For Parents
Learn to read your baby's cues, understand developmental readiness, and support your baby through everyday care.
MALIKA | Early Regulation & Development
Building Calm Generations
“If we want calm generations, we must begin with early regulation from birth.”
MALIKA brings together early regulation, child development, responsive caregiving, breastfeeding, and infant feeding through an evidence-informed approach, helping parents and professionals better understand what babies need from the very beginning.
Would one-to-one guidance help? Request a consultation.
Why it matters
Understanding babies begins with understanding how they communicate.
Before babies can manage their own responses, caring adults help create an environment that feels safe and responsive.
Movement
A relaxed or tense body; open hands or clenched fists.
Crying
A baby's way of telling us that something needs attention.
Gaze
Looking in to connect, or looking away when a pause is needed.
Facial expression
Calm, curious, frowning, or looking tired.
Behaviour
Changes in feeding, sleep, or interest in play.
A present adult can notice these cues, adjust their response — holding, pausing, feeding, or inviting play — and then look again at how the baby responds.
01
Notice the cues
02
Understand the need
03
Respond with care
It's not about providing more stimulation.
It's about the right stimulation, at the right time, in a way that matches your baby's readiness.
Too few suitable opportunities
Some babies may have limited opportunities to move, play, and interact responsively.
Too much input
More sound, light, activity, or interaction doesn't always mean a baby is ready to take it all in.
Cues not yet understood
Parents may know which activities are recommended, but not always when, why, or how to adapt them.
Watch for your baby's readiness. Match your support to what they need.
The Model
What is MALIKA?
The MALIKA Model of Early Regulation & Development is a developing framework that connects early regulation, developmentally appropriate stimulation, and responsive caregiving.
What is the baby communicating?
Notice movement, expression, crying, gaze, and changes in behaviour. A baby's cues help us understand what they are experiencing.
An educational framework that is still developing — not a clinical diagnostic tool.
Breastfeeding and feeding are part of responsive caregiving, too.
From the first days of life to the start of complementary foods, MALIKA helps families understand infant feeding through responsive, individual, evidence-informed information.
Preparing for and supporting breastfeeding
Preparing for breastfeeding during pregnancy and building support in the early days.
Understanding breastfeeding challenges
Recognising common challenges and when to ask a lactation counsellor or health professional for help.
Complementary feeding and responsive feeding
Starting complementary foods when your baby shows readiness, and following hunger and fullness cues.
MALIKA for parents and professionals
For Professionals
Explore evidence-informed education, observation frameworks, training opportunities, research, and collaboration.
Sometimes, you need to talk it through.
Every baby is different. If you have questions about development, movement, stimulation, breastfeeding, feeding, or how to respond to your baby's needs, a one-to-one consultation can help you understand the situation and your next steps.
Service
MALIKA Early Development & Regulation Consultation
- • Guidance on regulation, movement, and stimulation
- • Breastfeeding and infant feeding
- • Reading your baby's cues and needs
Educational in nature; it does not replace a medical examination.
Founder
Meet Dr. Endah Sulistiyani
Dr. Endah Sulistiyani is a physiotherapist with a paediatric focus, a breastfeeding counsellor and trainer, an educator, and a researcher in infancy and child development.
MALIKA grew from the belief that how we accompany children from the very beginning of life truly matters.
Let's build calm generations — one baby, one family at a time.
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For parents and professionals.