Your Baby and You: Week Twenty Three
YOUR BABY
Physical Development: Gross Motor Skills
When you see a Health Visitor or your GP they may ask questions relating to the development of your baby's gross motor skills - these enable your baby to perform an action by using his large muscles to move the whole of his body, his arms and legs. Over time your baby will develop his gross motor skills to reach important milestones like sitting upright, crawling, walking, kicking, jumping and balancing. Gross motor skills also allow your baby to lift objects up and to throw a ball.
By the age of 6 months, many babies have developed their gross motor skills to the extent that they can bring their hands together and they may also pull themselves up to a sitting position. Take a look at When Will My Baby ? for the different things babies learn over time.
Physical Development: Changing challenges
Around now you may find that your baby discovers that she can roll. Watch out! Now that your baby can roll around she won't want to stay still for long. This can be especially dangerous on changing tables. For safety, always use one hand to gently holdbyour baby still while you reach to get things like wipes and clean nappies. Rolling can also bring new challenges to changing a nappy because your baby may decide she would much rather prefer to roll over onto her tummy mid-change. You may start to become a dab hand at changing your baby 'upside down' or start considering pull-up nappies as an easier option.
Behavioural Development: Ear pulling
At around 6 months of age, some babies often pulling at their ears. This is often just habit formed out of curiosity of what these objects are on the side of their head. The only time to be concerned is when the ear pulling coincides with your baby showing signs of pain or illness, such as a high temperature or a pained cry.
Speech and Communication: Coo!
You may start to hear the lovely sound of your baby cooing when he is happy and content. Also around 6 months, your baby's babbling sounds become clearer and you may hear him babbling and talking to himself more and more.
Feeding: Another growth spurt
It is common for babies to go through another growth spurt when they are 5 to 6 months of age. Is your baby demanding more feeds, but after each feed you find she is still hungry? Is she waking up in the night hungry despite previously sleeping through? Is she trying to grab at, and showing an interest in, your food? If so, these are all signs of your baby being ready for her first taste of solid foods. To prepare for the exciting phase of weaning your baby, read our Weaning to Solids section. It will give you good tips for how to wean to solids, when you should do it wean and what equipment you will need.
Care Advice: Bath time
You may find that your baby doesn't like lying down in the bath once he discovers that he can sit. You can wash your baby's hair sat upright (often with the use of a bath chair) rather than lying him down in the water. This new way of hair washing can present a few challenges. Most babies aren't able to tilt their heads back for long enough for you to rinse the shampoo away and some babies cry or rub their eyes if shampoo and water run down their faces. Buy tear-free shampoos specially designed for babies: these won't irritate eyes. You can also purchase a gueard that looks like a visor to help you rinse the shampoo away down the back of his head, avoiding your baby's face. See Washing Your Baby's Hair for more tips.
Common or Serious Ailments: Measles
Last week we talked about German Measles (Rubella) and this week we are finding out about Measles. Although they sound similar, German Measles and Measles are two separate conditions with different symptoms.
Measles is a highly infectious illness that is caused by the measles virus: it is passed from person to person through touch, sneezing and coughing. Measles can be very unpleasant. Measles most commonly happens in young children aged between 1 and 4 years old, but it can affect anyone. Although most children make a full recovery, measles can lead to serious complications, including blindness and death. Measles is now rare in the UK thanks to the childhood MMR (Measles Mumps Rubella) immunisation.
People with measles suffer symptoms including a cough, runny nose and high temperature; red, sore eyes that are sensitive to light; small white spots in the mouth and throat; diarrhoea and vomiting. 3 to 4 days later, a red-brown spotty rash will appear. Usually this blotchy rash appears behind the ears, on the head and neck, before it spreads down the body and legs.
Children infected with Measles should not go to nursery or school and should avoid public places until the rash has faded and they are feeling better.
Don't Forget: Car safety
No matter how rushed you are, if you are taking a journey in a taxi, or if you are sharing a car with other people, never ever be tempted to carry your baby on your lap. Accidents can happen at any time. Always strap your baby into a car seat that is appropriate for their weight and height.
If your baby needs to travel in the front passenger seat, always make sure the airbags are turned off. Rear-facing baby seats position your baby's head very close to the dashboard, so if an active airbag inflated it could cause serious head or neck injuries.
THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR BABY THIS WEEK
Ways to Entertain Baby: Chatterbox
When you are chatting to your baby, leave gaps so that he can chat back to you. Repeat the babbling sounds your baby makes and he will learn to copy, repeating it back to you. Take a look at our Communicating With Your Baby section for ways to talk and listen to your baby.
ALL ABOUT YOU THIS WEEK
Your Body: The end of breastfeeding?
If you have been breastfeeding, you may now be considering weaning your baby to formula feeding. Giving up breastfeeding gradually is easier on your body. Stopping breastfeeding too suddenly can lead to engorgement, blocked ducts and mastitis - making your breasts swollen, hard and painful. Take a look at our Giving Up Breastfeeding article for advice on weaning to formula feeding and for ways to help relieve the pressure of engorged breasts.
Emotions: Stopping breastfeeding
It may surprise you to find that the decision to stop breastfeeding can be quite an emotional one, especially if you are not sure if you will have any more children. Nature is very clever and your emotional response is totally normal. Try not to rush the decision, make the change whenever it feels right for you and your baby. Be reassured that when you do stop breastfeeding, this doesn't mean you'll lose any of the bond you have with your baby, it is a natural part of your baby growing up.
Activities: Colleague catch-up
The thought of going back to work can feel a little bit daunting. It is totally natural to wonder what changes might have happened at work while you have been off on maternity leave. Even the most confident and ambitious women ask themselves "can I do it?" after months of focussing on changing nappies and sleepless nights. To help ease yourself back in, meet with a friendly colleague or your line manager for a catch-up coffee or lunch. This way you can find out what has been happening before your official start date so you feel well prepared for your first day.
