Can you understand your baby’s body language?
They might not use words to say what they
want, but babies certainly have their own way of telling you what’s going on.
As newborns, they cry – and cry and cry. You get to know the different kinds of
crying. A couple of months in, there’s the adorable smiling. From about five
months, babies might start to chatter and babble.
On top of all this, babies also speak with
their bodies.
Learning from baby’s body movements
Look at all the parts of your baby’s body,
and note the way baby’s
·
Feet kick
·
Hands clasp
·
Face changes with different
expressions.
Watch how your baby moves arms and legs to
see which things cause distress or make baby startle – sun in the eyes, the cat
running past, or a loud noise from the street. You will also see what calms and
reassures your baby.
Learning from baby’s responses
Watch how your baby responds to your
communication and touch, and learn what comforts baby. As your baby grows and
begins to smile, return smiles as much as possible.
Babies as young as eight weeks old can tell
the difference between people. Babies will have different physical responses to
different people, depending on their relationship with the baby.
Recognizing baby’s feeling
Learn to recognize when your baby is wide
awake and alert, crying, fussy, or at different stages of sleep. Eventually you
will become familiar with these and able to predict your baby’s patterns.
Learn to tell when your baby is tired.
Watch for:
·
Droopy eyelids and slow
blinking
·
Stiff and jerky movements
·
Whining and irritability
(younger babies)
·
Being wound-up
·
Crankiness or moodiness
·
Eye rubbing
·
Clinginess (older babies)
You’ll also learn to understand what your
baby is saying to you. The way you respond to your baby – whether you put baby
to sleep when baby’s looking overtired or offer a feed when baby’s hungry – can
help settle baby into a routine. It is easier to build a routine if you do
things in the same way most days.
Communicating with baby
Alert babies are more interested in
communicating. Talk to your baby quietly and rhythmically and use lots of
facial expressions. After all, your baby is reading your face too. Babies can
watch what you’re doing and slowly get used to the idea that they can
communicate with you, and you with them.
Before your baby learns to talk, there’ll
be experiments with sounds – anything that can get a response! This includes
sneezing, coughing, gagging and squealing. Later, vowel sounds begin. These
noises are attempts to engage your attention. The way you respond, however
silly, will help your baby learn to communicate.
Learning your baby’s body language is about
getting to know your baby. Of course you’ll be spending lots of time holding
your baby as you perform all the practical tasks of care. But the key to
understanding is really watching everything your baby does.
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