Even in the earliest months of life, very young babies are trying to make sense of what they are seeing and hearing all around them.
Babies figure out what’s going on in the world by watching parents’ reactions. So how does caregiver stress affect babies?
1. Babies can be affected by parents’ moods – and sense how they are feeling as early as 3 months old.
ZERO TO THREE’s national Parent Survey, *Tuning In,* found that almost half of parents (47%) believe children are not affected in this way until 1 year of age or older.
And 50% of parents believe that the quality of a parent’s care does not have a long-term impact on a child’s development until after 6 months of age.
In fact, babies are wired for survival. Tuning in to their most trusted caregivers, their parents, is one of their most powerful tools.
Even in the earliest months of life, babies are trying to make sense of what they are seeing and hearing around them. When parents experience ongoing stress, babies absorb it. They pick up on caregivers’ facial expressions and tone of voice, whether they are sad, angry, anxious, or happy, and react accordingly.
Having healthy ways to deal with stress can help parents cope in ways that minimize the impact on their baby.
2. Babies experience big emotions earlier than many parents realize
Babies can begin feeling sadness and fear as early as 3 to 5 months old. Yet our research revealed that 42% of parents believe babies do not experience these feelings until age 1 or older.
Long before they say their first words, babies experience a wide range of emotions, including sadness, anger, fear, joy, and excitement.
A critical part of healthy development is a parent’s ability to read and respond to their baby’s cues about how they are feeling and what they need to feel safe and secure. But parents experiencing ongoing stress can become overwhelmed or distracted, making it harder to tune in to their babies in these sensitive ways.
3. Babies learn about the world by watching their caregivers’ reactions.
They read the facial expressions and actions of their trusted caregivers to figure out the meaning of a situation—such as whether they are safe or should be wary or afraid. So it is important for parents to be aware of the signals they are sending. If a parent finds himself consumed with anger or worry, it is important to be aware of the impact on the child, and be mindful to try not to communicate these feelings in front of the child.
4. Ongoing stress can affect babies’ development as early as 6 months old
Stress in a young child’s environment can come in many forms, including angry voices, rough handling, major changes in routine, overstimulation, or ongoing tension in the home.
Research even shows that sleeping babies’ stress levels increase when there is shouting in the home. Yet 47% of parents believe this kind of stress does not affect children until after age 1.
While all families experience stress from time to time, ongoing stress and fear can negatively affect healthy development and early brain growth.
Taking care of yourself during stressful periods is not only important for parents. It also supports babies’ emotional security and healthy development.
