You’ll have to excuse my somewhat sarcastic tone as I write this, but when this headline appeared in my news feeds this morning I found myself staring at it in disbelief. After all, who would pay for this kind of study? As it turns out, the Queensland University of Technology did the research and it was part of a joint study with the Early Parenting Centre. Researchers found that many new parents were uncertain and concerned that if they picked up their child every time it cried, they would end up spoiling their baby. This fear is understandable; especially if you’ve ever received some know it all advice from a disapproving older member of yours or your spouse’s family.
Researchers found that yes, as most parents desire to; you should pick up your baby when it cries. In the first 12 weeks of any baby’s life, they need a high response from their parents and it’s important for you to be confident in your instincts when it comes to caring for an infant.
It’s key for a baby’s neurological and emotional development to know that when they cry, their mom or their dad will swoop in to make it all better. You are not initiating bad habits and the fear of doing so can really cause a lot of stress for new parents that they don’t need either. If your baby is crying, pick him or her up and cradle them. Don’t put yourself through the mental and emotional stress of feeling like you are failing your child.
Hopefully this latest research will go a long way towards debunking those naysayers who think you are spoiling the 4 week old by picking him up when he cries. Parents need to hear that it’s okay to follow their instincts. They need to know they are not doing anything wrong and it’s equally important that childcare professionals as well as nurses, educators and pediatricians know this too.
Have you ever thought you were spoiling your baby by picking them up when they cry?
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