Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/139497
May I have this dance? Babies bond initially by recognizing their parents' voices, scents and faces and by receiving love and nurturing from these two important people. "They don't need a lot of stimulation," Ackerman says. "They need a lot of sleep." But after two months, the more parents talk, sing, play and dance with their new family member, the more baby will thrive, both doctors agree. "There's no substitute for just interacting with them," Lichfield says. When her girls were infants, Lichfield would turn on the music and dance with them in her arms, and she and her daughters still dance for fun today. Both doctors say yes to lots of colorful mobiles, pictures and books read on parents' laps and no to TV and computer time for stimulation. "I'm not big on baby videos," Ackerman says. "There's no need to run out and buy tapes to have them learn their colors and numbers right away." Keep sleeping baby safe During those first two months, a baby instruction manual might read: change, feed, burp, put to bed, repeat (every 2-3 hours). "You're just going to feel like you're in a tornado, and then you are going to blink, and the baby is going to be two months old," Lichfield says. Parents won't control junior's early snooze habits much, but they can control his sleep environment and keep him safe. Because of the risk of rolling on or suffocating the little one, neither doctor recommends having baby in the parents' bed. Co-sleeping is also a no-no on the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome prevention list. "Plus, I think that (much-needed) 90 minutes of sleep the parent is going to get will be more restful," Ackerman says. Bassinets next to parents' bed for the first months are a good trade-off, with baby monitors in baby's own room after 6 months. Cribs should be clear to reduce SIDS risk: no pillows, comforters, stuffed animals, or anything but baby swaddled in a simple blanket or zipped up in a footless flannel sleeper or onsie in the summer. "Plus, I think that (much-needed) 90 minutes of sleep the parent is going to get will be more restful." ? Did You Know Researchers suspect maternal smoking during pregnancy or after delivery could cause colic in babies. (National Institutes of Health) Since the "Back to Sleep" campaign was launched in 1994, the number of SIDS deaths has fallen by more than half. Just having a television on in the background could slow an infant's language development (JAMA Pediatrics; June 1, 2009). Health and Wellness Magazine • 47