Baby Body Language

     Babies have innate ability to communicate through body language. They are programmed to understand nonverbal signals that adults send them. Words would have some meaning and understanding at much later stage and it's just near second birthday when they start use simple sentences to communicate their needs.

     Newborns can see just about 20-30 cm away, but right from the start can recognise human face. They are attracted to human face much more than to anything else. And it is very important to keep babies on hands at such distance so they can see the face. As babysitter expert Lisa pointed in one of her recent posts it is important to talk to babies even if they can't understand words just yet. By trying to get into baby level parents would also smile, do funny faces, rock, sing etc. A lot of body touching is involved massaging, tickling, cuddling, kissing etc.

     One of the first body language expressions that babies master is smiling. They use a lot of nonverbal signals to show their feelings and needs. For example waving arms and kicking to show their happiness, turning away when they don't want something (like food), banging on something or throwing things to get attention, pointing or taking parent's hand to lead to desirable thing and much much more.

     Babies learn body language by observing and imitating adults. It can be to such great level that sometimes parents see themselves in those small bodies. So it's important for parents to watch what signals they send through out the day.

     Body language help babies in learning new skills and parents should encourage this. Singing, clapping, stamping, dancing, laughing are just few examples.

     Very often, especially with smaller babies parents use body gestures to demonstrate what baby should do. For example when they try to feed baby they might also open and close their mouth and even do swallowing movements or putting two hands together to one of the ears to show it's time to sleep etc. 

    Babies are best in reading and decoding body language. They understand the mood and emotions of adults from little cues. A wag of the finger, a stern look, shake of the head, nodding, smiling, outstretched arms ready for hugs etc.

     Babies are also the best in manipulating parents. They know  when and how to press the "button" to get what they want. How it comes we have to learn a lot of skills, like influence and persuasion, again once grown up?

For more information on body language visit Improving Communication in Business and Personal Life