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Home › Articles › Babies › Baby's First Emotions

Baby's First Emotions

Learning to Identify and Nurture Little Feelings

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"Trust versus mistrust dominates the child's first couple of years," she says. "They're learning to trust their own abilities, their parents and the environment around them. What happens during that time can have a big impact later."

To make your baby feel secure, respond to his needs, talk to him about what you're doing as you're doing it and set routines and stick to them. That doesn't mean you have to jump at his every whimper, says Dr. Unger.

"It's important for 2- to 4-month-olds to learn to put themselves back to sleep," she says. "You can let them cry a little bit and not worry about scarring them as long as you check on them and make sure they're not hungry or wet or sick. But if they just had a nap and you stick them in the playpen and let them cry because you want to watch TV, it can be damaging."

In fact, there's a phenomenon known as emotional deprivation that can cause babies to fail to gain weight and thrive, Dr. Unger points out. "When you're not stimulating those brain cells, giving them affection, there are definite emotional consequences."

Every Baby Is Unique
As for what to expect from your baby emotionally, remember that just as with physical development, each baby has his own timetable for emotional development and his own temperament. In other words, don't worry if your baby doesn't laugh as early as your neighbor's or is a little shyer, Folds says.


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