I had a moment of self-awareness in a recent home visit. The thought of what the fabled fly on the wall would be seeing as I had a conversation with a baby began to give me the giggles and so I had to rapidly switch attention to the mother. I always talk to the babies I visit, especially as they frequently pay far more attention to my interpretations than the adults. I realised I have a routine, which begins with waiting until the baby decides to make eye contact. I then pitch my voice high and say hello, and if I am on the ball I also ask baby a question or two, and stay on the look-out for turn-taking. At the same time I am raising my eyebrows and moving my head in the rhythm of my speech, which has become more musical by this point, with extended vowels and exaggerated emotional tone. Too much eye contact can trigger a stress response, so this needs to be at the baby's command.
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