Your baby’s mental health is their social and emotional wellbeing. It develops through their relationship with you.
In this relationship with you, they learn to:
- experience and express their feelings
- form close relationships with their parents, family members and other people who take care of them
- explore their surroundings and the world
Connecting and communicating with your baby
Brain development
When babies are born their brains are not fully developed. Babies brains are built each time they interact with you.
The first 3 years of your child's life is the most important time for their developing brain.
The everyday moments you share with your child during this time help build:
- brain connections
- a good foundation for cognitive, social and emotional development
Developing a relationship in everyday moments
Babies are born ready to form close relationships.
Everyday moments are an opportunity to engage with your baby and develop your relationship. They also help your baby to develop the foundations for future relationships.
Make the most of activities like feeding or bathing by using them to interact with your baby.
For example, during these everyday moments you can:
- make eye contact
- give cuddles
- hold your baby close
- talk to them about what you’re doing – for example, “we are going to visit Granny now” or “you really liked that song”
- comfort them
- sing to them
Learn their cues
Babies experience the world through their senses. In these everyday moments together, your baby communicates with you through their senses.
You can learn to read these cues (physical signals your baby makes).
Cues can include:
- crying
- looking at you, or taking a break by looking away
- movements
- making sounds like babbling or gurgling
Responding to your baby's cues
Two-way interactions
Two-way interactions between you and your baby over time will help your baby feel:
- loved and secure
- that they matter - this helps to build their self-esteem
- that relationships are good - this helps them to develop other relationships later on, such as friends, teachers and partners
An example of a two-way interaction is playing with your baby. Pass a toy to your baby and wait and see how they respond to it. Talk to them about how they have responded, for example "you love this toy".
Let them respond with a sound or action. This teaches your baby that they are important and builds a healthy brain.
Developing your relationship with your baby (video)
More support
Find a free online learning tool for parents - togetherness.co.uk.