Scientific studies show how parents react to crying babies can have an important impact on their development. Infants with parents who respond quickly, consistently, and warmly when they cry have healthy emotional development later on. These studies have suggested that responsive and sensitive parents can protect children from developing stress coping mechanisms.

 

To better understand this concepts let us look at the physiological responses related to them:

1. Touch
Research studies have suggested that touch triggers the release of natural pain-killers and sedatives, thus counteracting the effects of stress.

2. Body language
One study looked at six-month-old babies and found that they can distinguish between happy and angry body language, alternatively affecting their emotional development later on.

3. Movement
One study showed that babies experienced slower heart rates and reduced crying when they were held by an adult who was moving or rocking them from side to side.

4. Cleanliness
One common factor that contributes to babies’ crying is comfort and cleanliness. Many times a diaper change can be stressful for a baby which presents with a dilemma.

5. Company
The World Health Organization recommends that infants under the age of six months sleep in the same room as their parents. Researchers speculate that having parents nearby at night taking care of a distressed babies may help them regulate the stress response during the day. Read more

 

Image source : Wallup

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