Are You Spoiling Your Baby's Habits ?

The first moment you set your eyes on the newly born of yours, your overjoyed heart is unwilling to set her/him aside even for a moment. Being a parent you must have frequently come across people advising you to not to pamper your kids too much; “Don’t hold them all the time!”, “Don’t feed them every time they cry - don’t spoil their habits!”

Well, the truth is newly born babies are really hard to spoil until 6 months of age. A new-born’s brain is not developed as an adult’s brain. The section of brain responsible for habit formation is not fully connected until the age of six months. In their nascent stage, babies need proper care, affection and comfort. Your cuddle and touch is needed to bond with your baby just as much as it needs your love and attention. Research shows that keeping our new-borns in close proximity to us as much as possible actually aids their brain development, regulating breathing and temperature.

Babies do not understand the concept of being naughty or manipulative. They cry if they want or need something. Only after the age of six months do they start to understand what’s happening around them. After six months or so babies become more curious about the world around them; that would be the time you start taking measures to imbibe good habits in your child. Though it is advisable to not hold your baby as she/he falls asleep. Make it a habit to put them to sleep only in their crib or cot, right from the beginning.

So, don’t worry about spoiling your babies and shower them with all love and affection you want. But make sure to cultivate good habits as the child grows.