# data[].attributes.body
What to expect in the first six weeks of your babies life

# data[].attributes.body
Videos showing some of the language that your baby will use to communicate with you

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Overview

Getting to Know Your Baby videos have been designed to help parents, caregivers, and health professionals to know how to support the development of a baby's emotional wellbeing. See categories for more videos:
To view all videos click here
Introduction & Why Bonding matters

The process of 'bonding' refers to the intense emotional connection that takes place between a mother and a baby.
To view this category click here
Bonding Before Birth

Babies' emotional health and wellbeing begin before they are born, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy.
To view this category click here
Baby States

Baby states are essentially key patterns of behaviour that are easy to recognise in new babies, and can help parents to both tune-in to their baby, and to understand his or her experiences. Once parents are able to recognise these patterns, it becomes much easier to identify what their baby's needs are. Introduce expectant parents to Baby States and encourage them to notice sleep/wake states with friends' babies. Helping parents to understand baby sleep/wake states is a good way of encouraging them to get to know their baby. AiMH UK has produced an information sheet for members; Where baby states research comes from and why it's useful.
To view this category click here
Early Interactions

These videos show that encouraging parents to carefully observe their baby's sleep/wake states and notice their cues will help them get to know how best to respond to their baby.
To view this category click here
Sleeping & Soothing

Observing baby sleep / wake states will help parents get to know their own baby's individual likes and dislikes. This will help them tune in to the particular ways that their baby likes to be soothed. This might be a particular cuddle, lullaby or just being held calmly in their parent's arms. Babies often show a preference for sucking their fingers or thumb or attach to a comfort object such as a cloth or toy.
To view this category click here

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Getting to Know Your Baby videos have been designed to help parents, caregivers, and health professionals to know how to support the development of a baby's emotional wellbeing. See categories for more videos: To view all videos click here The process of 'bonding' refers to the intense emotional connection that takes place between a mother and a baby.

# data[].attributes.body
Why its so hard to take a shower!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Life with a Newborn: Why It’s so Hard to Take a Shower Video

# data[].attributes.body
When your baby wakes up

# data[].attributes.body
Some top tips for the first three months of your babies life

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"He sleeps really well but only when he's laying on my chest, he hates his moses basket" "She cries every time we lay her on her play mat" "He hates going in his pram, he cries the second we put him in it".
If I had a pound every time I heard these from a new parent I'd be a very rich lady by now! What amazes me though is that society in general doesn't get it, they don't get why so many babies need to be held by us to settle and what perplexes me even more is that we do spend so long trying to put them down! We spend more than time though, the 'putting babies down' industry is worth millions, rocking cribs, battery swings, vibrating chairs, heartbeat teddies and the list goes on..................having been a first time parent who bought all four of the items listed above I am embarrased to admit now it honestly didn't enter into my head that perhaps the answer was to *not* put my baby down and I certainly didn't consider why these things might help. It took me a long time to understand and empathise with my baby, to see the world through his eyes so to speak.
"Empathy: the intellectual identification with thoughts, or attitudes of another." or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, "Birth suddenly disrupts this organization. During the month following birth, baby tries to regain his sense of organization and fit into life outside the womb. Birth and adaptation to postnatal life bring out the temperament of the baby, so for the first time he must do something to have his needs met. He is forced to act, to "behave." If hungry, cold, or startled, he cries. He must make an effort to get the things he needs from his caregiving environment. If his needs are simple and he can get what he wants easily, he's labeled an "easy baby"; if he does not adapt readily, he is labeled "difficult."" - Dr. William Sears.
To empathise with our newborns feelings we need to put ourselves in their place, to imagine experiencing their world - but which world? The world they have spent most of their life in, their 'womb world' or the world they are in now - our world. To fully understand we must appreciate the enormous transition they have made - a concept known to many as 'The Fourth Trimester' -some make the womb to world transition easily, others less so and it is this latter group in particular "the clingy babies" we can learn so much from through this concept.

So lets quickly compare the two different 'worlds' your baby has lived in:

Pretty different huh? On top of this the big thing to understand is that in utero the baby's world was constant, each day was the same, the stimulation didn't change, but now they are born each day is different - ever changing, ever stimulating!

The concept of the fourth trimester helps us to understand the transition a newborn must make over their first few weeks earthside and once we understand we find so many ways we can help - but to me the most important facet of the fourth trimester is parental understanding and empathy, once that exists everything else will flow naturally.
Movement
Here are some common newborn calming techniques that tend to work quite well, but remember each and every baby is different, if you don't already know, you will soon learn what your baby likes best and that's what matters, that it is unique to *your* baby. Prescriptive 'do this/don't do this' baby calming lists don't help anybody - because they forget they are dealing with individuals - both parents and babies! Some things on this list will be inappropriate for you and your baby, some simply won't work, some you won't like - and that's OK! because really it isn't about these tips it's about you and your baby getting to know each other!
Skin to Skin Contact
The womb is a constantly moving space, Braxton Hicks would squeeze your baby at the end of pregnancy and each time you moves your baby was wobbled around inside. Imagine how walking upstairs feels for a baby in utero! Babies tend to love movement but so often we put them down somewhere completely still. You could try dancing, swaying from side to side, going for an exaggerated quick walk or bumpy car ride.
Bed-Sharing
Such a brilliant baby calmer! Being in contact with your warm, naturally (un)scented, skin is heaven for a baby, it helps to stabilise their body temperature, heart rate and stress hormones and stimulates the release of oxytocin - the love and bonding hormone - in you both. Topless cuddles, shared baths, baby massage and bedsharing are all great skin to skin experiences for your baby and you.

Sharing a bed with your baby is an amazing way of getting more sleep for everyone, babies are generally much calmer and sleep more easily if they sleep with you in your bed, yet it is such a taboo topic and although 60% of parents will share a bed with their baby at some point it's a subject that makes society very uncomfortable, but...it is an *amazing* baby calmer! It's really important that you think about how bedsharing will work and follow some important safety guidelines HERE.
Swaddling
For more on bedsharing and other ways to improve your newborn's sleep, watch my free webinar here:

Imagine how snug your baby was at the very end of your pregnancy inside of you - now imagine how strange it must feel to them after they have been born and have so much space around them! The absolutely best thing you can do is to envelop your baby in your arms, but for times when you don't want to or indeed can't then swaddling is an option. Swaddling is becoming increasingly popular, however there are important safety guidelines to be followed if you choose to swaddle your baby, if you are breastfeeding please make sure feeding is established before swaddling and take care not to miss your baby's hunger cues if you are feeding on demand:
** The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends swaddling for babies 0-14wks. Babywearing

Never swaddle over your baby's head or near his face

Never swaddle your baby if he is ill or has a fever

Make sure your baby does not overheat and only swaddle with a breathable/thin fabric

Only swaddle your baby until he can roll over**

Always place your baby to sleep on his back

Do not swaddle tightly across your baby's chest

Do not swaddle tightly around your baby's hips and legs, his legs should be free to "froggy up" into a typical newborn position.

Lastly start to swaddle as soon as possible, do not swaddle a 3 month old baby if he has not been swaddled before.

Wearing your baby in a sling is one of the ultimate ways to keep them calm and happy. It increases the time a baby spends in a state of "quiet alertness" - a time of contentment when they learn the most. When a baby is in utero they spend 100% of their time in physical contact with us - yet the moment they are born this is estimated to drop to only 40%! Babywearing also means 2 free hands!

Choose your sling carefully. A good sling will be easy to use and will support both yours and your baby's spine whilst not placing any pressure on your baby's growing hips - newborns should always be carried facing inwards with a "frog leg" pose, not a crotch dangle pose so commonly used by commercial baby carriers. Also seek to carry in an 'in arms' position - i.e: how your baby would be held if you were holding them!

Babywearing is a great way for dads to bond with babies!
Position
It is quite common for a baby to cry once placed in a sling, this does not mean that they hate the sling - it just means that you need to move, so get dancing! As with swaddling,babywearing is becoming increasingly popular, however there are important safety guidelines to be followed, the TICKS acronym below neatly sums them all up:

The "tiger in the tree" position below, taken from baby yoga, is often magical, stopping a crying baby in an instant!
Feed
Noise
Babies love sound, but for many not the sound you might think. For many babies a hoover is much more calming to a baby than a lullaby. A special white noise recording, such as , can be played on loop whilst your baby sleeps to help keep them calm.
Deep Bathing
If your baby is hungry nothing will calm him, so watch for his hunger cues. Feeding is always better if it is baby led, not led by a routine - whether you are breast or bottle feeding. Remember as well that your baby may not always be hungry for a full feed, they may want a quick drink, a quick snack or just some comfort sucking. Babies also find sucking the ultimate relaxation and comfort tool. Sucking helps a baby's skull bones to return to their normal position after birth as well as providing them with comfort and security. If you are not breastfeeding you might find your baby will relax when given a dummy/pacifier.
Outside
The womb is a wet, warm place. The world as we know it is dry and cold! Sometimes a nice deep, warm bath can stop a baby's tears in seconds - even better if mummy or daddy goes in the big bath with baby too as skin to skin contact is a wonderful baby calmer.
What have you found calms your newborn? The NEWLY UPDATED Gentle Sleep Book - out now! If you would like to understand and learn how to improve your baby's sleep WITHOUT cry-based conventional sleep training, this is the book for you! p.s: Come and chat with me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Or watch my videos on YouTube You can also sign up for my free parenting newsletter HERE.
If all else fails many babies stop crying the minute they hit the open air - I'm not sure if this is because we are usually moving (e.g.: walking over cobbles with the buggy/ bouncing in a sling and the drone and movement of a car) or because of the change in air - but it works!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Fourth Trimester - AKA Why Your Newborn Baby is Only Happy in Your Arms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"My baby is only happy in my arms, the minute I put her down she cries" "He sleeps really well but only when he's laying on my chest, he hates his moses basket" "She cries every time we lay her on ...

# data[].attributes.body
What the research says about its use for babies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
According to their webpage Infacol is:

"Clinically proven to significantly reduce the frequency and severity of crying attacks associated with colic."

Music to the ears of any new parent with a distressed bundle right? It seems so as their site claims they are "Britain's number 1 infant colic remedy"!
I'm guessing that's pretty profitable, heck they even provide a phone app to help you identify if your baby has "colic".

Now perhaps I'm naive, but as colic is only defined as frequent persistent periods of unexplained crying (often in the evening), I'm pretty sure that parents know whether this is happening without an app to tell them?

It seems others agree as two reviewers wrote:

"Easy to use, navigate and understand but felt too engineered to get you to the end and say 'Use Infacol!'"

"It basically tells you what you already know and then says buy infacol."

Shock horror.

For those who aren't familiar the active ingredient in Infacol is Simethicone; and it's not just colic Infacol claims to work for:

"Unfortunately, wind can sometimes get trapped which can cause your baby discomfort. Infacol can gently help to bring up wind as its active ingredient- simeticone- helps the little trapped gas bubbles join into bigger bubbles which your baby can easily bring up as wind. - helping to relieve the pain. Infacol can be used from birth onwards, unlike gripe waters, which can only be given to babies 1 month old and over"

Wow wind and colic right, and suitable from birth.

Perhaps this is why so many doctors, midwives and health visitors prescribe or recommend parents try it? And given how many do, it must be pretty solid "clinically proven" evidence right?

Er no.

A BMJ paper published in 2007 reviewing treatment of colic examined the evidence :

"One poor-quality randomised controlled trial (RCT) found limited evidence that simethicone reduced the number of crying attacks on days 4-7 of treatment compared with placebo."

By poor quality the BMJ clarify that there were only 26 infants aged 1-12 weeks in the study and no reported details on how cases of colic were defined.

Oh that's disappointing. But surely GP's and all these other health professionals aren't suggesting or prescribing infacol on the basis of a "poor quality" small study of 26 babies? A study that doesn't define nor claim to ease colic, but refers to "crying attacks" which could potentially have any cause or be of any frequency?

The BMJ discuss two other trials that do define colic, perhaps these are more compelling.

First is a double-blind, crossover of 83 infants aged 2-8 weeks, comparing 0.3 mL of simethicone versus placebo for a week before feeds.

"It found no significant difference in colic (using the standard colic definition), when rated by carers, between simethicone and placebo (28% improved with simethicone v 37% with placebo v 20% with simethicone plus placebo.)"

So a study three times the size of the first, found Infacol was actually 9% LESS effective than a placebo at helping colic?

Let's try again.

The second study (double-blind, crossover trial, 27 infants aged 2-8 weeks) found no significant difference between simethicone and placebo (10 drops before meals, duration of treatment 24 hours) in improvement as rated by parental interview, 24-hour diary, or behavioural observation.

In fact the BMJ conclude:

"Further trials are not considered to be of clinical importance and are unlikely to be undertaken. According to the available evidence, there is no reason to use simethicone in the treatment of infantile colic."

"This medicine helps relieve griping pains and colic in babies and infants which may be caused by swallowing air."

Does it NHS? Says who? Infacol themselves with their "clinically proven" claims? The BMJ disagrees!

What about reasons not to?

Let's look at the other ingredients in Infacol besides Simethicone.

Purified Water

Hypromellose

Orange Flavour

Saccharin Sodium

Methyl Hydroxybenzoate (E218)

Propyl Hydroxybenzoate (E216)

Obviously these ingredients have been approved for use in this product, but when weighing up whether to use or take a medicine, we typically consider the benefits that can be obtained, versus any risks or downsides.
The literature surrounding infacol states that Simethicone is not absorbed into the body and thus is unlikely to cause harm (although some parents do report perceived side effects and some more here), but some do warn that Methyl and propyl hydroxybenzoates (E218, E216) may cause allergic reactions (possibly delayed)

Furthermore E216 and E218 are parabens considered controversial by some and even taking this out of the equation, has anyone considered the potential the impact to the baby's gut flora of putting a product containing fungicide, combined with artificial sweetener and a dollop of orange flavour in his digestive system several times per day for weeks at a time?

All for something that evidence suggests doesn't work?

What's also interesting is that there is a mounting body of evidence that probiotics may be an effective tool in reducing infant crying, including a trial that directly compared them to Simethicone:

"Eighty-three infants completed the trial: 41 in the probiotic group and 42 in the simethicone group. The infants were similar regarding gestational age, birth weight, gender, and crying time at baseline.
On day 28, 39 patients (95%) were responders in the probiotic group and 3 patients (7%) were responders in the simethicone group.

And it's not an isolated study, a second study highlights effectiveness of probiotics for colic here and a third here.

So why then aren't GP's, health visitors and midwives prescribing and recommending them instead of something seemingly no more effective than a placebo?

Like Calpol, it seems to me Infacol has just via clever marketing become recognised as a default turn to product for many parents. But as the antibiotic popping for every ailment generation age, more parents are becoming aware of the implications of what we put into our bodies, more cynical about marketing and more holistic (and thus less keen to simply medicate symptoms without looking for a cause). Perhaps gradually we will see a change.

1. Effectiveness of treatments for infantile colic: systematic review, BMJ 1998;316:1563

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Before You Try Infacol, Try This Blog...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
According to their webpage Infacol is: "Clinically proven to significantly reduce the frequency and severity of crying attacks associated with colic." Music to the ears of any new parent with a distressed bundle right? It seems so as their site claims they are "Britain's number 1 infant colic remedy"!

# data[].attributes.body
Lots of resources to support couples during the transition to parenthood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
OnePlusOne is all about helping people to build stronger relationships. We do this by equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need, so that couples, parents and children can be happier, healthier and more successful.

# data[].attributes.headline
Some information about the APGAR score and other first checks of a baby

# data[].attributes.subject
Some information about the APGAR score and other first checks of a baby

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
All you need to enjoy the best with your new baby, information, online video plus our shop.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There are now a multitude of studies that show that mothers and babies should be together, skin to skin (baby naked, not wrapped in a blanket) immediately after birth, as well as later. The baby is happier, the baby's temperature is more stable and more normal, the baby's heart and breathing rates are more stable and more normal, and the baby's blood sugar is more elevated. Not only that, skin to skin contact immediately after birth allows the baby to be colonized by the same bacteria as the mother. This, plus breastfeeding, are thought to be important in the prevention of allergic diseases. When a baby is put into an incubator, his skin and gut are often colonized by bacteria different from his mother's.

We now know that this is true not only for the baby born at term and in good health, but also even for the premature baby. Skin to skin contact and Kangaroo Mother Care can contribute much to the care of the premature baby. Even babies on oxygen can be cared for skin to skin, and this helps reduce their needs for oxygen, and keeps them more stable in other ways as well.

From the point of view of breastfeeding, babies who are kept skin to skin with the mother immediately after birth for at least an hour, are more likely to latch on without any help and they are more likely to latch on well, especially if the mother did not receive medication during the labour or birth. As mentioned in "Breastfeeding - Starting out Right", a baby who latches on well gets milk more easily than a baby who latches on less well. When a baby latches on well, the mother is less likely to be sore. When a mother's milk is abundant, the baby can take the breast poorly and still get lots of milk, though the feedings may then be long or frequent or both, and the mother is more prone to develop problems such as blocked ducts and mastitis. In the first few days, however, the mother does not have a lot of milk (but she has enough!), and a good latch is important to help the baby get the milk that is available (yes, the milk is there even if someone has "proved" to you with the big pump that there isn't any). If the baby does not latch on well, the mother may be sore, and if the baby does not get milk well, the baby will want to be on the breast for long periods of time worsening the soreness.

To recap, skin to skin contact immediately after birth, which lasts for at least an hour has the following positive effects on the baby:

Are more likely to latch on

Are more likely to latch on well

Have more stable and normal skin temperatures

Have more stable and normal heart rates and blood pressures

Have higher blood sugars

Are less likely to cry

Are more likely to breastfeed exclusively longer

There is no reason that the vast majority of babies cannot be skin to skin with the mother immediately after birth for at least an hour. Hospital routines, such as weighing the baby, should not take precedence.

The baby should be dried off and put on the mother. Nobody should be pushing the baby to do anything; nobody should be trying to help the baby latch on during this time. The mother, of course, may make some attempts to help the baby, and this should not be discouraged. The mother and baby should just be left in peace to enjoy each other's company. (The mother and baby should not be left alone, however, especially if the mother has received medication, and it is important that not only the mother's partner, but also a nurse, midwife, doula or physician stay with them - occasionally, some babies do need medical help and someone qualified should be there "just in case"). The eyedrops and the injection of vitamin K can wait a couple of hours. By the way, immediate skin to skin contact can also be done after caesarean section, even while the mother is getting stitched up, unless there are medical reasons which prevent it.

Studies have shown that even premature babies, as small as 1200 g (2 lb 10 oz) are more stable metabolically (including the level of their blood sugars) and breathe better if they are skin to skin immediately after birth. The need for an intravenous infusion, oxygen therapy or a nasogastric tube, for example, or all the preceding, does not preclude skin to skin contact. Skin to skin contact is quite compatible with other measures taken to keep the baby healthy. Of course, if the baby is quite sick, the baby's health must not be compromised, but any premature baby who is not suffering from respiratory distress syndrome can be skin to skin with the mother immediately after birth. Indeed, in the premature baby, as in the full term baby, skin to skin contact may decrease rapid breathing into the normal range.

Even if the baby does not latch on during the first hour or two, skin to skin contact is still good and important for the baby and the mother for all the other reasons mentioned.

If the baby does not take the breast right away, do not panic. There is almost never any rush, especially in the full term healthy baby. One of the most harmful approaches to feeding the newborn has been the bizarre notion that babies must feed every three hours. Babies should feed when they show signs of being ready, and keeping a baby next to his mother will make it obvious to her when the baby is ready. There is actually not a stitch of proof that babies must feed every three hours or by any schedule, but based on such a notion, many babies are being pushed into the breast because three hours have passed. The baby not interested yet in feeding may object strenuously, and thus is pushed even more, resulting, in many cases, in babies refusing the breast because we want to make sure they take the breast. And it gets worse. If the baby keeps objecting to being pushed into the breast and gets more and more upset, then the "obvious next step" is to give a supplement. And it is obvious where we are headed (see " When a Baby Refuses to Latch On").

Written by Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC. © 2005

This handout may be copied and distributed without further permission, on the condition that it is not used in any context in which the WHO code on the marketing of breast milk substitutes is violated.
See also Mother and Infant: Early Emotional Ties by Marshall Klaus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are now a multitude of studies that show that mothers and babies should be together, skin to skin (baby naked, not wrapped in a blanket) immediately after birth, as well as later. The baby is happier, the baby's temperature is more stable and more normal, the baby's heart and breathing rates are more stable and more normal, and the baby's blood sugar is more elevated.

# data[].attributes.headline
Wonderful video showing what 24 hours with a newborn baby is like!

# data[].attributes.subject
Wonderful video showing what 24 hours with a newborn baby is like!

# data[].attributes.body
Some great examples of ways to play with your newborn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
More Parenting in Pictures

Cuddling and connecting

Try cuddling your baby close to the left side of your chest so she can hear your heartbeat. Your baby might find this reassuring, and it's good for bonding with newborns.

Skin-on-skin contact, such as baby massage, can make your baby feel secure. Try using a few drops of an edible oil, such as olive or sweet almond oil.

Look into your baby's eyes and use facial expressions when you speak to him. This will help your baby learn the connection between words and feelings.

Talking and reading

Experts say babies like to hear a sing-song voice instead of normal grown-up conversation. Try this kind of voice when you're talking to your baby.

Read books and enjoy storytelling with your baby from birth. She'll like hearing the sound and rhythm of your voice during this special time together.

Chat with your baby as you go through the day. You could try naming toys and things around you. For example, 'Look, these are your socks. We're going to put them on your feet, aren't we?'

Singing and games

Singing is a fun way to develop your baby's language skills. Try it in the car, in the bath, at bedtime - anytime and anywhere! Your baby will love the rhythm and will be soothed by your voice.

Smile at your baby. When he sees you smiling, it releases chemicals in his body, making him feel good. The chemicals will also help his brain grow.

Play simple games with your baby, such as pat-a-cake or peekaboo. Playing these games can help your baby's learning and movement skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bonding with your new baby - in pictures | Raising Children Network

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
More Parenting in Pictures Try cuddling your baby close to the left side of your chest so she can hear your heartbeat. Your baby might find this reassuring, and it's good for bonding with newborns. Skin-on-skin contact, such as baby massage, can make your baby feel secure.

# data[].attributes.body
An interesting website full of resources to help you if your baby suffers from colic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Adam Miconi, Ryan Steinbeigle, National Center on Shaken Baby syndrome, Period of PURPLE Crying

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Period of PURPLE Crying is the phrase used to describe the time in a baby's life when they cry more than any other time.

# data[].attributes.body
A useful recourse exploring developmental leaps that babies have and how that can affect their sleep patterns and increase crying

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What are mental leaps? - The Wonder Weeks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is a mental leap? A leap in the mental development of your baby means that suddenly there are many changes in his head. Suddenly, his brain perceives.

# data[].attributes.body
Top tips on how to reduce stress and calm a stressed baby

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How to keep babies calm, happy, and emotionally healthy

© 2015 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved

Why stress in babies matters

Nobody wants a stressed-out baby. The stress is contagious, and chronic stress has long-term health consequences. When babies are exposed to high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, they are more likely to develop behavior problems and stress-related diseases later in life (Asok et al 2013; Luby et al 2013). In the worst case scenario, toxic stress can alter brain growth and shorten the lifespan.

But there is good news for parents feeling the strain: We can do a lot to protect babies from the effects of toxic stress.

For example, experiments on nonhuman animals show that infants exposed to lots of nurturing touch are more likely to develop into stress-resilient adults - even if they were born with risk factors for stress-related problems (Meaney 2001). And the same seems to be true for human beings.

When Helen Sharp and her colleagues tracked the development of babies at high risk for developing stress-related problems, the researchers found evidence for the protective power of physical affection: High-risk babies developed normally if their mothers gave them many cuddles and caresses during early infancy (Sharp et al 2012; Sharp et al 2014).

Other research attests to the power of parental sensitivity and responsiveness - the ability to "read" a baby's cues and give him what he needs in a timely way.

For instance, parents who show higher levels of sensitivity tend to have babies with lower baseline cortisol levels (Blair et al 2006). And it's the infants born with "difficult," easily-distressed temperaments that seem to benefit the most. In studies tracking children over the long term, such babies have ended up with better outcomes than their more laid-back peers - if they were raised by sensitive, responsive parents (Stright et al 2008; Pluess and Belsky 2010).

So parenting makes a difference. But how does it work? And what can parents do to become more attuned, stress-savvy caregivers? Here are some evidence-based pointers.
1. Offer lots of physical affection...but pay attention to what your baby likes and dislikes.
As noted above, nurturing touch appears to protect babies from harmful stress, and researchers think they know why.

Affectionate physical contact triggers the release of several stress-busting chemicals in the brain, including oxytocin (the so-called "love hormone") and endogenous opioids (natural painkillers).

These have a calming effect, and help switch off the production of cortisol. As a result, there is less physiological wear-and-tear on the body, and the brain is more likely to develop a long-term pattern of resilience to stress.

But there is something crucial to keep in mind: Touch can also be irritating, creepy, or overwhelming.

For instance, experiments suggest that many young babies don't like the sensation of a light caress (Kida and Shinohara 2013). They might prefer a more firm sort of touch.

Babies may also find it stressful to be touched in isolation, outside the context of a friendly, multi-sensory interaction. In experiments on newborns, infants showed a drop in cortisol levels when they were stroked by a caregiver who rocked them, made eye contact, and spoke soothingly. But when they were stroked in silence --without rocking or eye contact - these babies experienced a cortisol surge (White-Traut et al 2009).

So we should adapt our approach to the preferences of the baby, and sometimes that means backing off altogether. Occasionally babies feel over-stimulated and need to withdraw, and we can cause stress if we don't respect their wishes. In one study, researchers watched mothers and infants as they played together, and noted whether or not mothers heeded their babies' signals about being touched. Babies who received unwanted stimulation had higher cortisol levels (Feldman et al 2010).

2. Think like a baby

It's hard to imagine. When is the last time you found yourself vulnerable, dependent, immobilized, and unable to communicate with language?

But the better you understand your baby's perspective, the better your chances of minimizing stress.

For example, take bath time. Do you prepare everything first, and then undress the baby just before putting him in the water? Or do you undress the baby first, and make him wait for his bath?

Amie Hane and Lauren Philbrook (2012) note what might go wrong in the latter case: The parent tries to hold the baby in one arm while she readies the bath with the other, but the baby is cold. So he cries and squirms, making it hard for his mother to hold onto him. When the water is ready, she releases the baby awkwardly, plunking him in the water more abruptly than she intended. The water feels particularly warm against the baby's skin, and he screams in outrage.

Thus, one misstep - allowing the baby to get cold- might lead to a lot of unnecessary strife for everyone. And, say Hane and Philbrook, little episodes like this might push families in the wrong direction. Because the baby seems so temperamental and intolerant of change, the parent decides to handle these situations by becoming more brusque and controlling. It's going to be miserable, so why not get it over with quickly? But forcing the matter ensures that the encounter will be stressful, and creates a vicious circle of bad feelings--one calculated to turn childcare into a series of conflicts.

Perhaps, then, we can avert a whole cascade of negative effects by figuring out what sets our babies off, and changing our tactics. If your baby's irritation has you stumped, try asking an experienced helper for advice. You might be too stressed to see things objectively.

And take heart: Making the effort to understand your baby's point of view may lead to many benefits. Studies suggest that parents who tune in end up with stronger attachment relationships -- and with babies who develop better social skills. Read more about it in my article on "mind-minded parenting."

3. Don't underestimate your baby's ability to read - and mirror - your negative emotions.
When you're distracted, upset, or depressed, you might think your baby doesn't notice. But research suggests otherwise.

Studies show that babies - even newborns -- get distressed when their caregivers become emotionally unresponsive (Yoo and Reeb-Sutherland 2013). By 6 months, many babies can distinguish between happy and angry body language (Zeiber et al 2013), and they seem to be very sensitive to "background" hostility:

Babies exposed to the sights or sounds of angry, bickering adults are more likely to develop abnormal stress response systems (Towe-Goodman et al 2012; Graham et al 2013).

Moreover, a compelling experiment hints that babies can tell when we feel stressed, even when it's about something that doesn't concern them. Researchers temporarily separated mothers from their infants and then asked the mothers to perform a public speaking task. Some mothers completed a version of the task that was particularly stressful; others were assigned an easier job.

When the mothers were reunited with the babies, the researchers measured everyone's stress responses. The results? Infants in the high-stress condition mirrored their mothers' stress reactivity, paralleling changes in heart rate and showing more anxiety towards other people (Waters et al 2014). The takeaway lesson may be this: Managing your own stress - by seeking social support or other remedies - could make an important difference to your baby's behavior and well-being.

4. Engage your baby in one-on-one communication, but don't force it.

Like physical affection, friendly talk and sympathetic body language can trigger our brains to release "feel good" chemicals, like oxytocin.

Moreover, studies reveal that babies benefit when we treat them as conversation partners--acknowledging their feelings, responding to their implied questions, and offering them support when they are distressed. Not only do these tactics teach babies cope with their negative emotions, they also help babies develop secure, healthy attachment relationships.

But once again, we need to be careful about the context. Just as babies can become stressed by physical touch, they can be overwhelmed by face-to-face communication.

If your face is too close, or your baby has simply had enough "conversation," she will let you know. She may duck or put her hands over her face. She may try to turn her head and look away (Beebe et al 2010).

It's old wisdom supported by recent science: Babies like to be carried around, and seem to find it more soothing than being held by a person who doesn't move. In a series of experiments, researchers found that infants experienced slower heart rates, reduced body movement, and reduced crying when they were held by an adult who was walking from place to place (Esposito et al 2013).

6. Make yourself emotionally available at bedtime.

For most of human history, our ancestors slept close to their babies, and an infant's survival depended on staying near. So it shouldn't surprise us that babies find it stressful to be left alone in the dark.

Indeed, there is evidence that babies experience elevated cortisol levels in this situation - even if they have been "trained" to sleep in their own rooms, and remain relatively quiet (Middlemiss et al 2011).

But our nighttime sleeping arrangements don't just affect the stress babies feel at night. They also may affect how babies handle stress at other times. For instance, when researchers subjected 12-month-old babies to a social stressor - the so-called "strange situation" - they found that infants varied depending on their personal histories. Babies who had spent more weeks "rooming in" with their parents experienced less cortisol reactivity, even after controlling for other factors, like parental sensitivity and attachment security (Beijers et al 2013).

Another study reports that 5-week-old infants with a history of co-sleeping showed evidence of greater calm. While co-sleeping history had no apparent effect on the babies' responses to a painful vaccination, it was linked with less cortisol reactivity during bath time (Tollenaar et al 2012).

So being physically close at night may help babies regulate their stress responses throughout the day. But physical proximity isn't the whole story. Some researchers argue that the crucial ingredient is emotional availability at bedtime - a characteristic that depends on a variety of behaviors. Do you use quiet, soothing routines to help your baby fall asleep at night? Do you avoid initiating social interactions with your baby as she approaches sleep? Is your manner free of any hostility or irritation? Do you respond promptly (within a minute) when your baby cries out in distress?

When Lauren Philbrook and her colleagues observed the normal nighttime routines of families with young babies, they found that mothers who were rated as highly "emotionally available" were more likely to have babies with low nighttime cortisol levels. In addition, these babies were also more likely to develop normal, healthy patterns of hormonal change over the 24-hour day (Philbrook et al 2014).

More reading

For more evidence-based information about infants, see my collection of Parenting Science articles about babies.

To read more about the effects of parenting on a child's developing stress response system, see my Parenting Science article, "The health benefits of sensitive, responsive parenting" as well as my blog posts, "Positive parenting protects kids from brain-shrinking stress?" and "Can a mother's touch reverse the effects of prenatal stress?"

Looking for help with infant sleep? See these evidence-based articles on understanding and trouble-shooting baby sleep problems.

In addition, if you know a highly reactive or "difficult" baby, be sure to read my post discussing the importance of alleviating stress in babies with very sensitive temperaments.

For a discussion of cultural biases against taking babies' distress seriously, see my blog post, "Babies can't remember is bunk," and my editorial about the way people often dismiss stress in babies as fussiness.

And to access my collection of Parenting Science articles about babies, including evidence-based information about excessive infant crying,

References: Stress in babies

Albers EM, Riksen-Walraven JM, Sweep FC, and de Weerth C. 2008. Maternal behavior predicts infant cortisol recovery from a mild everyday stressor. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 49(1):97-103.

Asok A, Bernard K, Roth TL, Rosen JB, and Dozier M. 2013. Parental responsiveness moderates the association between early-life stress and reduced telomere length. Dev Psychopathol. 25(3):577-85.

Beatrice Beebe, Joseph Jaffe, Sara Markese, Karen Buck, Henian Chen, et al. 2010. The Origins of 12-Month Attachment: A Microanalysis of 4-Month Mother-Infant Interaction. Attach Hum Dev. 12(0): 3-141.

Beijers R, Riksen-Walraven JM, and de Weerth C. 2013. Cortisol regulation in 12-month-old human infants: associations with the infants' early history of breastfeeding and co-sleeping. Stress 16(3):267-77.

Blair C, Granger D, Willoughby M, Kivlighan K. 2006. Maternal sensitivity is related to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress reactivity and regulation in response to emotion challenge in 6-month-old infants. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1094:263-7.

Esposito G, Yoshida S, Ohnishi R, Tsuneoka Y, Rostagno Mdel C, Yokota S, Okabe S, Kamiya K, Hoshino M, Shimizu M, Venuti P, Kikusui T, Kato T, Kuroda KO. 2013. Infant calming responses during maternal carrying in humans and mice. Current Biology 23(9):739-45.

Feldman R, Singer M, and Zagoory O. 2010. Touch attenuates infants' physiological reactivity to stress. Dev Sci. 13(2):271-8.

Feldman R, Rosenthal Z, and Eidelman AI. 2013. Maternal-Preterm Skin-to-Skin Contact Enhances Child Physiologic Organization and Cognitive Control Across the First 10 Years of Life. Biol Psychiatry. 2013 Oct 3. doi:pii: S0006-3223(13)00764-6. 10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.08.012. [Epub ahead of print]

Graham AM, Fisher PA, and Pfeifer JH. 2012. What sleeping babies hear: a functional MRI study of interparental conflict and infants' emotion processing. Psychological Science 24(5):782-789.

Gray L, Watt L, Blass EM. Skin-to-skin contact is analgesic in healthy newborns. Pediatrics 105(1): e14.

Hane AA and Philbrook LE. 2012. Beyond licking and grooming: Maternal regulation of infant stress in the context of routine care. Parenting: Science and Practice 12:2-3, 144-153.

Jansen J, Beijers R, Riksen-Walraven M, de Weerth C. Does maternal care-giving behavior modulate the cortisol response to an acute stressor in 5-week-old human infants? Stress. 13(6):491-7.

Kida T and Shinohara K. 2013. Gentle touch activates the prefrontal cortex in infancy: an NIRS study. Neurosci Lett. 541:63-6.

Kojima S, Stewart RA, Demas GE, and Alberts JR. 2012. Maternal contact differentially modulates central and peripheral oxytocin in rat pups during a brief regime of mother-pup interaction that induces a filial huddling preference. J Neuroendocrinol. 24(5):831-40.

Luby J, Belden A, Botteron K, Marrus N, Harms MP, Babb C, Nishino T, and Barch D. 2013. The Effects of Poverty on Childhood Brain Development: The Mediating Effect of Caregiving and Stressful Life Events. JAMA Pediatr. 2013 Oct 28. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.3139. [Epub ahead of print]

Mesman J, IJzendoorn MH van, and Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. 2009. The many faces of the still-face paradigm: A review and meta-analysis. Developmental Review 29: 120-162.

Mezzacappa ES and Katlin ES. 2002. Breast-feeding is associated with reduced perceived stress and negative mood in mothers. Health Psychology 21(2):187-93.

Middlemiss W, Granger DA, Goldberg WA, Nathans L. 2011. Asynchrony of mother-infant hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity following extinction of infant crying responses induced during the transition to sleep. Early Hum Dev. 88(4):227-32.

Moore GA. 2009. Infants' and mothers' vagal reactivity in response to anger. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 50(11):1392-400.

Mörelius E, Hellström-Westas L, Carlén C, Norman E, and Nelson N. 2006. Is a nappy change stressful to neonates? Early Hum Dev. 82(10):669-76.

Philbrook LE, Hozella AC, Kim BR, Jian N, Shimizu M, Teti DM. 2014. Maternal emotional availability at bedtime and infant cortisol at 1 and 3 months. Early Hum Dev. 90(10):595-605.

Pluess M and Belsky J. 2010. Differential susceptibility to parenting and quality child care. Dev Psychol. 46(2):379-90.

Meaney MJ. 2001. Maternal care, gene expression, and the transmission of individual differences in stress reactivity across generations. Annu Rev Neurosci. 24:1161-92. -

Quirin M, Kuhl J, and Düsing R. 2011. Oxytocin buffers cortisol responses to stress in individuals with impaired emotion regulation abilities. Psychoneuroendocrinology 36(6):898-904

Roth TL and Sullivan RM. 2006. Examining the role of endogenous opioids in learned odor-stroke associations in infant rats. Dev Psychobiol. 48(1):71-8.

Sharp H, Pickles A, Meaney M, Marshall K, Tibu F, and Hill J. 2012. Frequency of Infant Stroking Reported by Mothers Moderates the Effect of Prenatal Depression on Infant Behavioural and Physiological Outcomes. PLoS ONE 7(10): e45446.

Sharp H, Hill J, Hellier J, NS Pickles A. 2014. Maternal antenatal anxiety, postnatal stroking and emotional problems in children: outcomes predicted from pre- and postnatal programming hypotheses. Psychol Med. 28:1-15.

Shah PS, Herbozo C, Aliwalas LL, Shah VS. 2012. Breastfeeding or breast milk for procedural pain in neonates. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Dec 12;12:CD004950.

Stock S and Uvnäs-Moberg K. 1998. Increased plasma levels of oxytocin in response to afferent electrical stimulation of the sciatic and vagal nerves and in response to touch and pinch in anaesthetized rats. Acta Physiol Scand.132(1):29-34.

Stright AD, Gallagher KC, and Kelley K. 2008. Infant temperament moderates relations between maternal parenting in early childhood and children's adjustment in first grade. Child Dev. 79(1):186-200.

Todeschin AS, Winkelmann-Duarte EC, Jacob MH, Aranda BC, Jacobs S, Fernandes MC, Ribeiro MF, Sanvitto GL, and Lucion AB. 2009. Effects of neonatal handling on social memory, social interaction, and number of oxytocin and vasopressin neurons in rats. Horm Behav. 2009 Mar 24. [Epub ahead of print]

Tollenaar MS, Beijers R, Jansen J, Riksen-Walraven JM, and de Weerth C. 2012. Solitary sleeping in young infants is associated with heightened cortisol reactivity to a bathing session but not to a vaccination. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 37(2):167-77.

Towe-Goodman NR, Stifter CA, Mills-Koonce WR, Granger DA and Family Life Project Key Investigators. 2012. Interparental aggression and infant patterns of adrenocortical and behavioral stress responses. Dev Psychobiol. 54(7):685-99.

Tu MT, Lupien SJ, and Walker CD. 2006. Multiparity reveals the blunting effect of breastfeeding on physiological reactivity to psychological stress. J Neuroendocrinol. 18(7):494-503.

Underdown A, Barlow J, Chung V, and Stewart-Brown S. 2006. Massage intervention for promoting mental and physical health in infants aged under six months. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 18;(4):CD005038.

Waters SF, West TV, Mendes WB. 2014. Stress contagion: physiological covariation between mothers and infants. Psychol Sci. 25(4):934-42.

Weller A and Feldman R. 2003. Emotion regulation and touch in infants: the role of cholecystokinin and opioids. Peptides 24(5):779-88.

White-Traut RC, Schwertz D, McFarlin B, and Kogan J. 2009. Salivary cortisol and behavioral state responses of healthy newborn infants to tactile-only and multisensory interventions. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 38(1):22-34.

Yoo K and Reeb-Sutherland BC. 2013. Effects of negative temperament on 5-month-old infants' behavior during the still-face paradigm. Infant Behav Dev. 36(3):344-8.

Zieber N, Kangas A, Hock A, and Bhatt RS. 2010. Infants' Perception of Emotion From Body Movements. Child Dev. 2013 Jun 26. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12134. [Epub ahead of print]

Zotter H, Urlesberger B, Pichler G, Mueller W, and Kerbl R. 2007. Do wet diapers induce arousals in sleeping infants? Acta Paediatr. 96(3):452-3.

Content of "Stress in Babies" last modified 5/2015

Portions of the text are derived from an earlier article by the same title.

Image of father and infant copyright Katie Tegtmeyer / flickr

Image of baby and adult hands copyright Clarence Goss / wikimedia commons

Image of baby massage copyright arekmalang / istock

Image of mother and son by Ken Hammond / USDA

Image of baby in closeup by Kenny Louie / wikimedia commons

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stress in babies: An evidence-based guide to keeping babies calm and healthy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
© 2015 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Why stress in babies matters Nobody wants a stressed-out baby. The stress is contagious, and chronic stress has long-term health consequences. When babies are exposed to high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, they are more likely to develop behavior problems and stress-related diseases later in life (Asok et al 2013; Luby et al 2013).

# data[].attributes.body
Typical milestones within the first year

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
To give you the best experience, BabyCentre's website and emails use cookies and similar tracking systems to personalise the content and ads we provide to you. We use your health information to make our site even more helpful. By clicking the button, you agree to our policies and to get emails from us.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
To give you the best experience, BabyCentre's website and emails use cookies and similar tracking systems to personalise the content and ads we provide to you. We use your health information to make our site even more helpful. By clicking the button, you agree to our policies and to get emails from us.