Reading to your baby right from birth can have profound emotional benefits for your little one. And it’s never too early to start.

• Babies thrive on routine and habit. It’s a perfect time to introduce reading as a habitual activity.
• Helps associate stories with bedtime or naptime, so sharing a book will help your baby relax and prepare for a restful sleep.
• Babies love repetition, so stick to a few favorite books and a favorite chair.
• If you’re comfortable with it, try reading to your little one while you’re breastfeeding her.
• Those stories and rhymes you (or your spouse) read to her while she was in the womb could bring a great deal of comfort to your baby.
• Babies love being close to you and hearing the sound of your voice.
• Since content doesn’t matter as much at this age, you can choose stories you enjoy.

Photos © Anne Lise Norheim