THE little things THAT COUNT

Ever wondered exactly what it is your baby needs from you? Here are 24 practical ways to increase her confidence, boost her happiness and ensure she achieves her full potential.

#1 MAKE EYE CONTACT

Babies recognise faces early on, and yours is the most important one of all. Make regular eye contact. By doing this, you get into the habit of looking your child in the eye when you communicate with her. Looking into your baby’s eyes conveys the message that you’re sincere, and she’s important to you. So put your phone down!

#2 MAKE CONVERSATION

While you’ll probably feel silly conversing with a young baby who just isn’t going to talk back, by leaving short pauses where your baby would speak, she’ll catch on to the rhythm of conversation and start filling in the blanks. Her gurgles will eventually fill the spaces, and you can respond to these as though you’ve understood what she’s said.

#3 MAKE FACES

Studies show that newborns as young as two days old can imitate simple facial movements. So stick out your tongue, widen your eyes, and form your mouth into an “O” to look surprised. This will teach your baby very early problem-solving skills.

#4 MAKE HER LAUGH

Tickle your baby’s toes or tickle her all over. Making your baby laugh is the first step in developing her sense of humour. Also, playing games like “This little piggy” (finish by tickling her under the chin) or “I’m gonna get you” teaches your baby to anticipate events.

#5 LET HER SEE HERSELF

Have your baby stare at herself in the mirror. At first, she may think she’s just seeing another baby, but she’ll start to interact with the reflection and will love making the “other” baby wave her arms and smile.

#6 MAKE DULL ROUTINES FUN