Parent’s Duties in Communication to Newborn
What Should I Do?
As soon as you hold your baby after birth, you'll begin to communicate with each other by exchanging your first glances, sounds, and touches. Babies quickly learn about the world through their senses.
As the days after birth pass, your newborn will become accustomed to seeing you and will begin to focus on your face. The senses of touch and hearing are especially important, though. Your baby will be curious about noises, but none more so than the spoken voice. Talk to your baby whenever you have the chance. Even though your baby doesn't understand what you're saying, your calm, reassuring voice conveys safety. With almost every touch your newborn is learning about life, so provide lots of tender kisses, and your little one will find the world a soothing place.
Communicating with newborns is a matter of meeting their needs. Always respond to your newborn's cries — babies cannot be spoiled with too much attention. Indeed, prompt responses to babies' cries lets them know that they're important and worthy of attention.
There will probably be times when you have met all needs, yet your infant continues to cry. Don't despair — your baby may be overstimulated, or have gastric distress or too much energy and just need a good cry.
It's common for babies to have a fussy period at the same time every night, generally between early evening and midnight. This can be upsetting, but the good news is that it's short-lived — most babies outgrow it at around 3 months of age.
You can try to soothe your baby. Some are comforted by motion, such as rocking or being walked back and forth across the room, while others respond to sounds, like soft music or the hum of a vacuum cleaner. It may take some time to find out what best comforts your baby during these stressful periods.
Should I Be Concerned?
Talk to your doctor if your baby seems to cry for an unusual length of time, if the cries sound odd to you, or if the crying is associated with decreased activity, poor feeding, or unusual breathing or movements. Your doctor will be able to reassure you or look for a medical reason for your baby's distress. Chances are there is nothing wrong, and knowing this can help you relax and stay calm when your baby is upset.
Here are some other reasons for prolonged crying:
The baby is ill. A baby who cries more when being held or rocked may be sick. Call your doctor.
The baby has an eye irritation. A scratched cornea or 'foreign body' in a baby's eye can cause redness and tearing. Call your doctor.
The baby is in pain. An open diaper pin or other object could be hurting the baby's skin. Take a close look everywhere, even each finger and toe (sometimes hair can get wrapped around a baby's tiny digits and cause pain).
If you have any questions about your newborn's ability to see or hear, you should bring them to your doctor's attention immediately. Even newborns can be tested using sophisticated equipment, if necessary. The sooner a potential problem is caught, the better it can be treated.
Source: kidshealth.org
Other links:
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Muslim Parents Attitude
Reading Books to Babies (part1)
Reading Books to Babies (part 2)
Communication and Your 1- to 3-Month-Old
Methods for Parents & Communicate to 1- to 3-Month-Old Babies
