Newborn babies give their mothers all the cues they need to figure out what to do for them. Reading a newborn baby’s cues can be a bit daunting at first. What new mothers must learn is to interpret these cues & respond accordingly. Mothers are fully equipped to care for their newborn once they understand how to interpret & respond to their baby’s cues.
When babies cry, they are telling us something—they are hungry, gassy, fussy, or have a wet or dirty diaper. They may be too hot, or too cold, or overly simulated & exhausted. Babies have no other language besides crying for help during the first two months. Mothers learn to read & interpret his cries.
With that in mind, please know that crying is a late sign of hunger. Early hunger cues include: licking the lips, sticking out the tongue, rooting around (jerking his jaw to the side as if searching for the nipple), fisting and sucking on fists, and head bobbing when held upright.
Newborns have four audibly different and spectrographically different cries 1) hunger 2) anger 3) frustration 4) pain.
The newborn cry engenders discomfort in all of us, but especially mother (it is 100 dB intensity level, quite noxious to adults) and urges us to “do something”. Maternal response to cry is differential and selective. Contingent behavior exists when the mother is rewarded by her success in diminishing her baby’s crying.
When babies yawn, they are telling you— “only 20% of my battery is remaining.” I need to sleep and recharge. Yawning is most often due to drowsiness & fatigue. Sometimes it occurs just after waking up to get more oxygen to the brain.
When a newborn is tired or fatigued—he may yawn, stare into the distance, make jerky movements of arms & legs, arch backwards, frown, act fussy, suck on his fingers & clench his fists.
When your baby is quiet & alert—she is ready for interaction & wants to see your face, your eyes, your smile. She can fix & follow your eyes from the time of birth! This is when you need to get up close, ten to twelve inches from her face, & talk to her, sing to her, cuddle, & coo. Newborns love the sound of baby-talk, especially from their mother. Newborns love mom’s voice best.
Babies communicate through sounds – crying, cooing, squealing, also through facial expressions – eye contact, smiling, grimacing. They use gestures & body movements like moving their legs in excitement or distress. When we match their vocalizations & expressions, we are reinforcing their communication.
When your baby is fussy or overly tired—he may need rocking or patting to settle down. Newborns are soothed by carrying, rocking, & jiggling (he loves the vestibular stimulation these movements provide). Picking up your baby & holding him upright briefly will soothe a hungry infant & arouse a sleepy infant.
When your baby is fussy—she needs soothing. Allowing her to suck, either nurse at the breast or suck on a pacifier, is soothing. When you hold her, you may also swaddle, sway, & shush her, since all of these are soothing. Soothing promotes visual alerting & exploration. Nursing & feeding promote a calm, awake-alert state afterwards. Babies find sucking on a pacifier very soothing.
Your interactions with your baby while she is awake & alert promote her brain development, then you & your baby become synchronized. Understanding that you & your baby are in a biological dance—one of cues & response, one of needs met with care & love, is paramount. New mothers are a better dancer than they think they are, & they can learn to enjoy this dance with their baby.
Would all of my grandmother friends please forward this message to your daughter or daughter-in-law.
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