Baby Questions - Caring For Your Baby in the First Year Ebook

							Caring For Your Baby in the First Year
Development, Health, Diet and More
DISCLAIMER Note that the contents here are not presented from a medical practitioner, and that any and all health care planning should be made under the guidance of your own medical and health practitioners. The content within only presents an overview based upon research for educational purposes and does not replace medical advice from a practicing physician. Further, the information in this manual is provided "as is" and without warranties of any kind either express or implied. Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall the seller/distributor of this information be liable for any special or consequential damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, the information presented here.

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Pagina 1

CONTENT
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................... 3 THE TIME CAPSULE – 0-12 MONTHS AT THE SPEED OF LIFE! ............................................................ 5 GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH .......................................................................................................... 13 AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR BABY ................................................................................................. 20 HELP YOUR BABY LEARN AND THRIVE ............................................................................................... 33 SELF-NAVIGATION: CRAWLING AND FIRST STEPS ........................................................................... 37 SOLID FOODS ........................................................................................................................................... 39 CHILD PROOFING THE HOUSE ............................................................................................................... 44 WHEN TO CALL A DOCTOR .................................................................................................................... 47 HANDLING STRESS AND CHANGE ........................................................................................................ 49 SUPPORT AND ADVICE FROM FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY ............................................... 53 SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................. 55

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Introduction
You got through pregnancy, morning sickness, swollen ankles and more, and your little bundle of joy has just come into the world. Now, it is time to go home with your new son or daughter, and you find yourself at a loss. What can you expect in the first few weeks and months of your child’s life? Will you know how to handle the little problems that arise? Will you recognize normal development and behavior or panic over every small detail? Much of your parenting style will depend on your conscious decision to remain calm and to use your own judgment and intuition to get you through the next year or two. Once your child is talking, you can listen to them and understand whether they are in pain or having a problem. But, in the first year, you have to be Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Spock with a little of the Psychic Parent mixed in for good measure. Don’t worry! You will be fine! Even if this is your first child, you have learned much about life, about illness and about how to assess problems. You can use all of that knowledge to help you in your baby’s first year. So relax! In this book, you will learn about your baby’s first year of development, and what you will see and experience as your child grows. This is an exciting and miraculous time for you and your child, as your baby goes from a very dependent, wiggly little thing to a gurgling, laughing bundle of energy and locomotion that grabs and runs after every curious object in his domain. We’ll talk about nutrition and how your baby will develop at her own pace, and also when and how to talk to your doctor and what to expect. You’ll find out when your baby will need to visit the doctor and what immunization they will receive, how to feed your child and graduate to solid foods, how to handle sleep problems, fever, diaper rash, and more. Pagina 3

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After you finish reading this book, you can take all the things you’ve learned and combine them with your own life experience, natural wisdom and intuition to become a confident and engaged parent – one who can relax and enjoy the fleeting first year of your new baby’s life. And you certainly want to do that!

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The Time Capsule – 0-12 Months at the Speed of Life!
We will start here, because, we know you must have many questions about what to expect in the way of development and growth. Let’s start at square one. 0-3 Months From the first day of your baby’s life through the first three months, he is busy growing and learning, and you will see changes every day. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your behavior and actions as a parent don’t matter much at this point. Everything your baby does is a new effort and challenge for her and if you reinforce those things by talking to your child and getting involved in the process, you will encourage them to keep trying. In the first month of your child’s life, you will see a smile appear for the first time! Aunts and grandmothers may tell you it is just a reaction to gas bubbles, but you’ll know better. As your baby’s vision fuzzy vision disappears and he can see better, he will begin to recognize faces and respond to you and to others he sees every day. By the time your baby is a month old, he has mastered the art of focusing both of his eyes on one thing – as long as it is about 8-12 inches away from him, he can see it more clearly and practice his focusing skills. By the time he is two months old, he will be able to focus on your face and direct that smile right at you and you will feel like you are in heaven! All babies develop at a slightly different pace, so your baby may or may not be lifting their head and looking around during the first week or so. Her head will be wobbly and her arm and leg movements will seem erratic and strange. You will note that, as a newborn, your baby’s hands are curled into a loose ‘fist’, and if you insert your finger into his little hand, his grasp will be tight. But, as your baby adjusts to his new, larger environment and get used to being outside the womb, he will begin to stretch and flex his hands and limbs. These little exercises and physical movements help your baby to develop motor skills over time and to learn how to control their limbs and fingers. By the end of the first month, if you are watching carefully, you will notice more control when your baby lifts her head or moves her arms and legs. Pagina 5

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When your baby is about 4 weeks old, she will react to loud noises (e.g. if you drop something on the floor or bang a pot on the stove). Her arms and legs will jump and straighten in a startle reflex and she will blink and look concerned or wary. Other sounds approaching her crib (e.g. the sound of your shoes on the floor or a door closing or opening) will elicit a mild response. Somewhere between three and six weeks of age, your child will try to communicate and you will notice that her crying is different if she is hungry, if she is tired, or if she is in pain. She may pause and kick her feet a bit or wave her arms in anticipation, or she might stop sucking on a pacifier momentarily to assess the sound. At approximately 8 weeks of age, your child will start to open and flex her hands more and make attempts at grasping objects, and he will start to respond to your voice as a unique sound. By now he has learned to distinguish your voice from others and can tell when you are in the room. Your voice, and the voice of others he sees every day, will calm him when he is crying or upset, where other voices may have no effect on him at all! At two months, your child will also be more social, smiling in response to your smile, watching you move from one side of the crib to the other, gurgling and cooing when you talk to him or play with him. You may notice that his cooing sounds become more varied in tone as if he is trying to speak his own language and form actual words. His neck muscles are stronger and he can hold his neck up without wobbling too much as long as he is looking straight ahead. He likes to look at colors and shapes and seems to be studying them and trying to figure out the differences. At three months, your baby will be able to grab that rattle in her crib. She can lift her head and her chest when she is lying on her stomach. And you will see a PERSONALITY beginning to take shape. Her social skills are developing and she is much more interactive. Her routine is beginning to emerge and you can tell when she is tired, hungry and playful. Pagina 6

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She will probably go to sleep around the same time at night and wake up at about the same time every day. By the time your baby is a full three months old, he will reach for you for comfort, and can play for 10 minutes at a time in his crib or playpen without your attention or involvement. He likes to look at pictures, mirrors with his own image and mobiles above his crib, and he is already preparing to turn over by turning from his side onto his back. Within a short time, he will make the complete flip! Your child loves to look at his hands at this age. He will watch as he moves his hands and fingers, as if he isn’t sure he is the one moving them. This is all part of the learning experience and this process will soon help him develop his eye and hand coordination. You will notice that your child is anticipating things based on her previous experience. For example, she might reach out to be picked up when she knows it is time to be fed, or she might bend her knees toward her chest when you are about to change her diaper, or gurgle and coo when you put her coat on and she knows she is going outside. He is cooing and talking to himself and to anyone who will listen; practicing his verbal skills and watching and listening for your response. So you’ll want to talk to him a lot and encourage him to talk back.

4-6 Months This is an exciting phase. By the time your baby is 6 months old, he will be a selfstarter (probably crawling and crossing the room with little or no difficulty). But let’s start with the fourth month so you can witness the development in sequence. By the time your baby is four months old, she will have grown about 3-4 inches in length, and an average of 4-6 pounds in weight. Keep in mind that this is AVERAGE and it does not mean that your child has a problem if she hasn’t grown that much. If you have questions, of course, ask your doctor. Growth may slow a little at this stage, but it will pick up again and become more rapid when she is 8-9 months old. Pagina 7

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She will play with toys you give her and is cooing and babbling up a storm! At this early age your baby has significantly improved his balance and coordination by practice and determination. He has some control over his larger muscles and will roll over! He may even sit and balance himself with his hands on the floor on either side of his body. He will reach for things that are far away from him and he can hold objects for longer periods of time. At the four-month phase, your child’s brain is developing rapidly and her vision and senses are much better. She can associate what she smells or feels with what she sees and her vision is much better and clearer. She will put everything in her mouth to examine it and figure it out. She is a real social creature now, and loves to play and laugh with you and to snuggle in your arms or on your shoulder. She may even start to respond to her name when you call her. When your child is five months old, he will start to form and shape more sounds, as he works toward speaking his first words. These new sounds may be nonsense to you, but if you listen carefully, you will hear consonants (e.g. ‘ga’, ‘ba’). At six months, your baby is a wonder of whirling activity, passing her toys from one hand to another, holding her bottle and her rattle and using both hands to hold larger objects or objects that are harder to control. She is making more sounds and her syllables are clearer. She may even use these sounds to express different feelings and to let you know what she wants. If she wasn’t already sitting on her own earlier, she is probably doing so now and seems to have pretty good balance. She may already have started to crawl and while these first attempts may include a lot of rocking back and forth, followed by some crawling and then a flop or rest, her crawling will rapidly progress from stomach lurches (or belly crawls) to a point where she can support her own weight by crawling on her knees and hands. Then, watch out! She will cross the room in no time and you will wonder where she is going so fast! By 6 months your child will probably have doubled in weight, and the ‘soft spots’ (fontanels) on the top of her head will become smaller as they start to close. Your child will express feelings like happiness, anxiety, curiosity and anger, and he will demonstrate these feelings with facial expressions. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card

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As your baby passes his sixth month of life, he will show strong signs of emotional preference and bonding with parents and others who care for him. He may cry if he is approached by a stranger as opposed to someone he knows and he might turn away or hide his face. 7-9 Months At this age your baby’s vision is nearly as clear as adult vision. He can sit without toppling over or losing balance and he can crawl consistently using his hands, knees and feet. He may even be pulling himself up using the edge of a table or chair, so watch for things he might pull down onto himself or for light tables or things that may fall over when he tries to use them to pull himself up. Your baby can recognize the sound of your voice, your touch and the image of your face and he shows distinct preference for you and others who are regular caregivers. He has recall and memory of these things and knows that people and objects are permanent, and he waits for them to reappear. Because they no longer think you have disappeared when you hide behind the end of the crib or behind your hands, they now love to play ‘hide and seek’ and will wait anxiously for you to come out of hiding. If your baby has not already started to pull herself up by holding onto things, she will probably do so by 9 months of age. Once she is comfortable with that process and she has some balance she will try to take a step or two, still holding onto the table or chair for balance. While your baby will still want to put every object into her mouth, now she can examine toys and other things with her hands too, and she will pick up objects to examine them. Your baby’s babbling has taken on even more shape and meaning. Within a few months, he will say his first word. Right now, he is practicing and coming as close to real language as his new skills will allow. His mother skills are much better, and he will soon master the critical ‘thumb and forefinger’ grip.

10-12 Months Pagina 9

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The rate of growth will start to increase again around this age. By the time your child is 10-12 months old, he will have tripled his birth weight. Sometime around the 10th month, the fontanels (soft spots) in his skull will begin to grow together more rapidly to form the solid skull. This process can take up to 9 months to complete so don’t become concerned if your baby reaches 12 months of age and there is still a soft spot in his head. Your child will become less sensitive to strangers as these months pass but he will still have a preference for those he knows well. He will become more curious and interested in his environment and since he can now crawl and may even be able to pull himself up and take a few steps, he will quickly learn that he can explore the world around him on a whim, so watch him carefully. He is no longer a ‘blob’ you can place on a blanket. If you don’t watch him carefully, he will be in the other room before you know it. By now, your child can probably understands the word ‘no’ and she can respond to your commands to wave goodbye or go to another person by putting her arms out. If you tell her to put down her toy, she knows what you mean. She has graduated from control of the large muscles to the ability to control smaller muscles in her hands, as her brain continues to develop and integrate her senses and her motor skills. She knows she is the one controlling her world now! She may still put things in her mouth to explore them, but she is just as likely to hold an object in her hand and study it seriously. Ever since your child has discovered that she can get around the room by holding onto tables and chairs, she has spent hours testing her balance and developing muscle strength by exploring the room and holding onto the nearest coffee table or end table. Only about 50% of children will walk by 12 months, but most will begin to walk by 14 months, so watch your little one for signs. At first, she will try to walk on tiptoe, but she will rapidly learn how to balance on the balls and heels of her feet, although she will fall at lot trying out her new balancing skills. You will also notice that your child’s curiosity extends to those drawers, doors and cabinets you are always opening and closing and that, if given the chance, they will happily explore these enclosures. Be sure you have ‘baby safe’ closers on cabinet doors under sinks to protect your child. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card Pagina 10

We’ll talk more about child safety later. At 12 months of age, your child understands a lot more words than they can say, but within months they will begin saying words you may or may not understand at first. At a year old, they may already be saying the most common words like ‘dada’ and ‘mama’. ‘Dada’ is an easier word for little lips and mouths to form! So, Moms, don’t be upset if your little one says ‘Dada’ before he says YOUR name. By this age, your child knows his own name and he will look at other family members and may point at them if you call their name. He will try to talk to you in a stream of unintelligible words that have real inflection and tone. You may not recognize the words, but you will know from the conversation whether he is upset or happy. She will carefully observe your behavior and the behavior of others to watch how you act when things go wrong, so be sure to remain calm and don’t discipline by yelling, or you will be teaching them bad habits at a young age. By the time she is 12 months old, your baby will have grown to about 28 inches in length. By 12 months, your child has mastered the ‘thumb and forefinger’ grasp – that most critical motor skill that separates us from other mammals. She can pick up and examine objects using her thumb and forefinger to grasp the item, and she can pass it easily from hand to hand. In his high chair, your baby is probably trying to feed himself small things (like Cheerios) and may or may not be missing his mouth, but he is getting the hang of it. At this age, he might want to try to feed himself with a spoon and while he may fail at the effort, you should feel free to let him try. The attention span of a one-year old is about 2-4 minutes, and he can sit and play quietly for that period of time, but is likely to want to become active and explore very soon after he sits down to play, so be sure to put him in a playpen if you are not watching him every moment. He will take a toy from you and give you a toy to play with him. He likes to push, pull, throw and knock things around as he tests his newfound muscle control and strength. You can put him in a playpen with blocks or shape sorters and he will have a ball! Pagina 11

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At a friend’s house, he is happy to play with pots and pans or various sizes of plastic containers he can stack and put inside one another, and he loves to bang things around, so be prepared for loud noises! At around 12 months, your child may begin to resist naps. If you keep her on a regular routine for naps and meals and bedtime, this will help. Well, there you have it. A quick capsule version of the first 12 months of your baby’s life. Your baby will grow rapidly during his first year of life and your doctor will measure progress in motor skills and growth and ability every time you take your baby in for a well-baby check-up. If you have questions or concerns, ask your doctor. But, remember that all babies grow and develop on their own timetable, so if your child is 6 months old, don’t try to compare her to another 6 month old. The best thing to do to ensure that your child will is healthy during this critical developmental time is to feed him the rights foods. You should also make sure he gets plenty of sleep and exercise (as his abilities warrant) and spend a lot of time talking to him and holding him and interacting with him so that you challenge those developing neurons and synapses in his brain. Just because your child can’t talk yet, doesn’t mean he isn’t learning language by listening to you. Just because he isn’t ready to walk, doesn’t mean he can’t strengthen his muscles and balance by playing, stretching and trying out his new body. Left to his own devices, he is a curious bundle of experimentation and new skills. All you have to do is encourage him and watch him grow.

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Guidelines for Good Health
There are a number of aspects to maintaining your baby’s good health. Two major factors: Nutrition, and Doctor Visits, are of obvious concern to new parents. There are also some not-so-obvious factors like encouraging development and challenging your child, and those that involve monitoring and watching your child for certain things and being ready to address issues when they appear. We’ll get to those later on, but for now, let’s start with the obvious. Nutrition Soon after your baby is born, she is likely to lose a bit of weight. This is normal. You will see a return to your baby’s birth weight by around 1-2 weeks of age. After that, your child should gain weight consistently. To thrive, your baby will need either breast milk or formula during the first four to six months. Whether you choose to nurse or to feed your baby formula has a lot to do with the support you get from your doctor and your family and from your own preferences. You should not feel like you are letting your baby down if you do not nurse. Nursing mothers love the bonding process and babies get lots of immune support from breast milk, but if you are not suited for this process, your baby will not suffer on formula. In fact, if you are taking certain medications, if you are HIV positive or if you have hepatitis C, you will not be able to nurse. If you ARE going to nurse, your pediatrician may suggest some liquid supplements to give your baby fluoride and other minerals and vitamins although not all doctors feel this is necessary. Once you start nursing, you may wonder if your baby is getting enough nutrition, and whether your breast milk is doing the job so your baby can grow and thrive. It is natural to wonder about this, but you should not be worried. Very few mothers have problems providing their child with enough nutritional support. Look for a steady weight gain starting within two weeks after birth. If your baby is eating as often as most newborns do (every 2-3 hours) you should be fine. When your child is about 2-3 months old, he will go longer stretches without nursing and will reduce his nursing sessions from 8-12 per day down to about 6-8 per day. Pagina 13

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You might notice that your baby wants to eat more and more often when he is going through a growth spurt (often at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months). Through the miracle of the nursing process, your body will step up production to meet your baby’s demands, so don’t worry that you will run short of milk. Your baby’s energy needs are significant during the first year of life. He is growing and needs lots of ‘fuel’ to sustain his development. If you are going to feed your baby formula, you should talk to your pediatrician about what is best. There are a number of choices and all are fine, unless your baby has allergies, in which case you may end up with soy formula. If you are nursing your baby and have to stop for some reason, you will want to speak to your pediatrician about formula options if your baby is not old enough to digest whole milk. There are special formulas available for premature babies, so ask your doctor about those if appropriate. The three main formula choices are:  Cow’s milk formula  Protein formula  Soy based formula  Cow’s Milk Formula - Formula made from cow’s milk is altered to make it more digestible for little stomachs. About half the calories in this formula are from fat, and the formula is full of energy for your baby. Fatty acids in the formula, mimic breast milk to help build a healthy brain and central nervous system.  Giving your new baby cow’s milk from the carton or bottle is not the same as a cow’s milk formula. Newborns and young babies are not equipped to digest whole milk in its pure form and cow’s milk formula is specially formulated to come as close to breast milk as possible.  Protein Formula – This kind of formula is usually prescribed by your pediatrician if your family history includes lactose intolerance or a sensitivity to milk products. It is more costly than regular formula, but it is less likely to cause allergic reactions in your child because the protein is ‘pre digested’ (broken down to a point where it is easier for your child’s digestive tract to process). Pagina 14

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 Soy Based Formula – Another option for children who are allergic to cow’s milk products is a soy formula. If your baby is on a cow’s milk formula and is having symptoms that include cramping, diarrhea or excessive gas, your doctor may suggest a soy product. Some children are sensitive to formula and for them, breast-feeding may be the solution that will avoid the fussing, and cramping associated with formula consumption. If your baby exhibits signs of frequent diarrhea or vomiting, or develops a rash or cramping after eating, you should talk to your doctor.

What NOT to Give your New Baby Babies usually like water and in small amounts, water is fine. Do not you’re your young child juice until your doctor says you may start to supplement his diet. Juices can be hard on a child’s digestive tract and may cause allergic reactions. While you may think that a diet of breast milk or formula is boring, it is all your baby needs for the first few months. Do not feed your young baby anything with honey and corn syrup. These products can contain high bacteria content and your child may be at risk for botulism. OF COURSE, you should never give a child under 12 months of age anything that is hard like nuts or carrots, or anything that may stick in his throat like a hot dog. Some mothers will nurse for a full year while others will begin to introduce solid foods around six months. Your doctor can advise you on when your child is ready for solids and on how to introduce them into the diet. We’ll talk a little more about that process later.

Check-Ups and Immunization In this section, we will talk about regularly scheduled doctor’s visits and what to expect during these visits. And we will talk about standard immunizations your child will receive to protect her from contagious diseases and disorders. Later, we will talk about when to call your doctor if your child has severe health problems or injuries. Pagina 15

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Regular Check-Ups – As a rule, your pediatrician will always check certain things when your baby comes in for a check-up. These include:  Measurements of length, weight and head circumference.  Examination of the fontanels on the skull to monitor the head as these soft spots grow together.  Checking the ears for fluid or infection.  Checking the eyes for blocked tear ducts, and to be sure that your baby’s vision is progressing normally.  Check your baby's suck reflex by placing a finger or pacifier in her mouth.  Look inside the mouth to be sure that your baby has no signs of infection or problems.  Check the skin for rashes and for skin tone to be sure he does not have jaundice. This condition is common in young infants and, while it may require treatment, it is nothing to be alarmed about.  Monitor your baby’s ‘belly button’ for the first few visits to be sure that the site where the umbilical cord was previously attached is healing well.  Check your baby's heart and lungs listening for irregularity in heart rhythm, and breathing problems.  Check your baby’s abdomen to be sure there is no tenderness, and that the organs are not enlarged, and that there is no evidence of hernia.  Check your baby’s legs and the movement and flexibility of muscles, ligaments and joints.  Check your baby’s genitalia for abnormality, and be sure there is no weakness in the abdominal wall.  Check with you to be sure that the baby is sleeping, eating and progressing normally at home. The table below represents the standard, regularly scheduled check-ups recommended by most pediatricians, and the immunizations you can expect during these visits. Depending on your child’s health and developmental needs, your doctor may recommend other appointments as well. Pagina 16

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And, of course, if your child becomes ill in between visits, you should call and consult your physician. Check-Up While still in the hospital 2-4 weeks 2 months Exam and/or Immunization Hepatitis B Exam Exam and diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (known as DTaP), Haemophilus influenza (Hib), Hepatitis B (if NOT administered while your baby was still in the hospital), Polio (IPV), Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) Exam and second round of diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (known as DtaP), Haemophilus influenza (Hib), Hepatitis B, Polio (IPV), Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) Exam and third round of diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (known as DtaP), Haemophilus influenza (Hib), Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) – polio and hepatitis B are optional and may be administered now or at any time between 6 and 18 months of age. Exam and blood test to measure iron levels in baby’s blood stream. TB test may also be administered. Exam and measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR), varicella (chicken pox), Haemophilus influenza (Hib) Flu vaccine if recommended by your doctor

4 months

6 months

9 months

12 months

Fall of each year

As a new parent, you may have heard conflicting opinions about whether vaccines and immunizations are necessary for your child. Let’s talk a bit about the immunization process. Your child will receive 12 vaccines from the time she is born through age 18. Some vaccines are given more than once in periodic doses. ‘Booster’ shots for things like tetanus and pertussis are required to ‘renew’ the immunity, since these types of immunization vaccines do not last a lifetime. Before pediatricians began administering these vaccines to infants, many children were susceptible to and succumbed to diseases or infections they could not fight because their immune system was not yet strong enough to stave off a serious illness.

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Pagina 17

Vaccines provide an immunity to disease that is as strong as the immunity your child would get from contracting and successfully fighting that disease, so your baby is well protected from diseases like polio and diphtheria. The reason a vaccine will give your baby the same immunity they would build if they had survived the actual disease is that the vaccine contains small, very weak, amount of the actual bacterial strain that causes the disease. By introducing this small amount into your child’s system, your child’s immune system can recognize and learn to fight this strain without having to encounter the full-blown version of the disease. If and when they are ever exposed to the disease itself, their immune system will know what to do to combat the germs and bacteria that cause the disease. Infant mortality has significantly decreased since the practice of childhood immunizations began. There are some parents who prefer not to have their children immunized, believing that the vaccines may be unnecessary or harmful in and of themselves. This is, of course, a personal decision but if you are considering this direction, you should talk seriously with your doctor so that you understand the tradeoffs. Keep in mind that if you live in the United States and plan to send your child to public or private schools (rather than home schooling) you will be required to show proof of immunization before your child can start school. Many states recognize exceptions for religious beliefs but few will allow an exception for any other reason. Occasionally, your doctor will recommend that you postpone an immunization if your child has a virus or is ill. In that event, your doctor will tell you when to visit her office to catch up on these immunizations. If your child has a cold, your doctor will usually not ask you to postpone an appointment for an immunization. Sometimes a child will have a reaction to a vaccine, which may include a low-grade fever or some redness or soreness around the site of the injection or in the muscle where the injection is administered. This reaction is common and not considered serious. Your doctor may recommend baby aspirin and cold compresses. Rarely does a child have a serious reaction to a vaccine. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card Pagina 18

If your child has had an immunization injection and has problems breathing or begins to display neurological problems, call your doctor right away and get your child to an emergency room. If you are planning to travel to a foreign country with your baby, be sure to talk to your doctor about any required immunizations that are specific to that country. Here is a government website link you may find helpful as you consider your baby’s immunization requirements. http://www.cdc.gov/nip/menus/vaccines.htm

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Pagina 19

An Instruction Manual for Baby
Here you will find a potpourri of helpful information that doesn’t fit into any neat category but is important to help you confidently care for your child during her first year of life. Here, you will find information on diaper rash, how to feed your baby, how to address sleep problems and more. In short, this section contains miscellaneous information that will help you care for, and understand, your baby during these critical months of development. Since we just finished talking about immunization, let’s start with the topic of helping your child manage the stress of getting a shot. Dealing with Injections and Shots - Your baby will learn about shots very quickly and he will probably dislike them! It is important for you to establish a calming routine and a sense of trust about this process. Even an infant, who is unable to express his distress in words, can become anxious under these circumstances. If YOU are anxious to nervous about his immunization, he will sense that. So, it is important for you to remain calm and take some deep breaths. Speak calmly and soothingly to your child and keep them relaxed. When your child is older, you will talk to them about the process and, without lying or coaxing, let them know that they will feel a pinch but it will be over soon and that the medicine they are getting is going to keep them safe and well so that they don’t get sick. But, when your child is so young, what can you do to mitigate the stress? You can bring a favorite toy or blanket with you and if your doctor will let you hold your baby during the injection, you can hold her gently and speak soothingly to her, or distract her by cooing and talking to her. She can drink from her bottle or hold a favorite rattle. Because babies do not have a long-term recall of these events, your child is not likely to react to the doctor’s office until they are 10 months or older. And even then, they are usually reacting to the strange environment more than the upcoming injection. When they get to be about 3 years old, they WILL remember and react to these visits, so it is important that you establish a process for dealing with this stress early in your child’s life and stick with that process. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card

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If you do, your child will know how to handle these situations by the time they are old enough to anticipate that next doctor’s visit. Remember that the way YOU act gives your child the cue for how THEY should act. So, remain calm and treat immunizations are routine and natural. Be sure you keep your baby is comfortable by talking to them or distracting them or giving them a favorite stuffed animal, a bottle or something else to comfort them. As they get older, you can continue this process by telling them what is going to happen when they go to the doctor. Even if they are unhappy about what they are going to face, it is better than lying to them. If you lie to them to get them to the office, they will not trust you when you in the future. If they understand that they will feel a little discomfort for a short time, and then it will be over, they will be better prepared for the situation in the future. Taking Your Baby’s Temperature - If your baby’s skin is warm to the touch or he seems listless or cranky, he may have a temperature. When you take your baby’s temperature, you may be using a rectal thermometer or you may use the new technology (the ear thermometer). That choice depends on your baby’s age. In any case, you will NOT be using an oral thermometer, because infants and newborns are not able to hold a thermometer in their mouth. If your baby is under three months old, the most dependable way of taking his temperature is by rectal thermometer. You CAN place the thermometer under your baby’s armpit, but the results of that measurement are not usually as reliable as taking his temperature, rectally. Your doctor can show you how to take your baby’s temperature if you feel you need instruction. It is not as difficult as it may seem! The old-fashioned mercury thermometers are not recommended by doctors anymore. Instead, you can buy a digital rectal thermometer. Read the instructions carefully to be sure that you understand how to use the thermometer and how that particular thermometer will signal that it has finished measuring your baby’s temperature. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card

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Some of these digital thermometers have plastic sleeves you can put over the tip and then throw away after every use. You can lubricate the tip of the thermometer with a little Vaseline so that slides into the rectum easily. The easiest way to take your child’s temperature rectally is to place your child face down on your lap or on a changing table, although some parents still prefer the old method of placing the baby on her back and raising her knees as if you were going to change her diaper. Whatever method you find comfortable, is fine! GENTLY insert the thermometer into the rectum, no more than one inch. If you feel resistance, stop pushing and leave the thermometer where it is until it signals that it has finished the measurement process Do not leave your child unattended while you are taking her temperature. Stay with your child and hold the thermometer in place, without pushing on it. It is not uncomfortable for your baby, and if you talk to him and distract him, he will be happy to lie quietly until you are finished. If your baby’s rectal temperature is 100.4 or higher, you should call your doctor immediately. If your baby is 3 months of age or older, you can continue to use the rectal thermometer, or you can graduate and use an ear thermometer. These thermometers are easy and fast to use and measures the tympanic temperature inside the ear. These are electronic thermometers that take the temperature quickly and will ‘beep’ or flash when they reach the measured body temperature. If you purchase an ear thermometer, you will pay a lot more for it than you will for a digital rectal thermometer, but they are certainly worth having for their convenience, although the most reliable method of taking a baby’s temperature is rectally. To take a baby’s temperature by ear, you will want to read the instructions on the thermometer you buy to find out how it will signal you when it has finished (flashing screen, beep or series of beeps and to review the illustrations so you understand where to place the thermometer within the ear. Pagina 22

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Most devices simply require you to hold the protrusion on the measuring device against your child’s ear on the inner surface (NOT DEEP inside the ear canal). If your child’s temperature by ear measurement is 101 or higher, you should call your doctor. Other thermometers you may see in the stores include: Plastic strips you press against your baby’s forehead and pacifier thermometers. Neither of these is as reliable as an ear thermometer or certainly a rectal thermometer. When your child is about 4 years old, you will be able to use an oral thermometer to take her temperature. Until then, you should use one of the methods we have described above. Remember, no matter what method you use to take your child’s temperature, NEVER leave your child unattended with a thermometer! Most babies will run a temperature occasionally and their bodies are well equipped to handle this, under normal circumstances. If your baby’s temperature is HIGH or persistent, or if your child doesn’t respond to medication to reduce a fever, OR if your child has a persistent headache, is very listless or is having seizures, you should seek immediate medical attention. A Word About Diaper Rash – Your baby will probably wear diapers for two or more years and during that time, she is bound to get a case of diaper rash. Sometimes it is caused by extreme heat or the fact that you couldn’t change your baby’s diaper as soon as you should because of mitigating circumstances.

Sometimes it just happens! Some babies are more sensitive to sitting in a soiled diaper and some have more resistance. Some babies get diaper rash because of food allergies. Nursing babies can sometimes get diaper rash from something in your milk - if you have eaten something very strong or spicy. It is not an earth-shattering event! But, it IS painful for your baby to endure, so you’ll want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Pagina 23

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Diaper rash can be a mild, pinkish rash or it can occur as a very red, severe rash with breaks in the skin that appear near the creases in your baby’s legs. You cannot always avoid diaper rash, but you can make it less likely your baby will have diaper rash. Keep your baby’s bottom dry and clean. Change his diapers as often as necessary and if the weather is very hot and humid, be sure that you thoroughly dry his bottom before diapering him again so that you don’t trap moisture in the clean diaper. If your baby has a very severe rash, you can place him on a diaper and let him lie on his stomach in the playpen or on your chest for a while to dry out the rash thoroughly. The diaper will capture urine and still leave your baby’s bottom exposed to the healing air for a few minutes. Use powder to keep your baby’s bottom dry inside the diaper and if your child has a diaper rash, ask your doctor to recommend a diaper rash cream. IF the rash is open and very red, do not use very strong rash creams that may burn her skin, and avoid alcohol wipes until the rash has healed, because those will sting your baby’s sensitive skin. Until the rash severe clears or begins to heal, you can use a warm, damp washcloth to clean your baby rather than the standard ‘baby wipes’. Your Baby’s Sleep Habits - If you are staying at home to take care of your baby, your newborn naptimes will be a welcome respite for you to get some well-deserved sleep. And if you are a sleep-deprived parent who is trying to get your baby on a ‘sleep through the night’ routine, you can probably USE this extra rest! As your baby gets closer to her first birthday, she may resist her naps, but her growing body and mind can still use the rest. Even if she fusses at naptime or bedtime, you should try to stick with the schedule she has been following. She is likely to fall asleep after a brief period of resistance. Newborns need about 16 hours of sleep per day but they usually only sleep in short spells (2-3 hours) though SOME babies will sleep through the night on the first day they come home from the hospital. You need to assess your own child and let them establish a routine. It may seem as if there IS not routine for a few weeks, but if you are patient, you will see a pattern emerge. And, as your child gets a bit older and she can go longer between feeding sessions, she will naturally sleep for longer periods. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card

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The average 3-month old can sleep as long as five hours at a stretch and by the time she is six, your child may be sleeping 8-10 hours at night. So, be patient! That parental sleep deprivation period DOES pass and there will come a day when you will arrive at work looking refreshed instead of haggard and drawn! There are a few things you can try to get your baby on a solid sleep schedule. Just remember that your baby WILL need to eat more often for the first couple of months, so you are not likely to get her to sleep through the night until she is a bit older! Here are some hints for getting your baby on a good sleep schedule:  Your baby needs regular naps but you should keep them short. If your baby is sleeping for hours at a time during the day, she is less likely to sleep through the night.  Be sure that you take some time to let your baby wind down before a nap or before bed at night. Don’t engage him in exciting play or surround him with chaos. Reading, soothing lullabies, a warm bath or just a calm environment will help get him in the mood to rest.  By the same token, when your baby IS awake and energetic, be sure she gets enough stimulation and exercise so that she is ready to sleep when it is TIME to sleep.  Try to follow a routine with nap and bedtime. If there is a pattern, your baby will pick up the cues more easily and know that she is headed toward bed in a certain period of time. Whether you take the time to read, sing or cuddle with your baby or whether you always bathe your baby before bed, she will soon learn that this is leading up to sleep time and she will adjust.  Try not to keep changing your child’s bed or naptime. There are bound to be occasions where her schedule will be disrupted, but limit those if you can. That way, your baby’s body and brain will get used to a certain cycle of hours and it will be easier to get her to sleep when it is time.  You don’t have to wait until your baby is asleep before you take him to his bed. If he is drowsy and calm and ready for bed, put him in bed awake. He will get used to going to sleep on his own.  Don’t run to check on the first whimper or sign of fussing. Let your baby grumble and fuss while he is getting into his favorite position and readying for sleep. If your baby is crying hard or seems to be uncomfortable or in pain, be sure he isn’t sick and that he doesn’t need a diaper change. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card Pagina 25

 If you hear your baby stirring or fussing in the middle of the night, give him a chance to get back to sleep before you go running into his room. If you are feeding your child in the middle of the night, don’t turn on all the lights and energize him or wake him up fully. Speak softly and calmly and keep the lights low so that you baby will go back to sleep. You don’t want him thinking it is time to get up and go!  Some parents use a pacifier so that their child will be able to use her suck reflex and remain calm and sleepy. Pacifiers help your child to settle down, but when they are very small and cannot get the pacifier back in their mouth on their own, they may wake up fussing. We’ll talk a little more about the advisability of pacifiers in a minute. If you have tried everything and your child just seems to be nocturnal, you may have to accept that for now. Eventually, they will begin to sleep through the night, but their natural routine for now may include more hours of wakefulness at night. If your baby is six months old or older and still isn’t sleeping well at night, you should talk to your doctor and see if she can make any other suggestions. Making Meal Time a Good Time – Feed your baby when he is hungry. Don’t try to put him on an artificial schedule. As he gets older, he will eat more in one sitting and he will eat less often. In the beginning, he will want to eat every two or three hours. If you are nursing, you are ready and able whenever your child is ready to eat. If you are feeding your child formula, try to anticipate his next meal based on the schedule he seems to prefer, and start to get the formula ready in advance so he isn’t screaming with hunger by the time you feed him. Mealtime for infants is a chance to bond with your child. Before she is ready to hold her own bottle, you can cuddle her and talk to her and help her develop an understanding of language as you nurture her emotional needs. Eventually, she will be able to hold her own bottle but that doesn’t mean you can’t still share mealtime with her. Many parents find this time with their child to be precious and they do not give it up early. Don’t prop your baby’s bottle up and leave her unattended while she is eating. If she is not yet able to hold a bottle on her own and she begins to cough or choke, she may have a problem while you are out of the room. If you are heating a bottle for your baby, remember that microwaves will not heat evenly and the bottle may seem warm, but there may be ‘hot spots’. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card Pagina 26

Use warm water to warm the liquid in the bottle or, if you are using a microwave, use it very sparingly and loosen the top and shake the liquid to mix it up before you test it with your finger, just to be sure that it is not too hot for your baby to consume. Don’t be too quick to shove a bottle in your child’s mouth if it isn’t time to eat on their regular schedule. If they are crying, it may be for some other reason. Listen to your child’s cry. You will soon learn to tell the difference between hunger, fatigue, pain or just plain crankiness! Let your child decide when to stop eating. She won’t be as hungry from one feeding to the next. So, if she turns away from the nipple or the bottle, don’t force her to eat more. Let her appetite dictate how much she eats. It is a good idea to ‘burp’ your baby and relieve the gas bubbles he gets from sucking in little bits of air. Typically, you can stop feeding your child and burp them half way through the feeding session, and then resume feeding again, and burp them when they are finished eating. This process makes it less likely that your child will spit up after he is fed, but some babies seem to spit up a little anyway. Don’t worry too much about how much your baby eats, or often he eats or whether he is getting enough food. After the first two weeks of your baby’s life, he should be growing consistently and if he is, you are certainly providing enough nutrition. Relax and let your baby dictate what he needs. If you have any concerns, of course, talk to your doctor about his eating habits. Don't worry about how much, how often and how regularly your baby eats. As long as he or she grows normally and spends more time contented than fussy, you can assume that you're meeting your baby's basic nutritional needs. The Teething Blues – All parents hate to see their children in pain. And teething is definitely a difficult process. Teething can start as early as three months of age and will continue off and on until your child is a toddler – around age 3. Most children begin to ‘cut their teeth’ around four to seven months. The front teeth on the bottom are the ones that come in first.

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A month or two after that, you will see the upper front teeth appear, followed by the teeth on either side of the bottom front teeth. On rare occasions, a child is actually born with teeth and these will come through the gum within a week or two of birth. It is likely that the first teeth your child cuts will come as a surprise. You may notice that your child is drooling or that he has started to chew on everything he puts in his mouth. He may be a bit feverish, have a runny nose or seem cranky and he may change his eating schedule or wake up in the middle of the night. Teething alone will not cause a high fever, so if your baby’s temperature is significantly elevated, you should contact your doctor. To make your child more comfortable while she is teething you should keep her face dry from drool so that she doesn’t get a rash or cracked skin around her mouth. And give her something to chew on. You can buy rubber or plastic teething rings at any baby store or pharmacy and some can be frozen. Stay away from the ones with liquid inside as they can wear thin and break. If you decide to freeze the ring, instead of just putting it into the refrigerator, be sure you take it out of the freezer before it is too solid for your baby to chew. As long as the ring is cool or frozen, it will feel good on your baby’s gums. If you wish, you can just put a wet baby washcloth in the freezer and let her chew on the edge of that for a while. Never leave your child alone with any object that they can put in their mouth or swallow. And don’t give your child a hard piece of food or a ‘makeshift’ teething apparatus to chew on. Use only those tested for safety and approved for pediatric use. Never tie a teething ring, pacifier or anything else around your baby’s neck. Your local pharmacy also has small tubes of gel that are designed to be rubbed directly onto your child’s gum at the site of discomfort. These are numbing agents and can be used sparingly to give your child relief, especially when she is unable to sleep because of teething. Always wash your hands thoroughly before you put your finger in your baby’s mouth.

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Don’t overuse these numbing gels, or you can numb the tissue around the tooth and the cheeks, making it hard for your baby to chew and swallow. Follow the dose and frequency prescribed on the tube, or by your doctor. If your child is still very uncomfortable, you can call your doctor and ask if you can give a dose of baby aspirin or other pain reliever. As your baby’s teeth become more plentiful and your baby gets to be about 9 or 10 months old, you can buy a baby-safe, soft toothbrush and get your child used to having his teeth cleaned at an early age. This cleaning will also help to prevent early tooth decay from residual formula or juices that may stay in your baby’s mouth after they eat. Be careful not to push the brush too far into the baby’s mouth, or you might trigger their gag reflex. Your dentist can show you how to brush your baby’s teeth so that you can establish a good start for your child’s dental care. Pacifiers – Good or Bad? - Babies like to suck. It is that reflex that ensures they will get the food they need to grow and thrive. Ultrasound tests done during a mother’s pregnancy often reveal babies sucking on fingers in the womb. Your baby uses the suck reflex to calm and comfort himself as well. And so, the pacifier was born. You don’t feed your child 24 hours a day and you don’t want your child to get used to sucking their thumb or fingers, so the pacifier seems like a good option. However, there are parents and pediatricians who do not like this option! You should know that the American Academy of Pediatrics has decided that babies up to 12 months old do just fine with pacifiers. The naysayers believe that this can become a habit that is hard to break, but the proponents of pacifiers will tell you that it is easier to take away a pacifier when it is time for your child to ‘quit’ than it is to take away a thumb that is attached to their bodies. And in fact there is research to support the idea that children who use pacifiers give up the pacifier and adjust to life without sucking much sooner than children who suck their thumbs. In fact, thumb sucking during sleep can continue for years into childhood!

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Let’s jump into the debate and you can decide for yourself if the pacifier is for you: The Positive Side
Pacifiers are calming. A pacifier can be used to keep the baby calm while you prepare a bottle, or until you can nurse. They are also great to quiet a child during an immunization or when they are cranky. Babies may go to sleep more easily with a pacifier and stay asleep longer. Babies who use pacifiers for naps and bedtime are at a reduced risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). When you are ready to break your child of a pacifier, you can throw it away (unlike your child’s thumb).

The Negative Side
Using a pacifier early on can hamper the baby’s adjustment to nursing, because babies suck on a bottle or pacifier differently than they suck on a breast. Babies become dependent on the pacifier to sleep and may cry if they lose the pacifier at night and are unable to get it back into their mouth. Babies who use pacifiers may have more ear infections (though ear infections are not common in children under 6 months of age). It may be hard to break your baby of using a pacifier.

If you decide to use a pacifier, we have some recommendations on when and how to use them: You SHOULD
Wait until your baby your baby is at least four weeks old and has established a good nursing routine if you are breast-feeding. THEN you can introduce the pacifier. Investigate the brand and model of pacifier you want to buy to be sure that cannot break into pieces or come apart. Buy back-up pacifiers so that if you lose one, you will not be caught short.

You SHOULD NOT
Force your baby to take the pacifier. If he isn’t interested, forget it.

Keep your baby’s pacifier clean. You can wash it in a mixture of vinegar and water and then rinse it thoroughly. Some pacifiers are also dishwasher safe. Try other ways to calm your child instead of always using the pacifier. She may need changing or a bit of attention. Pacifiers are fine in their place, but they do not take the place of parental attention. Judge when your child is ready to stop using the pacifier (most children will stop between age 2 and 4 if you don’t stop them before that).

Use a pacifier that has started to crack or tear. Small pieces can break off and become a choking hazard. Tie your baby’s pacifier around his neck. Pacifier clips with straps are fine, but choose one that is NOT long enough to get wrapped around your baby’s neck. Offer the pacifier as a replacement to feeding your child. You can calm him temporarily while you prepare to feed him, but using the pacifier instead of feeding is not a wise decision. If your child is hungry, feed him! Pop the pacifier back into your baby’s mouth whether they seem to need it or not. If your baby’s pacifier falls out while they are sleeping, let them sleep without it. Torture your child when it is time to stop using the pacifier. Don’t tell your child you LOST the pacifier or that someone stole it. Make a game out of the process of quitting and show them you are proud of them as they move on to bigger and better things. Expect that they may backslide a few times before they break the habit.

Remember that the decision to use or not to use a pacifier is entirely up to you. Don’t feel guilty if you do or do not choose to use one, and don’t let others tell you what works for YOUR child. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card Pagina 30

Separation Does Not Have to be Torture! – As your child gets older, she may be somewhat afraid of strangers. This usually passes by the time they are a year old. She may also suffer from ‘separation anxiety’. This is normal. Almost every child goes through a period where they are afraid to be left by a parent. They have become so attached to you and to the security they feel when they are with you and it is hard for them to let you go to work or to leave them at daycare or at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Understand that this is a natural evolution and that they will be fine. You know you are leaving your child in good hands or you would not be leaving them, right? There are a few things you can do to help your child along until she gets comfortable with the idea that you will be back to get her and that she is not being abandoned by the person she loves the most. If you are leaving your child with a caregiver, ask them to get to your house a little early, or if you are leaving your child at another person’s house, YOU should plan to get there a bit early. Spend a little time with your child in that environment without walking out the door as soon as you drop your child off, or as soon as your babysitter arrives. Talk with your sitter, and go about your normal activities. Do not act as if it is a big deal that you are leaving and do not make the child feel as if YOU are upset about leaving them. Give them a kiss and a hug and let them know when you will be back or when you are picking them up. If they are too young to understand the concept of time, you can still let them know you will be back later. Every daycare worker and caregiver will tell you that your child usually stops crying within a few minutes after you leave because they have forgotten their misery by playing with a favorite toy. The more independent your child is, the less wrenching your departure will be. If they understand that you are coming right back when you leave the room for a minute, they get more comfortable with the idea of your being away from them. They KNOW you will come back soon! Don’t follow your child with every step he takes. Let him pull himself up and move around the room while you sit in a chair and watch him. You don’t have to stand behind him. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card

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When you leave the room and he is in the playpen or crib, you can talk to him from the hallway and let him know that you are still there. The idea is to get your child comfortable and confident. You aren’t going to leave your baby alone to get into trouble, but you can give him some independence and let him know you are still there to watch over him and guide him. This balance will translate well into those times when you have to leave your baby with a caregiver to go to work or attend to errands. If your baby learns that you are going to come back to him when you have finished what you are doing, he is much less likely to throw a tantrum and make you feel guilty when you leave him at Grandma’s for the day.

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Help Your Baby Learn and Thrive
This new little person in your life can really benefit from your involvement in her development. Studies prove that babies who experience more interactive play and challenges will thrive and learn faster than their counterparts who spend a lot of time playing alone in their crib. If you want your baby to achieve his potential for intelligence, independence and development, there are lots of things you can do to help them learn by playing and interaction with others. Here are some ideas: Talk to Your Baby – Many parents think that, if their baby is not yet talking, there is no point in talking TO them. But, when your child hears you talking, he learns the cadence and rhythm of language, and he learns the difference between a calm tone and an anxious tone and how they relate to your facial expression and your body language. As he hears the sounds, he will mimic them and eventually create his own nonsense language as he progresses toward saying that first word. When you talk to your baby, you will eventually hear him talking back, and although you might not understand his words, you can have an exchange – or a conversation – just the same! Ask your baby questions and answer his babbles and gurgles. Talk about what you see and point to objects around the house, using words to describe their color and what the object does. If your baby expresses an interest in something – like a doll or stuffed animal – talk to him about that, as well. Though you may feel that your child does not understand, by the age of 6 months, your child has learned the sounds and shapes of most common words, even though he say the words yet. You can count the cars in front of your house as you walk her in her stroller, and name the colors of the cars. You can tell her the names of the things you buy at the store, and read to her from a book with pictures of animals, shapes, numbers or colors, naming them as you go. Pagina 33

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Make up Games – As your baby gets older and you progress from hide-and-seek, you can make up other games. For example, you might make up a game to make the sounds of a certain animal and point to a picture of the animal in a book. You can mimic the motion or sounds of things around you like the train your child sees on TV or the dog barking in the movie. Play games that encourage motor skills, like patty-cake or games where you touch your child’s nose and then ask her to find and touch YOUR nose. Clear the living room or bedroom floor and make a path between pillows or blankets and then encourage your child to crawl through the little maze you have created. As she gets older and has more motor control, give your child stacking blocks or shape sorters, and plastic containers or pots and pans for play. In the tub, make sure he has plenty of tub toys to inspire his experimentation and play. That is how he learns. Reading and Singing to Baby – Your baby learns about sound and words as you read and sing to her. Even though your child will not understand the words you read or sing in the beginning, this process will help her learn about language and the bonding and quiet time you spend together will nourish her emotionally. Choose washable fabric books, books with texture and lots of color, for young babies, and read with lots of expression in your voice, changing your voice for different characters and making the sounds of the objects in the books (‘choo-choo’ for a train, ‘bang-bang’ for a hammer)

As your child gets older, you can point to the cow and give it a name, and then ask your baby to find the cow. Eventually she will surprise you with the correct response! Teach Through Repetition – Babies learn well through repetition. The more times you do something with them, the more confidence they gain in their abilities. So play that one last game of ‘peek a boo’ and let your child build and knock down the blocks as many times as he likes until playtime is over. As your child gets older you will find that they want to hear the same book or song over and over again. You may become bored with it, but they are trying their wings at learning and if something stimulates them, you won’t want to discourage them. Teach Your Child About Limits and Control – Babies don’t understand ‘no’ at first, but they will learn. Pagina 34

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They will also learn about the limits of things you do not want them do and this is important for their safety and for appropriate behavior. Say ‘no’ firmly and tell them why the behavior is not appropriate. Your 12 month old has a very limited attention span, but she is capable of understanding right and wrong if you take the time to teach her. Sometimes she will get frustrated when she is trying to do something and it isn’t working. So, watch carefully to see what is upsetting her and then try to help her work through the frustration so she can learn that there are solutions to a problem and she does not need to throw a tantrum. As you enter the exciting world of baby’s first year of development you will be told many things by many people. You will hear WHEN your child should walk or talk and what is normal. Trust your instincts and your doctor and talk to your pediatrician if you have a concern. But remember that every child is different and that growth and developmental charts are averages. If your child walks a little late or talks a little early it doesn’t mean much in the long run, so don’t get upset. Most babies are naturally curious and have a natural tendency to want to get up and go as soon as their bodies allow them to crawl and walk. Let your baby set his own pace! If your baby was born prematurely, it will take him some time to catch up to his counterparts, but he will do so. Be patient and ask your doctor what to expect in this regard. If your child is getting older and does not WANT to try to roll over, or sit or crawl by a reasonable age, or if she is not responding to sounds or trying to reach for things and explore, you should talk to your doctor. You can gauge the average age for these activities by reviewing the information we provided above in the section entitled ‘The Time Capsule’, but remember that these are ‘averages’ and should not be taken verbatim. During each well-baby visit, your doctor will examine your child and ask you questions about their development. Be sure you tell your doctor what your baby is doing at home and the new skills they have developed since the last visit. Pagina 35

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And tell him about any concerns you may have about your child’s progress or lack of progress.

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Self-Navigation: Crawling and First Steps
Like other developmental activities, crawling and walking are things your baby will do when SHE is ready – not on anyone else’s timetable. While many babies crawl by six or seven months and walk by twelve or fourteen months, your doctor will look for other signs that your baby is developing normally and if everything else seems fine, your doctor will tell you not to worry about these milestones. When your baby is ready, he will take off! At nine to twelve months of age, most babies are getting around somehow. They may be crawling on hands and knees or pulling themselves up using tables or chairs and cautiously finding their way around the living room. Because your baby’s vision is clearer and better by now, he may be attracted by an object he sees on the other side of the room, and he’ll want to get there to explore it as fast as he can. When you play with your baby, you will notice that they can stand on your lap or on a chair and that they are flexing and springing their legs to make them stronger. You can help them do this by holding them under their armpits and allowing them to bounce and play. If you have a walker, your child will happily push himself around the floor using the newfound strength in his legs to propel him. Be wary of ‘push toys’ at a young age because your child may not have the balance to remain standing while using these and if she loses her balance she can fall onto the toy or a nearby table and hurt herself. If you are trying out these toys, be sure to stay right by your child while she is using the toy until you see how she can balance. As you and your child gain more confidence about his skills, you can stand back a little and let him test his skills. Make sure the area your child is toddling in is safe and free from loose cords or things he can pull down on himself while he is moving around the room. Be sure there are no loose edges or fringes on rugs and that there is nothing to trip him up. And if you have end tables or coffee tables he will use to guide himself around the room, be sure the tables are sturdy and can handle his weight if he pushes on them for balance. Pagina 37

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Babies WILL fall as they practice their balance and walking skills, so get used to that idea. Usually your baby will fall on his bottom and he has plenty of padding there, so you needn’t worry about his getting hurt. If he falls and is startled and begins to cry, don’t overreact. Watch to see what he does. If you call to him from the other side of the room and encourage him, telling him he can get up and try again, he probably will. If he is really upset or hurt, check him for bruises or bumps and take appropriate action, but remain calm. If your baby gets the idea that his adventures are dangerous, and that YOU get upset if he takes a tumble, he is likely to overreact as well. Babies are pretty sturdy little creatures and can generally take little bumps and bruises in stride. As your baby begins to take his first steps without support, you can encourage him by positioning yourself a few steps away and holding out your arms for him to take a step or two. You can also let him ‘walk’ by holding his hands and arms to steady him. He will rapidly progress from walking on tiptoe, to walking on the balls and heels of his feet, and he will have achieved his goal. Remember that it will be some time before your baby’s balance is dependable, so you will need to watch her carefully as she strikes out on her own.

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Solid Foods
Some nursing mothers do not introduce solid foods until their baby is 9-12 months old. In most cases, your pediatrician will advise that you can start adding some solid foods to breast milk or formula diets around 6 months of age. If you try to introduce solids to your baby’s diet too early – say at 3 or 4 months of age – you will find that your baby will push the food back out of his mouth. This reflex protects your baby from choking, until he is ready to handle solids. Around the time that your baby can sit with some balance and hold up her head, you can consider introducing foods other than formula or breast milk. The first signs that your baby may be ready for solids may also include more frequent cries for food in between feedings. If breast milk or formula are no longer enough to keep your baby satisfied, you may want to talk to your doctor about introducing solids. Most babies will continue to nurse or eat formula for a few months, in addition to the first small amounts of solid foods they consume. If your baby is opening his mouth in anticipation of the food and closing his mouth over the spoon and if he is swallowing the food without choking, he is definitely ready for that solid food meal! If your family history includes food allergies, or if your baby was born prematurely, your doctor may suggest that you postpone solids for a while. Because your baby is not yet equipped to chew things that are solid, you will start with foods like baby cereals (hot cereals that include iron supplements). Never feed your baby cereal in a bottle. The sucking and swallowing reflex is different for eating versus drinking and your baby can choke on small chunks of cereal or have problems swallowing the thicker cereal through a nipple. You will introduce one food at a time so that, if your baby has a food allergy, you can easily determine what is causing the problem. At first, your baby will eat a mixture that is looser and contains more liquid (typically one teaspoon of a rice cereal mixed with five or 6 teaspoons of breast milk, formula or water). Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card

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Don’t be surprised if your baby spits and smacks his lips when you first try to feed him. Remember that this is a new experience for him and it will take a couple of tries before he gets the hang of things. If your baby expresses NO interest in the solid food after you have made a few attempts to feed him a meal, don’t force the issue. Continue nursing or feeding your child formula and talk to your doctor about when to try solids again. As she gets older, you can feed your baby cereal or foods with a thicker consistency. Your doctor will give you a list of the things your infant can eat as she progresses. Baby foods include strained vegetables and fruits and other nutritional components. We’ll talk about these in a moment. You will discover that your baby has preferences for certain tastes and at this point, you may encounter your first stalemate over foods. Your child may LOVE the pears you give him but he may turn up his nose at the strained peas. Introducing new foods to your baby’s diet is done gradually and, as your child’s motor skills and development progress, she will eventually graduate to finger foods. By the time your baby is 12 months old, you will be mashing or dicing table foods to add to his diet. Of course, you should not give him anything that is spicy or hard to digest, so you must carefully choose the things you want to introduce. Before we move on to the next section of the book, here are some hints on how and when to introduce various foods. Remember that these recommendations are based on ‘averages’ and your baby may be a bit ahead or behind in age as she graduates to the next level of food intake. 4-6 months This is the first milestone at which your doctor MAY suggest that you introduce solids. You will have to judge your own baby and make that decision based on whether they seem to be getting hungry in between feedings and whether they seem ready to accept and swallow solid foods. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card

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At this stage, you will feed your infant using a mixture with more liquid. One or two teaspoons of iron-fortified rice cereal, once or twice a day is all your infant will need. 7-9 months Your doctor may suggest you graduate to soft foods like baby food in jars – strained vegetables and fruits are usually first. Prepared baby food is healthy and contains no salt or sugar so you don’t need to be shy about buying these foods, especially if you want to throw a portion into a diaper bag to take on the road. If you are feeding your child food that comes in a jar, DO NOT feed them directly out of the jar, as the saliva from the spoon you dip back into the jar will likely contain bacteria and germs from your child’s mouth. However, you CAN make your own pureed vegetables or fruits in a blender if you prefer to go that route. You can also feed your child applesauce or mashed potatoes or applesauce and, if you have a meat grinder available – even ground chicken or meat. You can feed your baby about 3 tablespoons of these foods, 2-3 times a day. Talk to your doctor about introducing juices at this point. If you are going to do so, limit juice intake to no more than 6 oz, and give it to your baby only after he has mastered the art of holding his ‘sippy cup’. If your baby is not yet able to hold the cup, you may want to hold off giving your child juice. Juice in a bottle can cause early cavities. At this age, your baby is becoming more aware of her environment and she can see more clearly, so distractions may become a problem while she is eating. Try to avoid a lot of activity or chaos in the room while you are feeding your baby, and allow plenty of time for her to finish her meal (at least 20 minutes with play time included), so that she is not rushed. 10-12 months As your baby seems ready to take on the next phase of eating, you can introduce small finger foods and some table foods. DO NOT give your baby large chunks of things like hot dogs, grapes, popcorn, nuts, peanut butter, or carrots because these can cause choking. Keep everything small. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card Pagina 41

Babies love to play with and eat cheerios and other similar sized foods, so you can put them on their high chair feeding tray and let them eat at their leisure. Of course, you should not leave your baby alone while they are eating. If you are introducing table foods, be sure they are chopped or diced to an appropriate size and that they are not heavily spiced or undercooked. Your baby can eat little bits of soft cheese, small pieces of graham crackers, small pieces of apples or pears or bananas. You can also feed her small pieces of fully cooked, soft pastas, and soft meats like tuna fish packed in water, or little pieces of chicken or other meats. By the time he is 11 or 12 months old, he will probably want to eat three times a day, and he will decide how much he’d like. Remember not to OVERFEED your child or insist that they finish what you give them. Let him decide how hungry he is at each sitting. Sometime around this age, if not before, your child will be ready to use a baby cup or ‘sippy cup’ – a cup with handles on either side and a small ‘slit’ in the front from which your baby can drink small amounts of liquid. At this point, you can introduce the juices we were talking about earlier. DO NOT give your child a sippy cup to use when she is lying down, or she will choke on the liquid. You can also give her formula or breast milk from the cup, which will help her to make a psychological distinction between the taste and the bottle or breast and may help in weaning later. Allowing your child to take small pieces of food off her high chair tray and feed herself will also help her graduate to feeding herself with a spoon within the next few months. You can give your child a baby spoon to hold in one hand while you feed him. At first he will probably bang his spoon on the high chair tray but eventually, he may enjoy trying to get food onto the spoon and feed himself. Remember, when your baby is finished eating, do not force him to finish the food you have prepared. Before we finish this section, one note of caution. Pagina 42

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At NO TIME PRIOR TO ONE YEAR OF AGE should you feed your child any of the following foods:  Vegetables that are preserved by using a home canning process, because these can contain spores or botulism and are unsafe for infants.  Foods with nitrates like salami or other cold cuts, and hot dogs, because nitrates can cause blood disorders in infants.  Honey, because it can contain spores or botulism.  Nuts, because an infant cannot digest these.  Cow’s milk, because your child may have an allergic reaction and can be at risk for developing anemia if you give it to your baby to replace breast milk or formula.

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Child Proofing the House
Now that your baby is moving around on his own, she will want to explore cabinets, doors, and stairs, among other things. As your child gets older and understands the concept of ‘right and wrong’ you can teach them not to touch breakable items or other things you may not want damaged, or which may be a danger to them. But, in the beginning, you will need to ‘child proof’ your house to keep your baby safe. Here are some recommendations: Put safety ‘plugs’ in electrical outlets that are not in use, so tiny fingers do not go exploring there. You can find these at any discount store, baby store, pharmacy or hardware store. Install ‘child locks’ on cabinet doors where you store cleaning fluids or chemicals and any cabinets you do not want your baby to explore. Install baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs and keep a portable spring-loaded baby gate on hand to block your child from going from room to room. Look at the furniture in rooms where your baby will be testing out crawling or walking skills and be sure there is nothing with sharp edges or breakable items that they can pull over or on which they may hit their heads. Move plants above baby level so they don’t play with or eat the dirt or pull off leaves. These leaves may be poisonous to baby or at the very least, make her sick if she eats them. Place floor lamps behind furniture where baby cannot get to them and pull them over. Do not leave standing water in a baby pool, a bathtub or a large pot. Pick up what you drop on the floor – staples, pins and other small objects will always be attractive and your baby will want to put those in his mouth. Do not put fans or heaters on the floor where baby can reach them. Do not place hot drinks on low tables where your baby might tip them over. Do not store knives or cutting implements at a level where your baby can reach them. Pagina 44

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Put drawer stops on your drawers if they are low and you do not want your baby to open them. In general, you may want to place your baby’s toys or books in drawers that are THIS low (under beds or in built in entertainment units) so that they can explore those areas without danger. DO NOT place lit cigarettes or cigars in ashtrays that are low enough for baby to reach them. You should not be smoking around your child as a rule but if you are in a house where others are smoking and you cannot avoid this scenario, at least be sure that these items are kept well out baby’s reach. Put electrical wires under carpeting or behind furniture where your baby cannot find them and pull on them. Keep your water temperature set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Fasten cords for blinds and drapery above where your child can reach them. Do not leave loose change, small knives or scissors on low tables where you child can find them. Store alcohol, medication, sunscreen, lighter fluid and pesticides well out of reach. If you have radiators or a fireplace in your house, place a barrier around them so that your child does not get burned. Remove crib bumpers once your child gets mobile and can pull himself up in his crib. Be sure you have ground fault protectors on the outlets in your kitchen and bathroom. These will ensure that power to that outlet is turned off if an appliance or device falls comes into contact with water. Make sure all shelving, small standalone cabinets, dressers, changing tables and entertainment centers are secured and cannot be pulled over. Lastly, as a precaution, always keep activated charcoal or a bottle of Ipecac (which you can get at your local pharmacy) on hand. If your child swallows a chemical or dangerous substance, call your doctor or an emergency room before you give your child either of these remedies. If a medical professional tells you to administer this remedy follow her instructions and then take your child to an emergency room immediately for attention. Remember that your child is learning very quickly and that, as she gets old enough to understand, you will want to teach her what she is allowed to touch and what she should leave alone. If you do not make this leap, you will find yourself living in a ‘child proof’ world forever. Get a Free $250 Baby Gift Card Pagina 45

Ultimately, children should be able to see objects of interest and understand that they are not to touch, break or play with them. Your child may not be fully compliant by 12 months, but you can certainly begin to teach this lesson as early as 6 months as your baby becomes mobile, and they WILL grasp it over time.

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When to Call a Doctor
We talked earlier about when your baby will visit the doctor for ‘well baby’ check-ups. You may have a concern about when you should call your doctor to discuss a problem or a possible emergency. As a new parent, your first few months may be filled with anxious observation, looking for problems or sickness. Relax and understand that, in most cases, your baby will TELL you when something is wrong. If you are concerned or worried, of course, you should always call your doctor to talk to her about your concerns. There is no point in losing sleep over what may be a minor issue. And you will LEARN when you should be concerned, as you get more experience as a parent. So, for now, trust your instincts and do what you feel is right. It is always better to err on the side of caution if you are not sure. If your baby is sick or in pain he might:                Fuss or cry more Seem listless (without energy) and disinterested in playing Continue crying for 2 hours when you try to calm him Feel warm and dry to the touch Suddenly stop responding to loud noises or to sound Pull up his knees as if he has stomach cramps Vomit Have diarrhea or constipation Persistently bothered by teething and gum pain Have a minor cut or bruise or bump that does not appear to be healing Display a persistent appetite or sleeping pattern change for more than a day or two Shows signs of dehydration (like dry lips, the appearance of a ‘sunken’ soft spot, or failure to urinate for more than 6 hours) Cough, or sneeze persistently or pull on her ears Have a rash or redness on his body or around the umbilical cord site Have swelling or discharge or redness around the eyes

Any and all of these things is cause for a conversation with a doctor, but most of them are not signs of an emergency. If you think of health or developmentally related questions, write them down and talk to your doctor about these when you go in for well-baby check-ups.

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In an emergency, you will want to take your child to an emergency room or call 911 (if you do not have someone to ride with you to the emergency room so you can care for your child on the way). ALWAYS treat the following symptoms or injuries as an emergency and get medical assistance for your baby right away!            Seizures Unresponsiveness, lethargy or significant listlessness Difficulty in breathing Ingestion of poison or chemical Significant Bleeding or an injury or cut that needs stitches A significant head injury with or without bruising or bump A fall down the stairs or from a significant height A high fever (100.4 or over rectally and 101 or over by ear thermometer) Inability or problems moving limbs Choking Paralysis

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Handling Stress and Change
As a new parent, you are going through a lot of changes. Changes to your schedule and your sleep patterns, the emotional roller coaster of living with a new infant and feeling less than confident about your parenting skills, and the ongoing demands of your job, family and life, all contribute to your stress. The sleep deprivation will pass but for now you are feeling less than capable of handling any new problem. Here are some tips to handle the most common stressors: What to do when Baby Cries – Most of the time your baby is crying because she is hungry, tired or wet. After you have addressed all of these concerns, you may find that your baby continues to cry and that nothing you do will stop his wailing. Perhaps your baby needs a change of scenery to distract her. You can take her for a walk in her stroller, or just around the yard or the house. Maybe she needs to change her position in the crib or playpen. Maybe there is too much confusion in the room or too much noise. Maybe she is feeling a little warm or seems to be coming down with something. You’ll need to check all those things, too. But, what if you have checked EVERYTHING, tried rocking her and walking the floor with her and she is STILL CRYING? The first rule is to stay calm. If you are anxious or upset, your baby will sense that and he will just get more upset. Take a deep breath and consciously relax. Crying is annoying, and it gets under your skin after awhile, but it has never killed anyone to our knowledge, so you can probably take it for a few more minutes. If you have been at this for a while (30 minutes or more) you probably need a break. If someone else can take the child, give your baby to your spouse or another adult and go to another part of the house or take a 5-minute walk. If you are alone and you really need a break, put the baby in his crib or playpen and leave the room. Take a few minutes to regroup, call a friend or (if your baby has been crying for more than 2 hrs) CALL YOUR DOCTOR. Pagina 49

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You will be better able to cope with your child’s crying if you have a minute to yourself to think about what else you can do and to take the pressure off. Don’t leave your child crying for hours on end, and NEVER shake or hit your child if he is crying. If you feel you are about to lose your temper, put your baby in his crib or playpen and walk away until you can regain control. If the crying does not taper off or stop within a reasonable time (an hour or two) you need to call your doctor and see if he has any other suggestions or if he wants to see your child. If you think your child is sick, be sure you take his temperature before you call your doctor, and check him thoroughly so that if he is sick, you can tell your doctor his symptoms. General Stress and Strain or Parenting – You are probably not getting the sleep you did before your baby is born, so be sure to take naps when your child naps, if you can, so that you will be refreshed and ready to deal with your baby’s needs when she wakes up. Trade off getting up at night to feed your bottle-fed child, or have your husband go get the baby to bring him to you when he wants to be nursed at night. Some mothers allow the baby to nurse and doze and will get up and put their baby back to bed when they are ready. Talk to your doctor and get his advice about this, as opinions do conflict about nursing baby in bed. It is important to take breaks, as well. Accept babysitting offers from family and friends, even if it is just an hour or two for you to get out of the house and go shopping or go to the gym alone. When you feel stressed, sit down for a moment, take a deep breath and relax your shoulders. Breathe deeply and close your eyes and concentrate on something you find relaxing or beautiful. That short break will give you renewed energy. Take care of yourself. Eat right and try to get exercise. If you can’t get to the gym anymore, you can still buy a video and work out in your living room while your baby is playing in the playpen, or you can buy a home gym apparatus. Stay in touch with friends and make dates to have them over for coffee or to go out and have someone watch the baby for an hour. OR, you can take the baby with you in a stroller and meet your friends at a shopping center for a visit. Pagina 50

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Don’t worry about keeping your house neat as a pin. This isn’t the time to be super human. If you can’t vacuum and dust every day, let it go. Be flexible. Your health and the health of your newborn are more important than a clean house. Be patient about getting on a schedule. It will take awhile before your baby sets his schedule and once he does, you’ll have a better idea of when you can get phone calls made while he is sleeping or when you can plan to sit down and read a few pages of your favorite book. Until then, be patient and flexible. You WILL get your life back when you all get used to each other! Schedule visits with family so that people aren’t dropping in on you all the time and your baby’s schedule is not disrupted. When someone comes to visit, don’t be afraid to have them help you fold laundry or to let them hold and feed the baby if they would like to do so. Every little break will help you and it will make your baby more comfortable with strangers. Tell others how you feel. Don’t try to be super dad or super mom. If you are frustrated or tired, let others know. You may even want to join a support group for new parents. Tell your spouse if you need more help with the baby. Don’t take it all on yourself. Remember that this baby belongs to both of you. If your spouse is not home during the day to help you, ask them to do laundry, mix formula, bathe the baby at night or read to them to spend more time with them. It is important for both of you to bond with your new baby anyway, so these are all logical requests. If you are a single parent, reach out to your family and friends and try to get some help so that you don’t have to do this alone. If you are feeling depressed or unable to cope, talk to your doctor about support groups and options. If you find that your baby’s crying or behavior is making you angry or frustrated, you should seek help before you lash out in anger and hurt your child. Pagina 51

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‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ can cause fatal neck and brain injuries. If you DO lose control and shake or hit your child, tell your health care professional what happened. They will be better able to help your child in an emergency if they know the real story. As a new parent, the most important thing is to be patient with yourself and your newborn. It will take time for you to get used to each other and although your life will never be the same as it was before your baby was born, you will find ways to regain your independence and a little time for yourself. Take a look at the links we have provided here. You may find it helpful to participate in online forums or groups where you can get advice and feedback from other parents and share information with other new parents who are going through the same changes. http://parents.berkeley.edu/ http://forums.parenthood.com/

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Support and Advice from Family, Friends and Community
You probably already know that your friends and family will not hesitate to give you advice – you probably got all you could handle and more while you were pregnant! Still, it is important to have support and a network of people on whom you can depend. Advice From Others - When it comes to advice, you can buy all the books and listen to the tapes and advice, but you must feel confident in your own abilities as a parent. Ask questions and opinions and do what feels right for you. If you have a particularly stubborn relative or friend who insists on telling you what to do every day. Let them know that you appreciate their advice and tell them that while you are hearing a lot of advice from a lot of people, you are trying to establish your own preferences and approach. If that doesn’t stop them from intruding, you may have to thank them politely and then firmly tell them that you are feeling pretty confident that your approach is the right one for you and your baby – then change the subject. Eventually, they will get the hint! As you grow more confident about your parenting skills, you may not mind the advice and the intrusion so much and you may find yourself asking your mother-in-law how she handled the introduction of solid foods to HER children. Remember that people love to tell you stories of their experiences and to share their ideas and, even if you are not going to use anything they tell you, sometimes it is interesting to hear another perspective. If you are open to advice or desperately seeking all the information you can get, listen to what everyone tells you, sort through the conflicting opinions and consider your own style and the personality and development of your baby – and THEN decide what to do. Remember, at the end of the day, YOU are raising this child. Time Off, Help and Support – You may have friends, neighbors, co-workers and relatives wrangling to get their hands on that cute little baby of yours. If you need some help and support, and if you are comfortable that the person offering his or her services knows how to care for an infant, don’t be afraid to take the offer. Whether the offer involves dropping off a home-cooked meal so you don’t have to make dinner or baby sitting your child so you can run an errand, or holding your child during a visit, consider putting aside your pride and accepting that well-deserved rest. Pagina 53

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As your child grows older, you are not likely to find people as willing to wash clothes, cook meals or baby sit – so take advantage of these offers while they last! It will give you a much-needed break. If you are staying home to care for your infant and you don’t have a lot of family or you are new to the neighborhood you can ask your doctor about certified daycare programs. Or, you can look in the yellow pages to get information on day care programs that allow per diem clients so you can get out for the day and know that your baby is safe. Or look for baby play date programs that will get you and your child out and in touch with other new moms and babies. If you feel you need more training and support as a new parent, look in your community bulletins or call the town hall to find out about parenting classes or support groups.

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Summary
At last, we have come to the end of the book and it is time for you to put all of these new lessons into practice. Remember that your intuition and instincts will serve you well as a parent, so don’t ignore that little voice in your head! Let your child tell you what she needs. Even though a newborn can’t talk, they come equipped with plenty of bells and whistles and they will fuss, cry or squawk at you if they need something. Be patient and flexible and have faith that you will learn how to navigate in this new life and eventually regain your independence. If you have concerns, talk to your doctor. Don’t lose sleep or worry needlessly. Babies are much more resilient than they may seem at first glance and, for the most part, nature has given them all the instincts and skills they need to develop. It just takes time! And time is what you need to enjoy your little one. Pay attention! Because that first year of your baby's life passes quickly, and there is a lot to see and enjoy. You will watch in awe as he makes his first attempts to talk, the first time he holds a rattle in his hand, the first smile you see on your baby’s face, the first time she manages to get a morsel of food in her own mouth and the first steps she takes! You will want to take a lot of pictures and to capture all those ‘firsts’ in a baby book. We leave you with a link to one such book (though there are many from which to choose) where you can capture every magical moment for future review. You AND your child will enjoy looking back on these moments and remembering the beginning of your journey together as parent and child. And what a journey it is!

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