Can’t Stop Staring at Your Newborn?

The natural response to newborn babies is to stop and stare in wonder.

Your Captivating Newborn

Whether your newborn is asleep or awake you’ll find you can hardly take your eyes off of your new baby. You’ll catch yourself staring at your newborn for long stretches of time without even realizing it. Your new baby is captivating, and rightly so! Perhaps this natural response serves a purpose, another clever design by Mother Nature.

Perhaps this purpose, other than the sheer pleasure it gives you, is to help you learn your baby’s cues. Recognizing body-language cues will help you learn about your baby. Being able to “read”  your baby’s behavior will help you know what your baby wants and will be very beneficial time and time again.

One baby cue that you’ve probably already discovered is the body-language cue called rooting.

Rooting consists of head turning to the side with mouth open as if “looking for something,” flailing hands, and an effort to suck on those flailing hands as coordination allows.

Rooting is an early cue (before crying) that “tells you” your baby is hungry.

Staring at your baby comes naturally. And learning your baby’s cues can come naturally to you too.

With the gift of repetition, and the unique message attached to each baby cue, you’ll soon be able to say … “When my baby does this ____it means this ____.”

So enjoy staring at your baby, as often as you can. It’s good for both of you.

 For you and yours,

 D. Fravert, RN

February 19, 2013 | Categories: Learning Your Baby's Cues | Tags: D.Fravert RN, learning baby cues, newborn, Newborn Baby Manual, rooting, staring at your newborn | 2 Comments