Startle reflex
Loud noises, bright lights, or a head bobble can trigger the startle reflex -- babies jerk, spread out their arms and legs, then quickly pull them back in and cry. The startle reflex is present at birth, but fades between three and six months.
What to do: Although startling doesn't hurt the baby, it can feel scary and set off a crying fit. To recreate the security of the womb, where sound and light were muffled, try swaddling your baby with a lightweight receiving blanket. (This technique is best for younger babies. By four months, most babies can squirm out of a swaddle, Saysana notes -- after six months, swaddling can lead to hip problems.) For instructions on how to swaddle your baby, visit babytalk.com.
CRY BABY
Crying is the quickest way for your baby to let you know she's tired, hungry, in pain -- or just plain fussy. But which cry is which? "At birth, all the cries sound pretty much the same," says Bahr. "Newborn babies cry when they inhale and exhale; they don't have much respiratory control." Start listening for variations around one month, explains Bahr -- as your baby matures, you'll be able to figure out what she wants from the cry she makes. Here are the biggies:
Hungry cry
A baby will generally wake up hungry and crying for food. "It's a short, low-pitched cry, just over a second in duration," says Bahr. If you don't respond quickly, the cry becomes louder and more intense.
What to do: Respond to your baby as quickly as possible, especially in the first few months of life. You're not going to spoil your baby by picking him up and feeding him right away. Tending to your baby's hunger immediately teaches him that you'll always be there to care for his needs.
Loud noises, bright lights, or a head bobble can trigger the startle reflex -- babies jerk, spread out their arms and legs, then quickly pull them back in and cry. The startle reflex is present at birth, but fades between three and six months.
What to do: Although startling doesn't hurt the baby, it can feel scary and set off a crying fit. To recreate the security of the womb, where sound and light were muffled, try swaddling your baby with a lightweight receiving blanket. (This technique is best for younger babies. By four months, most babies can squirm out of a swaddle, Saysana notes -- after six months, swaddling can lead to hip problems.) For instructions on how to swaddle your baby, visit babytalk.com.
CRY BABY
Crying is the quickest way for your baby to let you know she's tired, hungry, in pain -- or just plain fussy. But which cry is which? "At birth, all the cries sound pretty much the same," says Bahr. "Newborn babies cry when they inhale and exhale; they don't have much respiratory control." Start listening for variations around one month, explains Bahr -- as your baby matures, you'll be able to figure out what she wants from the cry she makes. Here are the biggies:
Hungry cry
A baby will generally wake up hungry and crying for food. "It's a short, low-pitched cry, just over a second in duration," says Bahr. If you don't respond quickly, the cry becomes louder and more intense.
What to do: Respond to your baby as quickly as possible, especially in the first few months of life. You're not going to spoil your baby by picking him up and feeding him right away. Tending to your baby's hunger immediately teaches him that you'll always be there to care for his needs.
Pain cry
A cry of pain comes on much more suddenly than a hunger cry. It's about twice as long, and continuous- that is, it doesn't rise and fall in pitch.
What to do: Go through a mental checklist when trying to comfort your baby. Could she have a wet or soiled diaper? Could she be too cold -- or too warm? (A baby waking up in a car seat, for instance, is often overheated.) Look your baby over from head to toe. Sometimes a piece of clothing or edge of a diaper is pinching her skin.
Tired cry
Between two and three months, your baby's cries will become more varied, and he may develop a cranky, "tired" cry. "It may be a softer variation of his distress cry, says Bahr. (Don't forget to use common sense in deciphering cries: If your baby's been awake for a couple hours, it's more than likely you're hearing a sleepy cry.)
What to do: Try rocking in a chair or on your feet, swaying from side to side, gently stroking his head or chest, or softly singing. You'll quickly find out what works best to quiet your baby.
Cooing, babbling and laughing
Babies "talk" between two and three months, says Bahr. "They start to match the pitch and variation of the parent's tone." By four to six months, babies experiment even more with their voices; they babble, putting consonant and vowel sounds together and make raspberry sounds. "Her voice can express a range of emotions -- happy, mad, irritated, protesting, eager and satisfied," says Bahr.
What to do: Narrate your activities as you go through the day with your baby ("Now I'm going to run the water for your bath," "Look at the pretty butterfly!") - pausing to let her babble back at you. Encourage her by mimicking the sounds she makes - and enjoy these first, memorable conversations!
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A cry of pain comes on much more suddenly than a hunger cry. It's about twice as long, and continuous- that is, it doesn't rise and fall in pitch.
What to do: Go through a mental checklist when trying to comfort your baby. Could she have a wet or soiled diaper? Could she be too cold -- or too warm? (A baby waking up in a car seat, for instance, is often overheated.) Look your baby over from head to toe. Sometimes a piece of clothing or edge of a diaper is pinching her skin.
Tired cry
Between two and three months, your baby's cries will become more varied, and he may develop a cranky, "tired" cry. "It may be a softer variation of his distress cry, says Bahr. (Don't forget to use common sense in deciphering cries: If your baby's been awake for a couple hours, it's more than likely you're hearing a sleepy cry.)
What to do: Try rocking in a chair or on your feet, swaying from side to side, gently stroking his head or chest, or softly singing. You'll quickly find out what works best to quiet your baby.
Cooing, babbling and laughing
Babies "talk" between two and three months, says Bahr. "They start to match the pitch and variation of the parent's tone." By four to six months, babies experiment even more with their voices; they babble, putting consonant and vowel sounds together and make raspberry sounds. "Her voice can express a range of emotions -- happy, mad, irritated, protesting, eager and satisfied," says Bahr.
What to do: Narrate your activities as you go through the day with your baby ("Now I'm going to run the water for your bath," "Look at the pretty butterfly!") - pausing to let her babble back at you. Encourage her by mimicking the sounds she makes - and enjoy these first, memorable conversations!
Advertisements: If you are interested in baby blankets and want to decorate your bedroom, baby accessories Online Store can satisfy you. You bed will be really fabulous in our baby products.
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