I know, I know.

It seems like I should tell you: “How Not to Wake a Baby After You’ve Finally Rocked Him to Sleep.”

Or it maybe the title could address a more likely challenge:  ”How to Wake a Teenager.”

I’m sticking to my title:  ”How to Wake A Baby.”  And Why You Should.

The first interaction that your baby will choose to have with you is a simple one.  He will stare at you.

Then he’ll follow you with his eyes.  Within a couple of months, he will smile.  At you.  On purpose. While he’s awake.

That is called the “social smile.”  And it’s a big deal when he decides to lay one on you.

The social smile is such a huge milestone because it brings together many other elements of your child’s development.

Depends on what one means by “home.”

Your newborn’s previous address was insulated against sound, wind gusts, sudden movements, and bright lights.  He never knew hunger — instead he enjoyed a steady and constant supply of nutrition.  He drifted in and out of a blissful haze of napping, stretching, napping some more.

Compared to that personal paradise, life on the outside can be challenging.  Your child now has to learn the complex processes of experiencing needs, alerting you about the needs, then waiting to see what happens.

It will be the longest 3 minutes of your life.  

If you follow Pediatricians’ recommendations, Tummy time (lying down in the prone position) will be the longest 3 minutes of your new baby’s life, too.

At about day three (postpartum for a baby carried to term), it’s time to give your infant the opportunity to develop even musculature in the neck, arms, and upper body.