Why do babies like to be rocked?

 Have you ever rocked an infant?  If so, you may have noticed that that infant nuzzled into your neck or chest and went to sleep or calmed down quickly.  It is so predictable that nearly all home nurseries, hospital nurseries and daycare centers have multiple rockers in their newborn/infant spaces.

Recently, I had a grandson born in Washington, DC in a hospital that bills itself “baby friendly.”  Part of this includes having a great rocking chair in every room.   But even without a rocking chair, most women instinctively and intuitively begin a rocking motion when an infant is handed to them.  I’ve always wondered about this and here is what I’ve decided.

First of all, that baby is gently rocked “in utero” for nine months and everytime the mother moves, the amniotic fluid keeps the infant protected from anything too harsh or rough, and baby gets used to gentle motion.  Add to that the comforting sound of the mother’s voice and the steady, rhythmic heartbeat that he hears, and it all combines to mean “safety,” “security”  “love.”

Obviously, when baby is born, there is a whole new world with light, lots of noise, and constant feeling that you might just be about to fall.  You’ve seen the “startle” reflex, I’m sure.  I’ve always thought that many newborn cries are saying “I want to go back to that nice, warm, cozy, quiet place, where it’s just me and Mommy!!”

This is what what swaddling and rocking achieve for the newborn!  For the period they’re being rocked, it’s the closest they can come to feeling that fabulous “still inside the womb cocoon”!

And then there’s the entrainment factor.  When Mama is rocking baby, their hearts begin to beat together and their breathing synchronizes.  If Mama is gently humming a lullaby or singing one, that is the ultimate!  Rocking, swaddling and lulling your baby, in between feedings, is the most wonderful thing you can give your child!