Your Baby's Development Week by Week

Your Baby and You: Week Nine

YOUR BABY

Physical Development

With each passing week you will see your baby's neck strength increasing. Around now they can usually lift their heads to a 45 degree angle when lying on their tummy. Encourage tummy time to help develop their neck strength further.

Communication: Distinguishing different cries

Perhaps subconsciously, you may now be reacting differently to different cries or noises from your baby as you begin to learn how they differ and what they might mean. OK you and he might not be up to discussing the detail of his needs and wants but you are probably able to distinguish his cry of hunger from his cry of discomfort most of the time.

Feeding: Giving your baby water

 

Should I give my baby water?

  • Exclusively breastfed babies do not need water, although they may need more regular feeds during hot weather
  • Formula fed babies may have water between feeds in hot weather to help keep them cool and hydrated
  • Formula fed babies can have additional water between feeds if they are constipated
  • Be careful not to give your baby too much water as it can inhibit their appetite for their usual milk feeds
  • Consult your doctor if you are concerned about dehydration

Care Advice: Sleep

It is important that you are aware of how much sleep your baby should be getting for their age. At this age your baby should be getting around 15-16 hours sleep in a 24 hour period. This is only a guide and all babies are different but it is important that your baby averages somewhere near this figure. While they might not be sleeping through, night time sleep should account for about 2/3 of this time and the rest should be made up with naps in the day.

Many parents enforce silence on the house in order to try to settle their baby at night and at nap times, but this isn't usually necessary. Many babies settle better with the usual noises of the house - the television on quietly in another room, the washing machine (see white noise) or the sound of you pottering around can all be very comforting.

Many parents find that baby massage is an effective part of the bedtime routine. It is easy to do and can be very relaxing for both of you. There are classes that you can attend to learn more about baby massage but we also have some hints and tips here.

Common illnesses and ailments: Nasal congestion

If a cold or allergy causes your little one to have a blocked nose, it can disrupt their sleep and their feeding. Try these tips for helping to ease their congestion:

    • Saline drops (available from your chemist) can help to loosen mucus in the nasal passages
    • Bring your baby into a steamy bathroom just before bed time
    • Make sure they keep up their fluid intakes via their feeds
    • Nasal suction devices are also available for infants but make sure that you follow the instructions carefully and that you clean the device properly

THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR BABY THIS WEEK

Entertainment: Tummy time

Make sure you're doing regular tummy time play with your baby. Lie them on their front on the floor or on your bed (never leave them unattended on a raised surface) and let them discover the room from a different angle. As babies are spending less time on their tummies (tummy sleeping is no longer recommended because it is thought to increase the risk of SIDS or cot death) this form of play is important for developing their neck strength and other muscles.

ALL ABOUT YOU THIS WEEK

Your Body: Stretch marks

If you developed stretch marks during pregnancy then they are probably still as noticeable as they were before you gave birth. Stretch marks do fade over time but you need to allow between 6-12 months for that to happen. Be aware that most commercially marketed 'repair creams' have little or no scientific evidence to prove that they work, and they can set you back a lot of money.

Your Emotions: Coping with competition

Have you found yourself a bit deflated once or twice after spending time with other mothers? Many mums can come across as competitive and even condescending when it comes to comparing your babies and their development, routines, feeding practices and so on. Remember that nobody has an instruction book for this mothering business, we all do things differently and babies all develop differently. More often than not, women don't mean to offend other mothers with their immodest comments, they just haven't thought about the impact of their words. Pride in their child's every milestone can easily be construed as boastfulness but it is rarely intended to upset people. Try to be thick skinned about tactless comments and tell your friends how you feel if they upset or offend you.

Relationships: One-on-one for Daddy

If your partner is working and is laden with responsibilities it can be easy to slip into a pattern where they don't spend a lot of time alone with their baby. It's a good idea to make Daddy-baby interaction part of your daily routine if possible, it will give you some well-earned alone time and help to strengthen their bond with the baby. Here are some ideas for making it daily practice:

      • Early morning: your partner could get up a little earlier in the morning to feed (if your baby takes a bottle) and dress your baby for the day
      • Early evening: you could agree that your partner takes over and gets your baby bathed and ready for bed each evening
      • Late feed: if your baby takes a bottle then your partner could do the late feed each evening allowing you to go to bed earlier and to have uninterrupted sleep for the first part of the night at least!
      • If your baby is breastfed, Daddy can take over to wind and change them straight after a certain feed each day, whether that's early morning, late evening or whatever best fits around their work schedule

Things to do: Go for lunch

Make a lunch date with a friend this week, meet up in town or get them to bring lunch over to your place if you find that easier. Most cafes and restaurants are very baby friendly these days - even a number of pubs are teaming with mums and babies during the day time!

YOUR WEEKLY CHECKLIST

(Helping to keep you organised!)

Baby Health: Monitoring their weight

Take your baby to be weighed about once a month until they are six months old. Plot their weight on the chart in their personal health record to make sure that they are gaining weight at a healthy rate. Baby scales are available to use at many drop-in clinics, ask your health visitor or call your local surgery for information if you're not sure where to go.


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This internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult a doctor or other healthcare professional.