Written by Cindy Hovington, Ph.D. Founder of Curious Neuron
You don’t need to feel embarrassed or feel that you have failed your baby because they cry a lot and are afraid to leave your side. It’s part of their development!
I purposefully selected these milestones because a few moms reached out to me saying family members were telling them their baby needed to be more independent.
Being afraid of a new person, a new situation, wanting to be in your arms is all part of their development.
They don’t need to be left alone more to “learn” not to be fearful. They need to see you comforting them and showing them that you are there to protect them. As they continue to feel safe, they will eventually learn to be less fearful in situations.
If family members or friends are making you feel guilty for having a baby that cries and only wants to be in your arms, remind them about these milestones. And if their response is that you or your partner never cried, remind them all babies are different.
Neuroscientist and mom of 3: My 2 cents
With my first baby, I would be embarrassed when she cried at the doctor’s office. With my second and third I wasn’t. Instead of trying to stop them from crying as I did with my first, I confidently held them and said “I’m am here for you”.
Have you ever felt bad in a moment your baby was scared and crying?
Follow @curious_neuron for science-backed parenting advice. Save this post as a reminder that it’s ok for your baby to cry and share it with a friend (or family member lol) that might need this friendly reminder.
Making science digestible for parents.
Below is a summary of some social-emotional milestones from the CDC.
