites, occupying another person's body, whereas infants are neither and are legal people.

For the past two years i have been studying pregnancy, birth and children from birth to five years and i can tell you that practially everything a newborn does is just a reflex. they cry because they're hungry and it's the only way they know to communicate and when you put your finger intheir hand they don't hold onto it because they want to they do it because it's a reflex

What part of the brain is responsible for self awareness? Is that part developed by a certain time period?

I would add to the grasping reflex that they have the sucking reflex as well at birth.

i can't remeber which part of the brain it is without going to find my work but i know that self awareness takes about 3 years to be at the same par as an adult

yeah, most of what newborns do are just reflexes:

moro reflex- when support for head is suddenly removed, reflex response is to extend the trunk, and flexion-adduction of limbs. disappears at around 3 mths.

stepping reflex- walking movements triggered by holding the infant upright with a forward slant and placing the soles of the feet against the ground. Disappears at around 6 weeks

placing reflex- triggered by holding the infant upright and drawing the top of one foot across the bottom edge of a table. Response is to flex and extend the leg. Disappears at also about 6 weeks.

Sucking reflex (as birch stated) triggered by stroking the lips. The associated rooting reflex is when the cheek is stroked. Response is to turn the mouth toward the site of stimulation. Reflex continues till about 4-7 months.

Babinki reflex- is positive, with fanning of toes in response to stroking the side of the sole of the foot. Reflex disappears at about 3 years as descending motor pathways become established.

as for self awareness, newborns up until a certain age are not self aware. like birch said, newborns kick at the air but dont realize they are doing it. They may scratch themselves but aren't aware that they did it to themselves. Self-awareness develops later.

Cite for reflexes: Clinical issues in anatomy college text (human anatomy 5th edition: martini/timmons/tallitsch