@ellistonpediatrics: Your baby’s nervous system is listening to touch long before they understand words. Slow, gentle strokes behind the ear, along the jawline, or across the forehead can activate calming pathways connected to the vagus nerve and help shift the body into “rest mode.” And yes — the speed matters. Slow, repetitive touch is what helps release calming neurochemicals and signal safety to the brain. Sometimes the most powerful sleep tools aren’t gadgets. They’re biology. . . . . . #babysleep #parenting #pediatrics NYC pediatrician Tribeca pediatrician Dumbo pediatrician