Is your baby showing off some physical cues that you just cannot understand? Many parents feel clueless and frustrated about their baby's non-verbal communication cues. Here are some of the most common baby signals and what you should do about them.
1. Gaze Aversion
A baby who breaks eye contact is feeling too overwhelmed and overstimulated. So what should parents do? "Respect your baby's need for down time, and wait patiently and quietly until he turns back to you," Parenting.com suggests.
2. Smiling
One of the cutest and most adorable baby signals is smiling. Babies usually begin smiling once they reach 6-months-old. This baby signal could mean that she is feeling contentment from physical stimuli such as a warm towel after a bath.
Parents can encourage this baby signal by reacting happily and positively to her smiles. You can also start talking to your baby about positive things even if she does not understand.
WATCH: Cute baby boy just can't stop laughing when his mom says "boo!" https://t.co/PJNBYJ8Ydahttps://t.co/9O2yBa5FVp
— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 10, 2016
3. Imitating Facial Expressions
Babies who are 3 to 6-months-old have a knack for imitating facial expressions. During this time, many babies will start to associate facial expressions with feelings.
"If the baby sees the parent is also distressed, then her anxiety will increase," Dr. David Hill told Parenting.com. "Usually, the baby will start clinging or crying." Parents should react to these baby signals by trying to stay relaxed, calm and positive whenever they are around their babies.
4. Rooting
Rooting is one of the most common baby signals during the first few weeks of life. It is characterized by a baby turning her head whenever something touches her cheek or mouth, according to Healthy Children. Parents can use this baby reflex to their advantage to make their breastfeeding or bottle-feeding easier.
