A Sound Way To Soothe Babies (NAPSA)}—It’s easier for mothers and their babies to bond, experts advise, when both are calm. Fortunately, that’s easier to achieve with the help of water. Children are captivated by its sights and sounds. Whether watchingorlisteningto it, water is a natural soothing and calming element. So agree baby experts and moms, Laureen Merdichian and Ann Abajian who have created Calm Baby, the first water-based video specifically designed to calm a baby while nurturing his or her mind. These two moms (one the mother of triplets) suggest a few morefacts on infants: They can recognize colors They are attracted to objects with contrast (black, white, and red, for instance) They are attracted to sharp outlines They prefer complex patterns with more elements and curved patterns They look at patterned surfaces longer than at plain surfaces They are attracted to moving objects * Bright objects can stimulate learning. As for what babies hear, research suggests a connection between the way the brain processes information while learning and while listening to the complex melodies of classical music. In addition to stimulating the brain, A new video calms and nurtures the children who watchit. the right music can have a calming effect. In one study, premature babies who listened to lullabies through miniature headphones had more normal heart and breathing rates than infants who didn’t. The Calm Baby video combines all of these elements into one video that is appropriate for infants and toddlers, and is a great wind-down tool for parents. It does this through auditory and visual elements, such as brightly colored toys and objects, fresh and soothing musical arrangements, and the sights and sounds of moving water. Included with the video is an audio CD, so parents can use the soothing melodies in the car or nursery. The half-hour tape (soon to be available on DVD) won Parenting magazine’s Videos of the Year Awards 2002. To learn more about the video or to purchase it online, visit www.calmbaby.tv.
