Understanding your baby’s sensory world

Introduction to Baby Sense®

Three of the most common concerns of parents in their baby’s first year are:

• Why is my baby crying ?
• How can I get my baby to sleep well ?
• How can I enhance my baby’s development?

The best-selling book, Baby Sense reveals that the answer to these concerns lies in your baby’s sensory world. Your baby’s response to his sensory world is the key to having a baby who is happily awake, learning from his world or falling asleep with ease and sleeping peacefully for long stretches.

In this unique book based on sensory integration principles, baby care consultants Megan Faure (an occupational therapist) and Ann Richardson (a specialist nursing sister) pool their wealth of experience and professional knowledge to help you tune in to your baby and understand

• how sensory input affects him
• what he means by the signals he gives; and
• how to respond to these signals by regulating his sensory environment and stimulation

This knowledge will enable you to

• keep your baby calm, contented and free from colic;
• provide optimal stimulation at appropriate times, to enhance his development; and
• ensure that he has positive early sensory experiences.

The first part of the book provides answers and explanations for the common questions of the first year - feeding, sleep and crying, from the perspective of your baby’s sensory world. The second part is divided into six age bands from birth to one year, with guidelines and practical advice on feeding and sleep, establishing a flexible routine, age appropriate routines and detailed suggestions for appropriate stimulation to enhance development.

GOLD AWARD WINNER from Practical Pre-School 2009 Childcare Category

Book Contents

Chapter 1
Our sensory world
• What is sensory input • Our senses • How we process input
• The sensory world of the womb

Chapter 2
How sensory input affects your baby's state
• What sensory input does your baby absorb • Your baby's states
• Calming vs alerting input

Chapter 3
Preparing your baby's sensory environment
• The nursery • Clothing • Mother space • Introducing your baby to the world
• Establishing a sense-able routine

Chapter 4
How your baby signals sensory load
• Understanding your baby's signals • Approach signals • Warning signals
• Fussing signals • Crying • Responding to your baby's signals

Chapter 5
Sensory guidelines for feeding
• Breastfeeding guidelines and tips • Bottle-feeding advice • Supplementary and complementary feeds • The sensory experience of feeding

Chapter 6
Establish good sleep habits
• Understanding sleep cycles • Setting the stage for sleep • Sleep solutions
• Secrets of success

Chapter 7
Crying
• Normal crying • Crying in the early days • Process of elimination (possible causes of crying)

Chapter 8
Fussing and colic
• A fussing baby's distress signals • The colic cycle
• How to calm your fussing baby • Regulatory disorders

Chapter 9
Development and stimulation
• Normal development and milestones • Developmental delay and giftedness
• How to enhance development

Chapter 10
A sensory diet to enhance development
• Incorporate sensory input into everyday routine • A sensory diet based on timing, environment, activities and toys (TEAT framework)

Chapter 11
Care & development: Birth to two weeks
• Feeding issues • Sleep issues • A flexible routine • What's baby up to?
• Enhancing development • Baby massage

Chapter 12
Care & development: Two to six weeks
• Feeding issues • Sleep issues • A flexible routine • What's baby up to?
• Enhancing development • Postnatal depression

Chapter 13
Care & development: six to twelve weeks
• Feeding issues • Sleep issues • A flexible routine • What's baby up to?
• Enhancing development • Colic remedies

Chapter 14
Care & development: Three to six months
• Feeding issues • Sleep issues • A flexible routine • What's baby up to?
• Enhancing development • The importance of crawling

Chapter 15
Care & development: Six to nine months
• Feeding issues • Sleep issues • A flexible routine • What's baby up to?
• Enhancing development • Walking rings: caution

Chapter 16
Care & development: Nine to twelve months
• Feeding issues • Sleep issues • A flexible routine • What's baby up to?
• Enhancing development • Baby's health, wellbeing and optimal development