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For most new parents a wailing baby is a ticking bomb. It hurts them to imagine their little love might be in pain, when in fact he may just be hungry. All they want is to immediately soothe his torments, however when they can’t figure out why he’s wailing, is when the panic sets in.
If only there were some way to interpret your baby’s agonizing cries, but that’s just silly talk, right? Err, maybe not. Cue this fascinating clip we happened to stumble upon on YouTube from The Oprah Winfrey Show. It stars the former Australian mezzo-soprano, Priscilla Dunstan, who makes some rather bold claims. Dunstan declares that comprehending your child’s cries is entirely possible! She claims to possess a photographic memory for auditory stimuli, which has allowed her to recognize the varying moods of her baby as a parent.
Credit: PriscillaDunstanBaby [YouTube]
Dunstan states she has discerned babies make five universal types of sounds before crying. According to her, it’s their vocal reflex, very much like any other newborn reflexes and this applies to all babies between zero and three months. Since newborn reflexes generally fade post the third or fourth months, it sounds (sort of) reasonable. Dunstan has outlined her hypothesis in what is termed as ‘Dunstan Baby Language’, where every different pre-cry note signifies a specific need.
The following are the five different types of baby vocal reflexes outlined by Dunstan to Grey-Bruce Kids magazines’ Andrea Smith. Now, remember to take these with a pinch of salt because, well, not every baby is the same.
1. “Neh”
This is a marked ‘n’ sound that is made when your baby touches his tongue to the roof of the mouth. This, according to Dunstan, signifies your baby wants food! This sound is a by-product of your child’s sucking reflex. You may also find him restlessly searching for a nipple, rolling side to side, or sucking on his tiny fists.
2. “Owh”
Linked to his yawning reflex, this is produced along with a bit of distinguishable panting. It signifies your baby wants sleep! He’s probably fatigued and over stimulated. You will also find him arching his back, pulling on his ears, or rubbing the eyes.
3. “Eh”
This is a pre-cry that signifies your baby needs to let some air out. This is produced when your little one’s chest becomes tight in his endeavor to get rid of trapped air.
4. “Heh”
With a notable ‘h’ sound at it’s beginning, this pre-cry is your baby’s way of saying: “I’m uncomfortable!” This sound is related to his reflex linked to his tactile senses (read: touch). Your baby maybe alerting you on being too cold, warm, or requiring diaper change. He will refuse any attempts at feeding.
5. “Eair”
With a marked ‘a’ sound, this pre-cry is your baby telling you he needs to pass gas. This sound will also come across as notably urgent and distressed to you. Your baby may also appear to be grimacing with his body going rigid while he pulls legs towards his tummy.
Though Dunstan has authored three different parenting books, experts in this field dispute most of her claims, as none of her hypotheses have undergone any stringent testing or scientific scrutiny. Not to mention reading sounds can be confusing and each baby is different.
However, the concept of trying to monitor and observe your baby’s cries in order to understand his or her cues isn’t a totally bad idea. If you have an ear for distinguishing sounds, then there’s no harm in trying this out! If you can’t distinguish, however, it’s best to probably stick to the old school.
