Communication confusion: misconceptions concerning newborn behaviour

Dr Pamela Douglas asks why SpaceX can launch a Tesla Roadster into outer space, showcasing our technological brilliance, yet new parents still receive conflicting and outdated advice which disrupts their relationship with their baby and even worsens breastfeeding, mood, cry-fuss and sleep problems. 

She points out that despite evidence there is no real benefit, parents are advised to give their babies a great deal of unnecessary treatments, including antacid medications (which risk side-effects), painful laser incisions under the tongue and upper lip (when there is no classic tongue-tie), and advice to sleep train their baby (creating communication confusion). Methodologically weak studies, often by those with a vested financial interest, are promoted as if they are proof.

Dr Pam argues that the latest evidence propels us into paradigm shift across each domain of breastfeeding, crying and fussing, sleep and parental mood, and discusses the misconceptions that abound about baby communications in each of these domains.