Comforting baby does not always come naturally. In fact, as with most other things that involve you and your baby – you will both be learning through a combination of trial and error. To help you with that forthcoming trial, here are some tips to help guide you in things that babies usually like and those they usually do not like.
Babies Like:
- touch, because it is one of their most highly developed senses
- holding
- touching
- cuddling
- caressing
- rubbing
- stroking
When you cuddle and caress your baby, it sends messages to the baby’s brain to increase beneficial chemicals and hormones. This creates a very comforting effect for your baby. Another deep source of comfort is sucking. Oral stimulation like sucking calms them because it also helps to relieve discomfort such as hunger, gas and even pressure in the ears.
Other sources of comfort include rhythmic activities like rocking. Babies also enjoy sounds that are repetitive including the whirring of a fan, ticking clock, ocean sounds and even soft, lilting music like lullabies.
Babies do not like:
- Abrupt changes in volume like a door slamming or voices rising
- Sounds that are out of the ordinary or sudden jerky movements
- Over-stimulation of the above
- Sour or very bitter flavors
- Sudden change in the environment
How do you comfort your baby?
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