The best infant feeding schedule: Why babies benefit from feeding on cue
Most experts recommend against adopting a strict infant feeding schedule, and with good reason. Babies are better off when they are fed on cue.
Babies
From the moment of birth, babies are primed and ready for social input, and our loving care has a profound impact on their development. But what is it like to be a baby? How do they see the world, and what can we do to help them learn and thrive?
These are big questions — too big, too fascinating, too important to be answered from any single perspective. Evolution. Culture. Developmental biology. Neuroscience. Pediatrics. Psychology. We need the contributions from many scientific disciplines, with a lot of critical thinking and analysis thrown in.
In these pages, I share many of the big ideas (fully-referenced!) that researchers are trying to answer about little people and their caregivers. I also provide lots of practical, evidence-based information about infant sleep, feeding, communication, social development, cognition, motor skills, emotions, stress management, and more.
Gwen Dewar, Ph.D.
Can babies sign before they can speak?
Can babies sign before they can speak? Signing is stimulating and fun, but there’s little evidence that it’s easier to master than speech.
How to start babies on solid food: An evidence-based guide
When to start solids depends on your baby’s developmental skills, and on whether or not you want to offer your baby finger foods. These evidence-based tips explain how to start babies on solid food, what to expect, and how to cope with a baby’s negative reactions.
Baby talk 101: How infant-directed speech helps babies learn language
Many parents use infant-directed speech, a register that is exaggerated, emotional, melodic, and higher-pitched. Are their babies better off? Does it help babies learn language at an earlier age?
The science of attachment parenting
Attachment parenting, or AP, is an approach to child-rearing intended to forge strong, secure attachments between parents and children. Inspired by the work of psychologist John Bowlby, supporters argue that babies need close, physical contact from their primary caregivers, and infants signal for this in a variety of ways.
Gross motor skills: A developmental guide
Gross motor skills include locomotory movements, object manipulation, and postural control. How do they develop, and what can we do to help?
Infant sleep problems: A troubleshooting guide
A scientific guide to common infant sleep problems, and what you can do to solve them. Cross-cultural and evolutionary insights.
Motor milestones: How do children develop during the early years?
Motor milestones mark exciting transitions in a baby’s life, but there’s no universal schedule that all babies follow. What’s normal, and how parents support healthy development?
Stress in babies: How to keep babies calm, happy, and emotionally healthy
What causes stress in babies? How can we protect babies from toxic stress? Here are evidence-based tips to avoid meltdowns, and foster healthy development.
Excessive infant crying and irritability: Which comes first — the unhappy baby or the stressed-out parent?
Parenting stress can affect babies, but studies don’t justify the conclusion that excessive infant crying is caused by stressed-out parents.
Baby sleep patterns: An evidence-based guide
How do baby sleep patterns vary by age, and what can we do to to help infants develop mature, healthy sleep habits?
Finding the right infant sleep aid: Evidence-based tips for getting your baby to sleep
The Parenting Science Guide to finding an effective infant sleep aid. Information about bedtime routines, infant massage, swaddling, rocking, and more.