Your baby needs all the care and attention you can give.Trust your maternal instinct.–that inner voice that tells you to comfort your babywhen he cries.Newborn babies cannot self–regulate. They are bombarded with smells, noise, touch,being bathed etc. Their sensory integration is not fully developed. By responding toyour babies needs you help them to learn how to trust and calm themselves.Newborn babies aretoo young to purposefully manipulate or annoy you.Crying is their only way to communicate their needs,whetherit is for hunger, thirstbeing lonely,cold,needa dry diaper, or a little cuddling with Mom or Dad.When you respond quickly to yourbaby, you’re building his sense of self–worth.You’re also establishing a foundation of trust that can last for years to come.If you give your baby prompt attention, he’ll feel more secure and less anxious, givinghim the courage to explore the world onhis own.Once your babyunderstands that you take his cries seriously, he’ll be less likely to cryfor no reason.In the long run, responding quickly to your baby’s needs will make him less clingy anddemanding.By the time your baby is 6 to 8 months old, he’ll be paying close attention to cause andeffect–noticing, for instance, that his bowl falls when he drops it from the highchair.He’ll also start to see a direct link between his actions and your responses. At thispoint it’s okay to set some limits.
If your baby starts crying to get something he doesn’t need, hold your ground and givehim a hug when he calms down. Similarly, give hugs and praise for goodbehaviourand gently redirect him when he’s doing something hazardous.The right blend of love and guidance will eventually help your child understand hisplace in the world.But for now, your focus should be on giving him as much attention and comfort as youcan. No matter how much you give, it’s not more than he needs
