Your baby is the centre of your world, and sometimes it feels like they rule the family—and they won’t even talk until they're at least ten months! So, for all you exhausted mums out there who still haven’t heard their first “thank you” and would like a little appreciation for their efforts, here are Unii’s favourite signs that your baby loves you back (to the extent an infant can understand what love is)!

They rest and fall asleep on your chest

Your baby recognises your voice and heartbeat from their time in the womb, where a baby can hear sounds for as early as 15 weeks. Your scent is deeply comforting to them. They turn into your chest for comfort when hungry, frightened, or tired and fall asleep. They believe you are their safe haven, and, while they are completely dependent on you, this may also be interpreted as a sign of love and trust. Bed sharing while you’re awake or letting your baby sleep on you while you stand or sit while alert can lower both your cortisol levels and promote bonding. These behaviours can also support successful breastfeeding. Co-sleeping with your baby is not recommended because of the risk of accidental strangling, suffocation, or SIDS.

They laugh at your "jokes.”

There is no need to finesse Seinfeld-like observations when you’re a mother. To your baby, you are the most engaging, hilarious person on the planet. Babies usually start smiling between six and twelve weeks. Laughter tends to follow between two and four months, as they learn to respond to tones in your voice. Their laughter may also sound like excited gurgles. Making faces or repeating a word in a funny voice can keep them belly-laughing for twenty minutes straight, even as you drive anyone else in the room crazy. Repeating and enunciating words clearly while they are engaged with what you're saying also benefits their speech and language development, as they are watching and understanding how you use your jaw, mouth, tongue, and teeth to form words. They will also learn to associate the words you are saying with people, emotions, and objects.

They won’t stop talking to you.

International research has shown that a baby is more likely to say “dada” or “papa” before they say “mama,” though the “m” word usually follows closely. If you want to explore the many ways your baby “talks” to you before they can articulate words, take Unii’s Baby Speech Journey with speech therapist Rosemary Nicholson. From eye contact to coos, body language, babbles, and vocalisations, your baby is communicating their feelings all the time.

Their behavioural cues

From lighting up when they see you to holding out the latest object they’ve “discovered” for your inspection, babies have all kinds of ways to demonstrate that you’re their favourite person. Recognising a baby’s behavioural cues is an important part of being a new parent, as they can help you identify why they are crying or when they’re ill or in pain, but you can also enjoy their happy, affectionate responses. Plus, as babies develop milk teeth from as early as three-to-fofour months—at least six months before saying their first word—they will likely reward your attention with many cute, very gap-toothed smiles before they say, “I love you.”

They mirror you.

When your baby begins talking, their first words will be those they’ve absorbed through being around you and the rest of the family. They are showing you they’re your biggest fan before this by attempting to mirror your facial expressions. Try sticking your tongue out or smiling at your baby, and they’ll often do it right back. According to Unii’s Baby Nutrition expert, Dr. Venita Patel, it’s very important that they see you eat and participate in family mealtime when you begin weaning them (usually around six months, when they show signs or readiness) onto solid foods.

You may also be able to teach them to understand combing their hair or washing their face with a facecloth by having them mirror you. It does not matter that they won’t do it perfectly. Mirroring the activities and managing the tools both boost their motor skills and help them to understand daily grooming and hygiene habits. They can also learn to understand new words through mimicking onomatopoeic activities. For example, you could try repeating the word “splash!” as you both splash water in the sink.

They’re YOUR baby.

In truth, and even just instinctively, you do not need anyone to tell you that your baby loves you. You can see that they benefit from your presence and attention. Even premature babies who are very ill and being cared for in a top-class Neonatal Intensive Care Unit have been proven to develop and recover more quickly when their parents are around. An adopted baby who joins a family before a year old will form a secure attachment in the first eighteen months of life—just as a baby who is not adopted does—when a parent or caregiver is consistently available to them. As with most relationships, you know deep down how your baby feels about you, and we hope that you enjoy this time with them and show your love just as readily.

For more evidence-based advice on supporting your baby’s development, watch Unii’s Baby Development videos with Dr. Su Laurent.

What are some signs my baby loves me?

You know you love you baby but how do you know they love you back?