The neo-natal manager at a hospital special care baby unit says “Cooing should be a thing of the past because these are little people with the same rights as you or me.”

I can see the thinking but it just makes me laugh because babies are designed to be cooed over! It’s a cunning part of the process of interaction which allows babies to survive, engage, learn, talk and become social beings. When I was involved with public radio in the early 80’s, the sound engineer at the station remarked that the soundproof studio doors would hold out all sounds except a baby’s cry, because their cries are designed to get our attention no matter what. It’s the same deal. Go to Goodhappyfun and mouse over the main links. I bet you can’t help smiling. I even get those spine tingles at the back of my neck that I was speaking of before.

I don’t particularly buy the infection argument either. In normal circumstances I would go with the ‘boosts natural immunity’ outlook.

Updated links 2015