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- Babies Learn From Each Other
- Postpartum Care for Mom
- The Importance of Encouraging Creativity in Children
- Top 5 Ways To Increase Your Milk Supply
- How Parents Play With Baby
- Battling Morning Sickness
- Understanding Your Baby’s Temperament
- Nutrition for Postpartum Recovery and Breastfeeding
- Dental Health and Your Pregnancy
- Donating Breast Milk
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How Parents Play With Baby
Play encourages the development of language and physical skills. Play releases the imagination, develops concentration and builds social skills. Mothers, fathers and babies all feel good after playing because fun and laughter release endorphins that help to relieve stress.
It is important to understand that mothers and fathers often play differently with their infants and to understand what these differences are.
A mother’s play often contains a teaching emphasis. For example, mothers may name objects and describe the color, the texture or the taste. A mother’s play tends to be more mediated, verbal and visual.
A father's play is often more unconventional, more unusual, and less predictable. Dad’s play is usually more active. This kind of active play can shift and expand the infant's style and range of behavior. Fathers are also often louder, more jovial, and more physical with their baby. Dad's play encourages the extroversion and self-confidence of the baby.
Is there a certain way that you usually play or interact with your baby?
-Sara Duskin, IBCLC, Teacher and Parent Educator