The Importance of Developing Trust for Infants

How Trust Develops

• Erikson's theory of psychosocial development includes eight stages, and the first is trust vs. mistrust, which occurs during the first year of life, according to the article "Crying Babies," published in the "Texas Child Care Quarterly." It is during this time that babies begin to develop a sense of trust in others, themselves and the world around them. Each time your baby cries, she is giving you a signal that she is in distress -- whether she is hungry, tired or just uncomfortable. And when you respond to this cry, she is learning that she can trust you to make her feel better, and she begins to feel confident and valued. Another crucial part of helping your infant develop trust is to maintain a consistent routine, according to the PBS website, The Whole Child. This helps your baby know what to expect and she begins to trust that the world is a predictable place in which she can feel secure.

Benefits of a Trusting Relationship

• When your baby feels secure and has learned to trust, she will benefit for life. She will have an eagerness to learn, a healthy self-awareness and consideration for others, according to HelpGuide.org. If she trusts that the world is a safe place, she is more likely to explore her environment, leading to increased cognitive development as she makes discoveries. When your baby knows that you are there for her, she develops self-confidence because you have been showing her she is important and that she is listened to. She becomes more independent because she has learned that she is capable and that you will be there to help her when she needs it.

Attachment

• Developing trust starts with forming a secure attachment, or bond, with a loving adult. Babies are born ready to bond, according to KidsHealth, and it happens through the process of everyday caregiving. When you touch your baby, the skin-to-skin contact is soothing and helps her feel close to you. Make eye contact and talk with your little one to show her you are interested in her. Feeding times are another natural way to bond with your infant, as she responds to your smell and your touch, and learns to associate you with feelings of comfort and security. When you learn to read your baby's cries well enough that you can meet her needs quickly, you are helping to form a secure attachment and instill trust. It is not possible to spoil an infant by picking her up or feeding her when she cries. In fact, ignoring her cries can actually affect normal brain development, according to Texas Child Care Quarterly.

Problems With Bonding

• Sometimes there are factors that can affect the bonding that occurs between a caregiver and an infant, such as a difficult delivery, medical needs of the baby, the hormone levels of the mother or due to the complications that come with an adoption, according to KidsHealth. Because this attachment is so critical to your baby's development of trust, it is important to discuss concerns you have over bonding with your baby with your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner you can identify the problem, the sooner you can begin to work on developing an attachment with your infant. Even if you don't feel a close bond at first, continue to meet your baby's basic needs so that she will begin to develop a sense of trust. As you become more comfortable with her daily routine, you will begin to feel more confident and a close relationship will be established.