If you have a newborn remember that nonverbal play is communicating. Playing includes hugging, skin to skin closeness, eye love, smile gazing, encouraging brief tummy time.

We listen to cries and fussing carefully because the baby is speaking to us about what’s on her mind. Yes her mind is alert from day 1.

Behavior is a messenger from birth forward. Words aren’t always available so remember to find out the meaning behind all behaviors and you and baby will be in synch.

Trial and error at decoding these messages is just fine until you catch on to which sounds mean what. Your baby knows when you try really hard to catch on to what he’s saying with his movements and coos.

He knows that you are not only listening but enjoying him.

Playing Tips from Research

Babies like strong colors like red and black.

Babies like their mobiles on the right or left rather than over head because that’s where they are looking.

Babies smile when you smile. They like to imitate and it feels so good for both of you.

Your baby is social from the start so all your singing even while diapering is part of play.

Bathing is playtime, too. Babies love to splash. It’s not only about getting clean but also lots of body movement and interaction with plastic toys and Mommies and Daddies who Ooh and Ah over and over.

If your baby loves her bath, she’ll also love puddles on a rainy day.

And when it snows she’ll compare the snowflakes to the puddle water. This is inventive, resourceful PLAY!

If you want to know all about how easy to understand research tells us about play —

so you know how to make choices from so many possibilities of playing—

you may jump into the chapters in this book!

                   Parenting Newborns are

                    tiring but so rewarding.