Mothers throughout history have always known, and research now shows, that babies are happiest, healthiest, and smartest, if they are kept in close contact with their mother or another family member most of the time. Asleep or awake, happy or sad, babies like to feel and smell your warm embrace. Research shows babies grow faster and learn about their world more readily when up on mother‘‘s level. There‘‘s more for the baby to see when he is with you while you go about your daily business than when lying flat in a crib or carriage. Babies cry much less and expend less energy that way. Many newborns sleep more deeply when held against your body. This type of approach is very respectful of your baby‘‘s feelings, and is sometimes called “attachment parenting.”
从古至今，妈妈们都知道：如果宝宝能在大部分时间里紧靠妈妈或其他家庭成员，那么这样的宝宝就最快乐、最健康和最聪明。现代的研究也证明了这一点。宝宝们无论是睡是醒、高兴或悲伤，他们都喜欢妈妈们温暖的怀抱。研究表明，当宝宝和妈妈保持同一高度时，宝宝长得更快，更乐意去认知他/她周围的世界。对宝宝来说，与您一起每天做各种事情比平躺在宝宝床里或童车里更能“见多识广”。宝宝哭得更少，浪费的精力也少。很多新生儿紧贴着妈妈的身体时会睡得更踏实。这种做法充分尊重您宝宝的情绪，我们有时把这种带养方式称为“亲密育儿”。
To get more done while keeping baby close, save your arms by getting a baby sling. More versatile than the front pack, these over-the-shoulder carriers are nice because you can easily and discreetly breastfeed while wearing one, and the baby can be held in many different positions (facing in or out, cradle position, on the hip), up to 30 pounds. They are available through some LLL groups and some baby supply stores. Many premature babies can benefit from this kind of care, if they are strong enough. Skin-to-skin contact is preferred, inside the parent‘‘s clothing. This is called “kangaroo care.” LLL experience shows that children parented this way become quite secure and independent as they grow. They learn to trust their world, and other human beings, and feel “right” inside. These early feelings of love, security, and respect will become patterned in your child‘‘s mind and will be what he/she looks for when ready to form adult relationships. It all starts with you!
如果您想边带宝宝边做更多的事情，宝宝背巾可帮助您解放你的双臂。这种绕肩的背巾比普通婴儿背带更好用，因为宝宝在背巾里就可以方便的吃奶，背巾还能保护你的隐私。宝宝可以有不同的姿势（脸朝里或外，摇篮姿势或骑在胯上等），体重不超过30磅的孩子都可使用。背巾可从国际母乳会（LLL）组织购买，或一些宝宝用品商店也有销售。许多早产宝宝如果足够结实，可以从这种怀抱养育方式中得到很多益处。建议把宝宝放在父母贴身衣服里面，让孩子和父母能肌肤相亲。这就是“袋鼠育儿”。 国际母乳会（LLL）的经验表明：这种方式下养育的宝宝长大后有很好的安全感和独立性。他们能够信任周围的世界和其他人，内心感觉良好。有关爱、安全和尊重的这些早期感受将会成为孩子脑中记忆的一部分，而当他们开始准备建立成人关系时，这些将成为他们所追寻的价值。所有这些都从您这开始！
Nursing a baby “on demand,” or by request, not only assures you a bountiful milk supply (the more a baby suckles, the more milk you make), it also makes you available to comfort your child, soothe a pain, or simply provide the human contact your baby needs. His mouth is the most sensitive area of his body, and sucking feels so good to him. Unlike a pacifier (dummy), which can fall on the floor and get dirty, your nipples are always safe. No need to watch the clock; watch what your baby is telling you. He may be thirsty, want a snack, or a full course meal.
按需哺乳宝宝并不只是为了保证足够的产奶量（宝宝吸吮的越多，产奶就越多），它还确保了您能时刻准备好安抚宝宝，缓和宝宝的痛苦，或提供宝宝所需的肌肤接触。嘴是宝宝身上最敏感的部位，吸吮让宝宝感觉非常好。相比而言，安抚奶嘴会掉到地上弄脏，而您的乳头永远都是安全的。您不需要看钟表，关注宝宝的需求就好了。他的需求可能是渴了，或是要个小点心，或是一顿正餐。
Pacifiers can cause nipple confusion in some babies, but may be useful in some situations. Proceed with caution, if you use one.
使用安抚奶嘴会使一些宝宝产生乳头混淆，但有些情况下可能需要使用。如果您在使用安抚奶嘴，请小心使用。
Caring for a crying baby at night can be one of the most challenging aspects of being a new parent, especially if friends or relatives tell you that picking up or nursing your baby every time he/she cries will spoil the baby. Some people may tell you the baby needs to learn “self-comforting” at night so that he/she can go back to sleep without you. Although so-called “sleep training” may work for some families, many mothers have found that they prefer or they feel more comfortable to respond to baby‘‘s cries, no matter what time of day or night they hear them.
照顾夜间哭闹的宝宝可能是新生父母面临的最大挑战之一，尤其当亲朋好友都告诉您每次宝宝哭就抱起或喂养会惯坏宝宝后。也许有人还会告诉您宝宝需要学习在夜间“自我安抚”，这样就能在没有您的情况下自行入睡。尽管所谓的“睡眠训练”对某些家庭管用，但许多妈妈发现自己还是倾向于任何时候都回应宝宝的哭闹，无论白天黑夜。
For many of us, keeping our babies close to us all night, whether in our bed or in a crib or bassinet next to the bed, is the best way to meet our babies‘‘ needs while disrupting our own sleep as little as possible. 对我们许多人来说，整晚上让宝宝睡在身旁（睡同一张床或床边的宝宝床或摇篮车里）是牺牲睡眠少，又能照顾好宝宝的最好方法。
Here‘‘s a “what if?” question that sometimes helps mothers trust their hearts and stop worrying about spoiling their babies. Imagine you were scared or sad enough to start crying. What if another adult you loved knew you were crying, but refused to hug you, reminding you that you‘‘d had a hug just an hour ago? You would probably stop crying eventually on your own, but wouldn‘‘t you feel better if that other adult had comforted you when you needed it?
“如果……，会怎样？”的设想有时可以帮助妈妈们学会相信自己，不再担心宝宝被惯坏的问题。想像您在被吓坏或特别伤心时开始哭泣，这时如果另一个您爱的人知道了却拒绝拥抱您，他/她只是告诉您一小时前刚抱过了。您也许会最终自己停止哭泣，但如果对方在您需要时安抚您，您是否会感觉更好点呢？