In the first three years of life the brain is growing and changing faster than it ever will again. At times during the first year of life a million connections are forming every single second in your baby’s brain.
We all know about the importance of ‘5 a day’ and that your child’s body grows better when you give the child good food. In the same way, your child’s brain grows better when you do five simple things that feed their growing brain: Respond • Cuddle/Engage • Relax • Play • Talk
In this post we will look at Cuddle.
- Cuddle your baby as often as you like – babies can’t have too much contact.
- Use different kinds of touching like massage and stroking, tickling, hair-brushing and finger games like ‘round and round the garden’ are all good for your baby’s brain.
- Use gentle circular rubbing of the stomach to help a baby with wind or constipation.
If your baby could talk to you, this is what they would say:
“ Feeling safe with you fills my body with special chemicals that help my brain to grow.”
“The patterns that grow in my brain when you cuddle me will mean that all my life I will be able to feel safe with safe people. ”
“ When I am close to you my body begins to work in tune with yours.”
“When you feel excited or stressed your heart beats faster and so does mine. When you feel calm or happy your heart beats slower, and so does mine.”
“Connections are building in my brain that will make it possible for me to control my body one day.”
Here are some ideas of song you can sing to your baby while you cuddle them on your lap.
