Understanding Your Babies Behavioral States

It is important for parents to recognize that we can help teach our children "Self Calming" habits. "Self calming" is an infant's ability to use self calming behaviors to console himself without external intervention. "Self calming" is when your baby learns to use his own body to calm himself such as sucking to relax rather then relying on you to pick him up and rock him. You will begin to learn to read your baby’s cues and understand his needs in time.  Knowing an infant’s behavioral states will help you to capitalize on the just right time to foster his learning, communication, and "self calming" behaviors.

Behavioral states are divided into two categories, the sleep state  and the awake awake state. Understanding our babies awake states will help us identify what our babies will benefit from in each state. The awake states are  1) The quiet alert state 2) the active alert state , and 3) the crying state.

  

In the first awake state, the quiet alert state you will notice minimal body movements, regular breathing, bright face and eyes, and visual attentiveness.  It is during this quiet alert state that you will find the greatest opportunity to interact and stimulate your baby's development. This period of alertness provides the infant with the chance to interact and learn from her environment. Take advantage of this quiet alert state by talking to your baby, making eye contact, providing visually stimulating objects, holding her hand, giving her a massage and interacting with her.  It’s during this time that your baby is ready to bond with you and learn about her surroundings.

 In the second awake state the active alert state you will notice irregular breathing, movement, and your baby might be sensitive to stimulation. During this time your baby might need outside consolation such as a feeding or diapering or to be held and soothed. If your baby is not hungry, tired, or soiled, she might be able to employ some self calming techniques during this state. It is during the active alert or the drowsy state that you might want to help your baby learn to console herself. By “helping her”, I mean allowing her the opportunity to engage in self calming behaviors.  In other words, don’t be too quick to pick her up during these times. Allow her the opportunity to learn how to self calm or self regulate.  This is a skill that will be very helpful to her and you later. Infants console themselves or self calm by bringing their hands to their mouth, sucking, gazing around their environment, or by changing their position.  

The third and final  awake state is the crying state and needs no description.  Your baby is actively crying and communicating to you that she’s uncomfortable and needs you to make the world alright again for her.

When your bond of trust has been formed and your baby has learned to employ some self calming techniques he will begin to self regulate.

Self Regulation is your infant or child's ability to adapt to the environment and integrate or take in all of its stimulation and organize it in a healthy manner.