Karen Apple🍎

“Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her.” A couple weeks ago I shared this wonderful quote from the developmental psychologist Uri Bronfenbrenner. And it’s true. Every child needs at least one. But how lucky are those who can count a whole collection of adults who feel the same way? One of my favorite things on social media recently has been a series of videos shared to IG by gwynyth depicting not only her own interactions with her newborn son, but those of her father (aka Papa Brian). Brian’s joyful rendition of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes is illustrative of the loving bond they share. Check out that eye contact. Those looks of sheer delight. Frequently we discuss attachment and early relational health in terms of a parent (often a mother) and child. And while this relationship is indeed critical, the luckiest children have webs of secure, trusting relationships with multiple beloved caregivers. We can each play a role in supporting the optimal development of the young children in our lives by engaging with love, care, and our full attention. In a world where you can be anything, be like Papa Brian!

Need help calming your baby to sleep? This dad knows an important secret: skin to skin contact. Watch what happens when he snuggles up with his little one, bringing their faces into direct contact. Baby’s eyes close, a sense of calm overtakes him, and in just seconds it appears he drifts off to sleep. Skin to skin contact has a number of benefits, not least of which is the release of oxytocin, sometimes known as the “love” or “cuddle hormone.” While this video may be an unusually speedy example - truly, it’s like dad flips a light switch - skin to skin contact is well documented in its calming benefits, especially with newborns. In most delivery rooms, skin to skin contact is part of the standard birthing process in the minutes and hours immediately after birth - when the unclothed baby is placed directly on mom and/or dad’s bare chest. It helps to promote bonding, regulate breathing, and creates warmth and a feeling of security. The skin to skin practice known as “kangaroo care” has also been shown to produce strong positive effects in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), producing better movements, improved sleep and earlier hospital discharges for premature babies. Next time your baby needs comfort - or that last little nudge to help them to sleep- try getting a little closer. You might be surprised by the result. 🎥 via the tinytreasure05 on IG

When will your baby begin to smile? The answer all depends on how you choose to define the word “smile.”  Newborn babies - and even some captured in utero via 3D ultrasound - can be spotted smiling -  though these early expressions are more reflexive than social. (That doesn’t make them any less cute, though!) You may spot reflexive smiles even as your newborn sleeps. Around 6-8 weeks is when you’ll likely see your baby’s first social smiles. (Though, like all things in child development, this timing can vary.) You’ll notice the difference between the two right away.  While early reflexive smiles involve mostly the positioning of the mouth, social smiles will light up you baby’s entire face. You’ll see the recognition in their eyes. And this is the dawn of smiling as a form of pleasure, social interaction, and communication. What a treat to see one of this little one’s first social smiles, captured here around 8 weeks. This day-brightening grin was captured by lifewithgraceandsilas on TT.

The British pediatrician D. W. Winnicott once wrote, “There’s no such thing as a baby. There is a baby and someone.” I’ve always loved the quote, because it so simply encapsulates our situation as the newest members of the human species: We enter the world with fine tuned powers of observation, ready to learn and engage. But without at least one significant adult (and hopefully many more) ready to dedicate to our need for connection, it is impossible for our development to optimize. Or as Urie Bronfenbrenner explained: “Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her.” You won’t run across any better example than this gorgeous video shared to IG by amyjoannswart. It’s hard to tell who’s more crazy about the other. And that makes for a lucky little one, indeed.