Let’s begin with the facts. Your baby is not here to acknowledge your sleepless nights and painful morning sickness or even your strenuous labor, even if you desperately wish that were true. However, what they are definitely here for is to give you a glimmer of a bond and some heart-melting, gooey moments that you would exclusively share with your child. This is their declaration of love. When you love your baby, they will love you back. Trust us when we say that it is the most beautiful feeling in this world.
So, when does your baby start speaking to you in their “baby way”?
They Know It Is YOU, Their Mom
Even before they are born, they know it’s you, their mother. If you are wondering how they do it, then know that it all lies in their senses.
A baby would use their sense of smell, hearing and vision to identify you as their mother. And what is astonishing is that they develop a bond even before they are born, somewhere in and around your seventh month of pregnancy, your baby has already started to recognize your voice. There is ample research that has shown babies responding in the womb just by hearing their mother’s voice.
The attraction doesn’t end here. Your baby would have an unremarkable attraction for your smell. What is amazing is that babies can distinguish their mother’s milk from others within few weeks of their birth. The smell of your skin relaxes your baby, which is why most healthcare providers stress on some skin-to-skin bonding.
Astonished yet? Your baby’s love for you has just begun, because by one-week after birth, your baby has learnt to recognize your face. In fact, the University of Sheffield in England found that babies at six months of age are better at picking out individual faces among a group of people than adults. So by one week, they know who’s who.
So, if you are worried that your baby will not recognize you, you are in for a pleasant surprise. They already know who their mom is even before they are born.
They’ll Totally Flirt
And we mean it. Babies flirt, and we mean that coy smile, meaningful looks, giggles, and the whole charade within a month. All this is just another declaration of love. Soon enough, as parents you start mimicking them too, and as goofy as it can appear to the outside world, this is important for their attachment with you. By four months, your baby won’t be able take their eyes off you.
Remember to flirt back, and don’t be afraid of coochie-coo. That smile is a way of the baby showing how happy they are with you, so why hold back, and share the same.
Smooches Galore
Nah-nah, don’t expect chaste pecks, there are some big, sloppy and wet kisses coming your way (sometimes hard, too). Oh, and don’t expect them to land gently on your cheek, for it would be on any part that is closest to them.
This sudden display of affection would start when your darling is about a year-old. Their enthusiasm stems from the fact that they are now paying attention to their mother’s affection, and they want you to do the same. Babies love this, and they rather practice on Mom and Dad, as many times as they want – so don’t stop them.
No matter what the environment your baby is in, they will remind you that they love you despite the incessant pooping, long nights of feeding, and crying non-stop. This is some of their ways to express their “thank-you”, and being available for them would speak volumes. Don’t hold yourself back, for you are in for some heart-melting moments (specially reserved for parents) or, at least till they have their teenage hormones raging.
