1. Understanding Cues in Order to Support Sensitive Caregiving

Baby Cues: What Are They Telling Us?

We are all hard-wired to send cues that communicate a readiness to interact or a need for a break from stimulation or the interaction. These cues function to keep us safe and to regulate the amount of input we receive.

At first, a young infant can only take in so much before the brain needs a break to process sensory input. The infant signals this need for a break, or for interaction, by sending cues.

The baby’s neural pathways are shaped and pruned from ongoing interactions with their parents. Learning about cues helps parents better understand what their baby is communicating and helps them respond more sensitively. Because cues serve a regulatory function, it is NOT spoiling to respond to their baby’s cues.

There are two main categories of cues: Engagement and Disengagement Cues.