Tips to help babies grow up happy
Ways to tell if you’re baby or toddler is growing up happy
It’s a lot clearer to know your baby is healthy and you know they’re loved but how can you really tell if your baby is happy?
Here are some tips you can do to help you ensure your baby’s happiness.
Connections are key
Feeling a real connection to you and the rest of your family is important for your baby’s wellbeing and happiness. Plenty of holding close to you and regular interaction between you and them will all help cement that crucial bond that with help your baby to feel part of you. Taking and singing to your baby all aid their happiness as it makes them feel connected.
Don’t fixate on making your baby happy
What we mean by this is don’t take it upon yourself to try and ensure your baby’s happiness all the time. They will be grumpy at times, tired or hungry. It’s important they express how they feel whether happy, sad or angry. Don’t feel you need to overcompensate to make your little one happy at that moment. It’s a general feeling of happiness you are striving for.
Praise, praise, praise
Nothing encourages wellbeing and happiness more than positive praise and upbeat reactions from you. So really go to town on praising the good stuff your little one does, even from a young age your baby will recognise praise in your voice and body language, it will go a long way to cementing your baby’s happiness.
Feeling valued
As your little one grows, feeling their voice is heard, feeling loved and secure will all help them with a feeling of worth that will aid their happiness.
Make sure you’re happy
Self care and looking after yourself is also important. It can be difficult to make time for yourself as a new mum, yet it’s such an important way of managing your own emotional wellbeing. A happy, healthy you can help your little one be happy and you’ll both benefit if you can put yourself first occasionally.
Around one in ten new mums experience postnatal depression – a condition that can easily be missed or ignored. You may feel upset or guilty at feeling low at a time when everyone expects you to be happy, but postnatal depression is not your fault. Do talk to you midwife, health visitor or doctor who will never judge you for having these feelings – they know this happens to many new mothers, and they will discuss and organise treatments so you can get better.