Understanding Baby
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Even if they don't yet speak, babies try to communicate their needs and emotions using signals that their parents must learn to decode in order to respond well.
How does baby communicate? At birth, crying is the only way for the baby to express hunger, discomfort, need to be held, fear, boredom, etc.
Then, little by little, he begins to communicate through cries, smiles, chirps, facial expressions, gestures, looks, etc.
By observing the reaction of his parents and those around him, the baby discovers how to get what he needs. Each time he expresses his need and a trusted person responds adequately, he develops his self-esteem.
This assurance encourages him to go further, to discover things.
Meeting your baby's needs When your baby expresses a need, it is important that he knows that someone is there to care for him. When you try to soothe him by trying to understand what he is saying to you, you learn to better recognize his needs and the signals that accompany them.
Eventually, you'll know that when he puts his fist to his mouth, for example, it's because he's starting to get hungry.
By being attentive to his needs and available to respond and soothe him, you tell him that he can count on you and you both get to know each other better.
Remember that meeting his needs does not mean spoiling him. Furthermore, when you meet his needs and show him kindness, your child becomes attached to you, which contributes to the development of a solid attachment bond with you.
This connection is important because it will not only impact the development of your child's identity and self-esteem, but will influence their intimate and social relationships throughout their life.
It's not easy to decode your baby's needs: Your child may smile when you smile at him and be happy that you take the hand he offers you. But, sometimes he turns his head away when you talk to him, which can make you sad if you interpret it as rejection.
However, this reaction is just his way of telling you that he is too tired or has had too much stimulation. Or maybe he's very sensitive to noise and is trying to ask you to speak less loudly and return to quieter activity. It is through trial and error that you will eventually understand what he is trying to tell you. So, be never discouraged and continue to learn and understand is needs.
Babies' needs and how they are communicated differ from one child to another and are continually evolving. You must remain attentive to these changes in your baby.
To understand it more easily, rely on the signals that your baby gives you instead of just following the cues of his usual routine. For example, one day your baby may be tired earlier than usual and if you only rely on the nap schedule, he may be too tired to fall asleep when you put him to bed.
As your baby grows, his waking periods lengthen, and the schedule continually changes. This is why knowing your child's language well will help you adapt to sudden or occasional changes and to their needs that evolve over time.
How do you tell a baby that you love them? To tell your baby that you love him, talk to him, hold him, rock him, cuddle him, press your cheek against his and look into his eyes often, because he also develops bonds through his sense.
Every time you comfort and cuddle your child, their brain produces a calming hormone called oxytocin. This feeling of well-being that inhabits him with each contact with you allows him to develop a very strong emotional bond with you.
The habits and routines that you establish, thanks to your listening and understanding of his needs, also allow your baby to establish a solid attachment bond with you.
The importance of spending time with your baby:
Perhaps you believe that you should be in close communication with your baby and that the times spent with him should be particularly happy? This is not always the case, and that is normal. For you to truly experience special moments and make the most of them, you need to spend a lot of time getting to know each other and strengthening the bonds that unite you.
It is when you give a lot of time and special attention to your child that moments of happiness become more frequent. However, these moments of special attention should not represent one more thing to do in your day. They can simply fit into daily, routine tasks. Indeed, every little moment can be transformed into a period of pleasant interaction between you and your baby.
Making the effort to stay present with him rather than making your to-do list in your head can be beneficial for the bond between you and him. For example, you can talk to him while you dress him, explain to him what you are doing, sing him a nursery rhyme or be interested in what catches his attention.
Also take the time to play with your baby, even if he is very young. This is an opportunity for you to strengthen the bond of attachment that unites you and to promote the development of your child. Your baby learns more easily in a peaceful environment. When he is calm, it is the ideal time to spend time with him and play.
Do you feel like you're running out of time? Even if you feel overwhelmed by everything you have to do, it's important to make time for your baby. To achieve this, you can organize with your partner (if you are a couple) to take turns taking care of your baby and household chores.
This will give you both the opportunity to spend time with your baby. You can also ask for help from your family, friends or neighbours, who can help you with meals, cleaning or shopping.
Also be kind to yourself and learn to redefine family priorities in order to be available for your baby. It is important to understand that it is normal for certain tasks such as cleaning to be neglected a little.
Remember that always remaining calm when available to your baby and speaking in a cheerful tone communicates to him that he is in a safe and healthy environment.
Non-verbal communication is often the key element of the relationship with a baby. A smile, remaining cheerful in all circumstances, giving him plenty of time to learn and become tamed.
Especially in his presence, respect him by never raising the tone of your voice too much, avoiding shouting, being angry, panicking or being too nervous. Your mood always has an effect on the child, it is best to always remain true, but with a certain restraint, as if you were in the presence of a close friend or a holy person.
Things to remember: Your baby speaks to you through his cries, his gestures and his gaze, and you can learn to decode his language by paying attention to his reactions.
It is essential for your child's emotional development to respond to the needs he communicates to you and to seek to soothe him when he needs comfort.
Moments of play and privileged moments of interaction are essential to develop a healthy attachment bond and thus allow the child to flourish to his or her full potential.