The importance of a close & loving parent-infant relationship and how this supports your baby’s brain development.
Babies can recognise their mother’s voice from birth. Your baby will enjoy being talked to and reassured by your familiar voice. Keeping your baby close, cuddling and stroking them, talking to them, understanding their feeding cues and offering a feed before they show signs of distress, such a crying, will also support healthy brain development.
During pregnancy and the first two years of life, your baby’s brain develops rapidly. Responding to your baby’s needs can support physical, emotional and social development and is beneficial to your baby’s mental heath. Developing a close, loving relationship with your baby will help them to grow into a confident and secure child and adult.
Signs your baby is hungry:
Communicating with your baby:
Stress and baby brain development:
Young babies are unable to cope with delays in having their needs met. Learning to understand your baby’s needs will help you to comfort and care for them. Being responsive to your baby’s needs helps baby to feel more secure and reduces their stress levels. Responding to your baby will not ‘spoil’ them, instead it will ‘fertilise’ your growing baby’s brain, which supports their emotional and social development. Getting to know your baby is time well spent, it will be a positive investment in your child’s future.
Early experiences lay the foundation of your baby’s brain:
Should babies sleep through the night?
Information provided by the Infant Feeding Team
