INTERACTING WITH YOUR BABY

The first year of life is an important time to build a relationship with your baby.

Interacting with your baby helps baby’s brain to grow and develop. By smiling, playing and talking to your baby you are standing them in good stead for later life.

Spending time with your baby will also help you understand their needs and recognise when they need to feed, sleep or have a cuddle.

As time goes on, spending time together will help your child learn how to understand their own emotions and form strong relationships with other people.

• Encourage your baby to look into your eyes
• Enjoy a cuddle and skin to skin contact with your baby
• Smile and respond with affection – your baby will copy you
• Use everyday events to talk to your baby about what you are doing, using short sentences
• Don’t be angry in front of your baby. Babies can pick up when you are tense or anxious
• Babies whose cries are soothed tend to cry less, not more