My baby smiles, my baby won’t stop crying, my baby throws everything on the floor. What does it all mean? The truth is, our babies are not born speaking our languages and we’re not completely conversant with theirs. We know what we think they are communicating and sometimes, we are quite correct. Every interaction with our baby, whether it is primal or coming from a higher language function – we are communicating and they are communicating with us.
My Baby Smiles
Sometime between 6 and 12 weeks your infant will begin to develop social smiles and will respond to the smile that you give to them. Babies don’t discriminate, they smile at everyone – either responding to their smile or looking for a smile from someone else. By the time they are about 4 months of old, your baby will begin to be more selective in their choices of who they will smile at and what they will smile for.
My Baby Won’t Stop Crying
Babies cry when they are distressed. We think of it as being when they are hungry or tired or wet or messy. But sometimes, our babies cry when we can find no discernible cause. It’s important to recognize that sometimes, our babies get stressed and they need the relief and crying can be part of this relief. You want to bring them comfort, but other times it’s just a matter of making them as comfortable as possible and let them sleep it off until they can feel refreshed.
My Baby Throws Everything on the Floor
This is such an irritating habit, but it’s part of a phase for your baby and they are not trying to be contrary. They are not trying to explore their world and their limits. They are not necessarily being manipulative, but your baby learns very quickly that if they throw something down and you fetch it that there is cause and effect. So avoid giving them anything breakable and give them something gentle they can toss down when they need to.
So what mixed signals are you getting from your baby?
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Tantrums! Screams! And Crying! Oh My!
Understanding Excessive Crying
Tips for Bringing Baby Comfort