Your Baby and You: Week Thirty Four
YOUR BABY
Physical Development: My baby boy gets erections. Is this normal?
Don't be alarmed; erections in baby boys are completely normal. You may notice your little boy has an erection when you change his nappy or give him a bath. This is just nature's way of making sure everything is working as it should be. Normally your baby boy's erection will go down again quickly, without causing him any discomfort. But if he seems uncomfortable, there is any redness or swelling and/or his erection lasts for more than one hour get him checked over by a doctor.
Behavioural Development: Let's play games
Your 8-month-old baby is likely to want to play more games now, especially with a favourite ball or toy. Watch to see her excitement when you show her a toy she recognises. At this age you can start to play ball together. Ball games are great for developing gross motor skills (see Week 23). Start simply with holding and rolling balls, or dropping them to hear the sound they make or to watch them bounce. Roll the ball towards your baby and say: 'Here comes the ball! I roll the ball to Olivia!' If she manages to push it away, encourage and congratulate her for rolling it all by herself. Gradually you can build up to rolling the ball back and forward between the two of you, and then throwing and bouncing it.
Feeding: Watch the salt
Babies should have less than 1g of salt (0.4g of sodium) a day, for their first year. Too much salt is damaging to their kidneys, and also gives them a taste for salty foods that can cause health problems later in life. Salt does serve an important function though: your baby needs some salt for muscle and nerve function, as well as for regulating blood pressure. Take a look at Salt: How Much Is Too Much? to find out more.
Feeding: Ouch! Nipple biting
If you are breastfeeding you may find that, at some point, your baby goes through a phase of biting. Sometimes this is a reaction to teething, other times your baby is just finding out what their teeth can do. One thing is for sure, that when a baby bites his mother's nipples, it really hurts! Check out Why Is My Baby Biting My Nipples? to find out the causes of nipple biting along with hints and tips on what to do when it happens.
Care Advice: Separation Anxiety
Your baby is likely to be eating three meals a day by now, but remember milk should also still make up a large part of her diet. The solids your baby now eats should provide a great source of the vitamins, minerals and food groups (like carbohydrates and protein) she needs. With three meals a day, it is a good idea to try and plan your baby's meals in advance to make sure you are offering a good balance of all the nutritious foods your baby needs. Take a look at our Meal Planners for some ideas.
Don't forget: Socket safety
Check now: are your sockets safe? Cover all plug sockets with plastic safety covers, and keep electrical cords out of the way so your child can't trip over or get tangled in them. You can fix them tightly to the walls so your baby can't play with them, or use cord shorteners. Read Making The House Baby-Safe for more ways to baby-proof your home.
THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR BABY THIS WEEK
Thing To Do With Your Baby: Football
You can teach your baby how to kick. Start by holding him in front of you, one arm around his waist and the other under his bottom taking his weight. Move him gently so that his legs 'kick' the ball away from him and say 'kick!' when it happens. Then run after the ball and do it again. Most babies love this game: causing the ball to move and then chasing after it. You can also involve other babies in the same way, or toddlers who can run after it themselves.
ALL ABOUT YOU THIS WEEK
Your Body: Healthy diet
There's no denying that by maintaining a healthy diet, you will feel fitter and have more energy to get through those sleep-deprived days of motherhood. It is also great for your baby to see you eating a rich and varied diet.
You hear doctors, the newspapers and celebrities harping on about healthy eating, but what does that actually mean? A healthy, well-balanced diet should include all of the main food groups:
- Fruit and vegetables: aim for 5 portions a day to lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and osteoporosis.
- Carbohydrates: give you lots of energy and nutrients. Carbohydrates are found in starchy foods. Try to eat wholemeal bread and wholegrain rice, pasta and cereals.
- Protein: helps your body grow and repair itself. Protein comes from meat, fish, eggs and beans. Aim to eat mainly lean meats with the occasional red meat indulgence (such as a steak, which is rich in iron).
- Dairy: choose low-fat milk (skimmed or semi-skimmed), unsweetened yogurts and small quantities of cheese.
- Only a very small amount of foods high in sugar and fat (such as cake and biscuits)
About one third of your daily diet should be carbohydrates. Another third should be fruit and vegetables. The final third should be made up of protein and dairy foods.
Activities: Cinema
Has it been a while since you last went to the cinema? How about checking out your local cinema listings to see if they do any Parent and Baby showings? Many cinemas allow you to take your baby along to these special viewings on weekdays. You will be in an audience of other parents, so it doesn't matter if you baby cries or needs feeding during the film.
