Understand What Your Baby is Telling You

"I wish I knew what she was thinking." Parents of young babies say this, or something similar, all the time. Did you know there are things babies do that can give you a little peek into their thoughts?! They are simple baby movements that anyone can learn to recognize. I spend time in my baby massage classes teaching parents about what to look for when trying to figure out what is going on their baby’s mind (called Engagement Cues and Disengagement Cues). This gives them a bit more confidence in knowing what their little one is telling them. While there is a large list of cues babies can use, here are a few you can start looking for with your little one, today.

Engagement Cues

This means that Baby is engaged and happy with what is going on. They are enjoying it and interested. In the context of baby massage, this means, "Keep going. I like that!" A few examples include eye contact, smiling, lifting head, and raised eyebrows.

Disengagement Cues

This means that Baby isn't in the mood. Maybe they are tired, or bored or in pain. This means "No thanks. I really don't want to do this right now." Some examples include furrowed eyebrows, a stiff body, refusing eye contact, or glazed eyes.

Try it out. Pay attention to what your cutie is doing during different activities. Does he stiffen up when changing his diaper? Does she raise her eyebrows when you take her on the porch swing? It’s fun to get a little glimpse of what's going on inside their little minds.

If you want to know more details and discuss a more complete list of engagement and disengagement cues, join me in my next Baby Massage course, or do a Baby Massage Basics one-on-one session!