Building a relationship - Developing your Baby's Brain

Becoming a parent is a time of excitement and great changes on the inside and outside!

We know that your baby's brain is growing rapidly in the last three months of pregnancy and their first two years of life.

You will probably already be connecting with your baby and starting to build a relationship which will develop into a strong loving bond once your baby is here. Talk to your baby, respond to baby’s kicks encourage your partner to talk to baby as well. Ultra sound scans show us how your baby might suck their thumb, yawn and respond to familiar voices.

Skin to skin at birth is a lovely way to welcome your baby, and he/she will recognise your voice and try to communicate with you through eye contact, facial, expressions and movement.

Babies need to remain close to you and it is important to respond to their needs in order for your baby to feel secure, safe and confident that their needs will be met.

Myth

It is good for babies to cry it exercises their lungs and ‘if you keep picking your baby up you will make a rod for your own back!’

Exploding the Myth:

Crying causes your baby’s stress levels to rise and this is not healthy for his future emotional brain development. Baby’s need to be close and responded to again for their brain development.

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