What Your Interactions 'Say' to Baby

Parents instinctively use specific communicating methods when interacting with their baby and conveying emotions. Holding and touching, smiling and kissing, talking and gazing, rocking and singing are all sources of comfort as you and Baby 'mould' into each other, synchronising together. Baby feels your warmth and protection, forming her sense of security and attachment. (Can I add here that you CANNOT 'spoil a baby' by giving them too many cuddles. My boys grew up being kissed, cuddled and hugged by their dad and I, and ... we still kiss and hug just because there is always a time when 'someone needs a hug'. Yet there were the sensitive school years when it was not cool for the boys to be seen giving us a hug!).

Decades of scientific research have been devoted to finding out about how specific types of parents' interactions 'work' with their baby: what they actually communicate to babies and how they affect their wellbeing and development. Part of this research has been the development of the Bond With Baby activities using the songs, rhymes and instrumental music and how incorporating them into your caregiving, play and relaxation with Baby can enhance the bond and the quality and enjoyment of your interactions that are essential to Baby's development and happiness. Such interactions are:

• Talking and singing
• Rhythmical movements such as rocking, swaying, dancing and knee jogging as you hold the baby
• Facial gestures such as smiling, gazing at baby ... and later, using funny faces to amuse Baby
• Touch and hand gestures.

Countless combinations of these communicative interactions come together when you are caring for Baby and sharing time together. For example, when you are soothing Baby you will be holding her in your arms and rocking, singing a song as you gaze into her eyes, smiling reassuringly to induce a feeling of comfort OR during playtime you are using a tickly rhyme to have fun and show excitement using your voice and facial expressions as you tickle baby and blow raspberries on her tummy. Gain a better understanding of why such interactions are so important to Baby by clicking Next below.