Ferber method: What is it, and how does it affect babies?
What is the Ferber method (also known as “graduated extinction”)? How does it compare with other, “gentler” methods of sleep training?
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.
Infant potty training: An alternative to “elimination communication” for babies who can sit up by themselves
Looking for an alternative method of infant potty training? This method, tested by researchers, is for babies who can sit up unassisted.
Baby sleep deprivation: How to tell if your baby isn’t sleeping enough
Is there such a thing as baby sleep deprivation? How do we know if a baby is getting enough sleep? Here are the signs, and the reasons we should care.
Do babies feel empathy?
Yes, babies feel empathy. They can “catch” other people’s emotions. They show sympathy, and even offer to help. But their behavior depends on how we treat them.
Newborn cognitive development: What are babies thinking and learning?
The newborn brain is busy processing information, searching for patterns, and learning. Here’s a fascinating look at newborn cognitive development.
Talking to babies: How face-to-face communication helps infants experience “brain-to-brain synchrony”
Talking to babies helps them learn speech. But nonverbal cues may teach something more — the ability to synchronize their thoughts and feelings with those of another person.
Baby communication: Why your baby prefers infant-directed speech
Baby communication operates on many channels, including sight and touch. But infant-directed speech plays a special role in language learning.
Naps help babies learn and remember
Naps help babies learn and remember. In fact, babies may require timely naps to transfer new information and skills into long-term memory. Does this mean we should be forcing our babies to take lots of naps? No. But we should treat naps with respect…and realize that the last hour (or so) before sleep is prime time for learning.
Colicky babies and the brain: Understanding the effects of temperament, stress reactivity, and pain sensitivity
Colicky babies respond differently to stimulation. Could it be that their nervous systems are different? Research suggests this is possible.
Newborn sleep patterns: A survival guide
If you learn about circadian rhythms and sleep cycles, you can make sense of your newborn sleep, and lay the groundwork for easier nights.
When do babies crawl, and how does crawling develop? (An illustrated guide)
When do babies crawl? Most start between 6-11 months, but some infants skip crawling, and favor other ways of getting around.
What’s normal? An evidence-based baby sleep chart
How long do babies sleep at night? How many naps do babies take during the day? And what about night wakings? This evidence-based baby sleep chart explains the typical range of variation for babies up to 24 months old.