Your Baby and You: Week Forty Eight
YOUR BABY
Behavioural Development: Developing fears
Many parents are surprised when the noisy appliances in their house that once soothed their baby to sleep (hairdryers, hoovers etc) suddenly start reducing their baby to tears. This is a very normal stage in their development, as they become more aware of their surroundings and the potential for danger. Don't try and force exposure of these scary noises upon your baby, she is too young for that to be effective and in fact, it can be quite damaging. At the same time, keep your voice positive when dealing with these situations so that she can see that you are not afraid. Reassure her that you are there for her and that you can see that she is afraid, and try to remove the source of her fears or take her away from it.
Speech & Communication: Baby signing
Even if you haven't deliberately taught your baby any form of sign language, if you watch carefully he may already have developed a few signs of his own. An obvious one is using outstretched arms as a request to be picked up, but there are sometimes others too - such as putting hand to mouth for food. If you notice any of these in your baby, be sure to praise his efforts at communicating. Use the correct word when affirming what he is asking for and reward him by offering him what he is asking for - providing his request is reasonable!
Feeding: Are you still offering them a balanced diet?
It can be easy to fall into a pattern of giving your baby the same foods many days a week, just because you know that they like it - such as pasta. But don't forget the importance, both nutritionally and in terms of broadening their tastes, of offering them a good variety of food. Never make the assumption that your baby won't like a certain food, and remember that it often takes many attempts before a baby accepts a new food.
Care Advice: Babies need exercise too
It is important that babies are given plenty of opportunity to exercise, in order to build muscle strength and develop better coordination and independence skills. It often helps to give them a calmer temperament and to sleep better. Of course we're not talking about strenuous exercise here, but they need the opportunity to be mobile as much of the time as possible. Look at your daily routine and see whether there is anything that you can do to reduce the amount of 'awake time' that your baby is strapped into his car seat or buggy, or contained in his playpen or cot.
Safety Advice: Drowning hazards in the garden
Ponds and swimming pools are the most obvious dangers when it comes to drowning in a domestic garden, and it is vital that they are covered with a childproof cover. However, there are less obvious sources of water danger in a garden. Check your garden for any drains that have loose or weak looking covers. Also turn all buckets and unused flower pots upside down - rainwater can collect in them and curious babies and toddlers can find themselves in very dangerous situations should they go exploring.
Common illnesses and ailments: Poisoning
There are so many potential sources of poisoning for a baby in and around the home - cleaning chemicals, air fresheners, plants etc. If you think that your baby has consumed anything poisonous then follow these steps.
- If they show signs of being ill - such as vomiting, seizures, or loss of consciousness - then call 999
- If your baby seems OK, but you are still concerned that they have swallowed something dangerous then call your GP or non-emergency service for further advice
- Retain the product, particularly the packaging and labelling if possible
THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR BABY THIS WEEK
Activities: Teach your baby some signing
There are classes available for teaching your baby sign language, but they aren't the only way for you to teach your baby this skill. You can develop your own signs, or research on the internet what the common signs are for useful needs and wants. Here are some tips to get you started, but you can read more on teaching your baby to sign here.
- Pick one or two words to start with that will be most useful such as 'more' or 'milk'
- Use simple signs from either accredited signing programs or ones that you have made up yourself
- Always use the sign yourself when you say that word
- Be patient, it might take weeks for your baby to use the sign themselves
Once babies are able to ask for something themselves, many parents report seeing a significant reduction in their frustration. Try it, and see how you get on!
ALL ABOUT YOU THIS WEEK
Your Relationships: Are you and your partner spending quality time together?
It can be easy to fall into a routine of spending very little quality time together as adults when you're responsible for bringing up a baby. Try to ensure that you and your other half spend time with one another regularly - and without the baby. If you tend to eat meals separately or in front of the TV, make an effort to have at least one meal each week together at the table with no distractions. And whilst you're chatting over dinner - have a discussion about when your next evening out together is going to be!
