Are you spoiling a baby by responding to him every time he cries? Is she spoiled because you nurse on demand?
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No! Actually there is really no such thing as spoiling your baby. Not when they are newborn.
In fact, this is really a critical time for the baby’s bonding with you. It is best to spend as much time with your newborn as possible. This is especially important as a breast-feeding Mom. Babies need closeness to survive even. If there is no contact, it is bad for your baby. As they become a little older, that is a different story.
When Does a Child Become Spoiled?
Some parents believe that it is okay to just allow a baby to cry. Others respond to their baby’s every whimper.
Actually, when a child is that young, there is no way that a baby can distinguish whether or not crying will get them attention. Children tend to do negative things just to gain whatever kind of attention, even cry. A baby cannot process that.
Why Babies Cry
So why do they cry so much, you ask?
That is simple, because they are needing or wanting something. This is their form of communication.
You should always acknowledge your crying baby because this gives them the security and attention that they need. This is not spoiling a baby. It instills trust…because they know that you will be there for them.
Believe it or not the more that you acknowledge the crying, eventually the less likely he will be to cry when he needs you, since you are always there for him.
In fact, toddlers who were responded to quickly as infants tend to be less “needy” toddlers!
Cause and Effect
As your baby gets older, he will figure out that when he cries for something that is not necessary and you give in, he will start to relate the cause and effect. Babies under 5 months of age do not have this capability at all.
A Balancing Act
Now there are times that we just cannot run to their every little cry. There is no way that we can attend to everything that he is wanting. There must be balance in how we respond.
If he starts crying, allow him to cry until you have completed the task you set out to do (if it is simple of course). You never want a child to actually get into a screaming cry. Keep in mind that this is their language to us. This is how they communicate, so if they are crying very loudly, they need our attention in some way.
Loving a Child
There are so many people that think loving a child too much is spoiling them.
Actually, there is a huge difference between spoiling a baby and loving a child. Never be afraid to love your child. Don’t be afraid to hold them and show them as much affection as possible.
Children need that closeness from both of their parents as well as siblings and others who happen to be close to them.
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