Babies in the Workplace

   Before birth, babies are in a secure, warm, safe environment in which their needs are continuously met. They are born completely helpless, and their perspective of this new world they're born into is determined by what they experience.

   This may sound silly, but sometimes it helps to remember that babies are not a completely different species (although it might sometimes feel like it) or beings with no awareness or understanding of their surroundings. They're small people, and they have emotions and comprehension of their world far beyond what they can express.

   When trying to understand babies' needs, imagine how you would feel in the baby's position. If those around you only met your needs after you cried for a long period of time, wouldn't you start feeling insecure about your own value as a

person? If you were unable to move around and were dependent on others for your care, and those you trusted frequently left you alone for long periods of time while you were crying, how would you feel?

Responding quickly to your baby's cries--from birth--fosters healthy bonding and attachment, which is critical for normal emotional development. Contrary to the "too much holding will make a baby spoiled" mantra of some in our culture, babies who are given attentive, responsive care are actually far more likely to grow up well-adjusted, emotionally secure, and independent.

When a baby knows that she can trust her parents to be there when she needs them, she develops the security necessary to feel safe to go out and explore the world. One explanation for this is that the baby feels that she has a