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.
© 2009 – 2013 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Guidelines for “SIDS prevention” are like guidelines about cancer prevention. Researchers don’t claim they know how to prevent SIDS in any given individual. But they’ve identified a number of practices that appear to increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Practices to AVOID include: … Continue reading
Colicky infants cry excessively and inconsolably. Why? There are many possible answers. Long ago, people assumed that colic was caused by abdominal pain. But the link was unproven, so many researchers have adopted definitions of colic that make no reference to causation. In fact, some have argued that colic isn’t about pain, or indeed any … Continue reading
© 2008 – 2012 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved What do babies know about numbers? Back in the 20th century, people assumed that infants lacked “number sense.” But today’s cognitive scientists have overturned the old ideas. Experimental research reveals a fascinating new world of baby cognition, one in which babies can recognize the approximate difference … Continue reading
What’s in your breast milk? Covers colostrum, mature milk, fat content, calories in breast milk, and more. Tips for improving your milk.
© 2009 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Babies sometimes act like they have very strong opinions about food. What’s going on in their heads? Do they truly hate green beans? Or love rice cereal? Do babies prefer bland food, or do they like certain spices? Do babies experience flavors in the same way that … Continue reading
What should you do before you begin toilet training? Read this potty training checklist.