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Baby's First Emotions

Learning to Identify and Nurture Little Feelings

The best place to start is to develop and maintain routines with your baby, according to Dr. Unger. "Babies need to feel regulated to feel calm," she says. "You need to establish healthy sleeping and eating patterns. That's very important for their emotional development. Without it, you may find yourself with a baby that is crying more and generally unsatisfied."

Parents should provide their baby with encouragement, too, she says. "When your baby smiles at you, smile back; if he can't quite reach that toy, move it a little closer so that he can."

Babies also need to learn adaptability. "Expose them to all kinds of different noises – run the vacuum in their room, let them hear the sirens," Folds says. "If you walk around saying 'shh, the baby is sleeping' all the time, they don't learn to adapt to their environment and then they're frightened when they do hear those noises.

"How they adapt to their environment and how they perceive the environment through their parent's cues – such as if the parent is shy or outgoing – will show their personality," she says.

Transitional steps may be necessary to help your baby move from one stage to the next without becoming afraid or distrustful, she says. For example, if you've decided it's time to stop co-sleeping, make the change slowly. Start by putting your baby in the crib, but leaving the crib next to your bed. After all, building trust is one of the most important aspects of emotional development, Folds says.

Want to see more?

• Baby Emotions: An Inside Look at Your Infant's Feelings
• Baby's First Words: Speech Milestones to Look For
• Every Move Baby Makes: Tracking Baby's Milestones
• Join the discussion on our Family.com community!

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