The birth of a baby is an exciting time. As a new parent, you are filled with hopes and dreams for your infant, and you want to do as much as you can to support her emotional and physical growth. By taking positive action in several important areas, you can encourage your infant's healthy development.
Physical Development
Parents can support their baby's physical development by providing him with the opportunity to work his muscles and practice new physical skills. Putting your baby down for tummy time -- where he lies on his stomach on the floor -- lets him practice lifting his head, rolling over, creeping and crawling. You can also protect your baby's physical development by keeping him safe. Support his head and neck if he isn't able to support his head on his own. Make sure the toys you give him to play with are clean and won't pose a choking hazard. Never leave him unattended on a bed or changing table. Even if you think he doesn't know how to roll over, he could learn the skill at any time.
Play
Infants make sense of their environment by exploring it through their five senses. Let your baby play with simple objects around your house, such as pots, wooden spoons and plastic containers. Provide her with brightly colored things to look at, such as age-appropriate toys or a mobile over her crib. Go for walks with your baby to expose her to new sights and sounds. Sing and dance with her. Finding ways to support your infant's play helps her to learn and encourages her creativity.
Communication
Babies have an inherent need to interact with their caregivers. To communicate their needs, they cry, make eye contact, move their bodies, point and gesture. Paying attention to the cues your baby gives you and figuring out how to appropriately respond to them encourages your baby to communicate with you. Spending a lot of time talking to your baby will also help him understand language. Narrate what you are doing when you feed your baby, change his diaper or give him a bath. Talk slowly in short, simple sentences, repeat the words and phrases you use, and speak in a slightly higher pitch than normal. Doing these things will surround your baby with words and help him learn them.
Attachment
An infant's attachment to a caregiver is critical to infant development, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A secure attachment provides the foundation for developing healthy relationships throughout a baby's life. Children who have secure attachments are more sociable, persistent and cooperative than children with insecure attachments. They also have more psychological resiliency. To help your baby develop a secure attachment to you, respond sensitively to her needs. Quickly reacting when your baby shows slight signs of distress, figuring out what she needs when she cries and even breastfeeding will help her establish a secure attachment to you.
References
- North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension: The Learning Patterns and Needs of Infant and Toddlers
- North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension: Growing Together -- Infant Development
- Western Oregon University Teaching Research Institute: Infant and Toddler Communication -- When It Works and When It Doesn't
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Infants Develop Language Naturally
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Infant Attachment -- What We Know Now
