the psychologist guide to… you and your baby

you and your baby

psychologistthe

guide to…

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That first smile and laugh are just around the corner!Babies start smiling and laughing much earlier than parents expect – smiles arrive in the first month or two, while laughter begins at two to five months. And you don’tneed to be a comedian to cause it – Dr Caspar Addyman (Birkbeck University ofLondon) says that laughter isn’t caused by a funny thing the parent did. ‘Instead, thesecret to getting more laughter is to give the baby more attention. What is the hardestthing in the world to understand? People! Laughter is one of baby’s tricks for keepingyou interacting with them so they can learn more about you.’

Tip: Engage with your baby and get rewarded in giggles!


2Take good care of yourself…Around 15 per cent of newmums, and some dads, haveproblems with their mentalhealth before or after a birth.Donna Moore (City UniversityLondon) says it is importantfor parents to educatethemselves on the potentialrisks and symptoms. ‘Manywomen do not get professionalhelp because they fear they willbe seen as a “bad mother”.Seeking help is essential for recovery and means you’re a goodmother. If you have perinatal mental illness it’s not your fault andwith help you will recover.’

Tip: Get educated, get support and look after yourself (for moreresources, see back cover).

Stay socialDr Debbie Smith (Manchester University) emphasises the importanceof social support for new mums. She said: ‘Evidence reports that thetype of support desired by women changes at different stages ofpregnancy. Support from other mothers is desired after birth and thebest way to receive this is to attend mother-baby groups.’ A range ofsuch groups exist these days, including baby massage and yoga. Dr

Smith says these groups canhelp increase confidence andattachment.

Tip: Try different baby groups:don’t be put off by the group’sname, as any can have widebenefits for both you and baby.

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4Dads matter too! Dads have a hugely important role to play in encouraging theirchildren to be individuals. Dr Anna Machin (Oxford University)says play is the start of this process, as your baby learns to dealwith risks from a secure base. She adds: ‘Engaging in rough andtumble play is a universal marker of the interaction betweenfather and baby. Fathers love to encourage their children to run,climb and jump. But this behaviour is not just fun, it’s integral tothe development of the baby.’

Tip: Involve yourself in the fun and laughter of rough andtumble play every day, and watch the bond between you andyour baby grow and grow!


5Babies sort out languages for themselvesPlymouth University researchers Dr Caroline Floccia and Allegra Cattanistudy the emergence of words in two-year old children who speak morethan one language. Dr Cattani says: ‘Growing up and learning twolanguages naturally without attending a foreign language course looksidyllic, with good prospects for the future of a child. Children exposedto two languages usually begin to say their first words, in eitherlanguage, a few months later compared to children learning onelanguage. This is normal and nothing to worry about: keep talking toyour child, in the language you know, they will sort the languages out!’

Tip: Talk to your child, whatever the language.

6Help sort out your baby’s sleep patterns The clock that helps to regulate a baby’s sleep develops at around fourmonths and daylight is vital for setting it. Professor Jim Horne, fromLoughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre, says that for betternight-time sleep, babies should sleep during the day in daylight and in aplace associated with being awake. Headded: ‘Putting baby in its crib in adarkened bedroom, during the day,with curtains drawn and the house ina state of hush, prolongs daytimesleep, and shortens it at night.’

Tip: Sleeping in daylight with noise isgood for later night time sleeppatterns.


7Cuddling is vital Dr Ann Bigelow (St Francis XavierUniversity Canada) says that newbornbabies are hugely sensitive to touch.After being held in the womb for ninemonths, holding can be extremelycomforting for them. She says: ‘This iswhy the practice of swaddling babies hasbeen used for centuries to calm them.But most of all, babies like to be held.Newborns are great cuddlers and theylike to have as much body contact aspossible when being held, preferablyskin to skin contact.’

Tip: Hold your baby to provide calmnessand comfort.

8Babies love facesPunit Shah (Kings College London) points out that, as they have poorvision, babies’ senses may be overwhelmed by sensory input. He adds:‘However, research, pioneered by Professor Mark Johnson, shows thatinfants show an attentional bias for faces, which channels a wealth ofsocial information into their rapidly developing brain.’ This doesn’tjust help them to process familiar faces but likely contributes to theformation of the brain networks that govern social abilities inadulthood.

Tip: Babies look for muchlonger at faces illuminated fromabove than from below. Sittingwith them below a light mayhelp them to engage with you.


9Breastfeeding is a journey – plan in advance Almost three quarters of women start off breastfeeding but this dropsto around 47 per cent two months later. Pain, inconvenience, and lowsupport from others might explain this. Sinead Currie (University ofStirling) says: ‘You will almost definitely go through tough times onyour breastfeeding journey, so planning in advance may help. Speakto others to get an idea of what to expect and think about ways to get

around any problems.’ Dr Currie adds thatservices exist to help women who arestruggling to breastfeed, but many don’t usethem. ‘Most NHS trusts, local councils andcharities have services for women to attendto support them with their breastfeeding, ledby health professionals or peers. Utilisingthese services can provide women withadvice, tips and support and ultimatelyimprove the breastfeeding experience.’

Tip: Be prepared for breastfeeding, plan ahead and use the services available.

10The rules are, there are no rules One of the most important things to remember, says Professor Vasudevi Reddy (University of Portsmouth, and Chair of the British Psychological Society’s Developmental Psychology Section), is the individuality of each relationship. ‘You have to be open to engaging with the individual child and allowing them to engage with you. Using a “recipe” or formula can sometimes get you out of a distressing or negative pattern, and can help you to reflect on what you are doing. But if followed as formulae, rules can interfere with the genuineness of your response and intrude into the relationship.’

Tip: Respect your feelings as a parent, and be open to your child as an individual.


Discover morehttp://thepsychologist.bps.org.ukwww.digest.bps.org.ukwww.bps.org.uk

Join the discussion on Twitter @psychmag

Anyone with an interest inpsychology can join the British Psychological Society, from just £12: seewww.bps.org.uk/join

Resourceswww.nhs.uk/start4lifewww.cry-sis.org.ukwww.pandasfoundation.org.ukwww.tommys.orghttp://tinyurl.com/psychmar2010

Comingsoon…No 2: The Psychologistguide to… leadership.

For opportunities tocontribute to andsponsor future guides,contact The PsychologistManaging [email protected]

No 1 January 2016Written by Ella RhodesStaff Journalist, The Psychologist

For more on fertility, reproductivehealth and stereotypes of the onlychild, see the January issue –available along with an onlineversion of this guide viahttp://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk

psychologistthe

psychologistthe

january 2016

www.thep

sychologis

t.org.uk

vol 29 no 1

Why demography

needs psychology

Gillian Pep

per, Lisa M

cAllister

and Rebec

ca Sear co

nsider

fertility an

d populatio

n dynamic

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reproductive health matters18

the psychologist guide to…

you and your babypull out

how biases inflate scientific evidence 32

letters 2

news 10

careers 60

looking back 78


the psychologist guide to… you and your baby

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