TWO WEEKS
Development
The first two weeks and through the first 2 months of life, your baby is making a transition from being a fetus to becoming a baby. This requires rapid adjustments of organ systems such as the heart, lungs, and especially the nervous system. As the baby discovers the world outside the womb, hearing and seeing may occur, but the baby at first is unable to interpret this new world. Learning, however, occurs rapidly. Your baby learns to know his parents by the way you handle and talk to him or her. At this age, automatic reflexes determine most infant movement. The startle, rooting, sucking, tonic neck, grasp, and blink reflexes can easily be seen and sometimes misinterpreted as movements "on purpose."
All newborns have fussy periods. When he or she is fussy, try distracting by handling, changing, turning over, or offering a feeding. Comfort her with your closeness. However, if you are busy and he doesn’t need feeding, changing, and has no physical needs that you can see, don’t be afraid to allow crying. Crying is very natural in a healthy baby as the baby is learning to communicate in his or her new world. Most of the time crying does not mean that the baby is hungry, mad, hurting or upset. It may mean he is bored and wants to make noise. It is important in your growing child to allow the baby to learn to entertain himself. Most babies in the first 2 weeks to 2 months of age have a 2-hour "crying period" which usually occurs in late afternoon. This may be completely natural.
Feeding
You can’t make him or her eat, sleep, or poop. Still we try. Most babies need to eat at 2-5 hour intervals. It is best to encourage your baby to complete a meal, and avoid "sipping and sleeping." A good rule of thumb is the baby knows best how much to eat. You are the best judge of what (breast or formula) and when (every 2-3 hours during the day and every 4-5 hours at night.) Elimination is unfortunately under the control of your child. If you expect daily bowel movements like "clockwork," you will be disappointed. What’s natural is what’s natural for your child. If, however, your child has hard, dry bowel movements, first add extra water (with an added tsp. of dark corn syrup) or a glycerin suppository. Otherwise, don’t interfere!
TWO MONTHS
Development
You will notice that nervous system development begins at the head and progresses to the feet. Your baby now will hold up his head, push her chest up, and smile and coo some. The eyes improve their ability to fix and focus on objects and bright light. Most babies learn to sleep through the night at this age, if they have been taught. Parents best teach their child to sleep at night by gradually lengthening feeding intervals at night, stimulating the baby mostly in the daytime, and avoiding over stimulation at night.
Feeding
The only food necessary for proper growth is formula or breast milk. Contrary to popular belief, cereal is not a sleeping pill for babies! Indeed, solids are harder to digest, may contain unnecessary calories, and introduce possible allergies to an immature child. Breast milk already contains enough iron. Formulas must have added iron so babies will not become anemic. Don’t worry. The amount of iron in formula is much less than in your "Pre-Natal Vitamins" and will not cause constipation.
FOUR MONTHS
Development
The baby will now begin drooling, cooing more, and chuckling out loud. He should hold his head up; she should reach for objects, and roll from stomach to back. The first accident usually is when the baby learns to roll over. Be careful as your baby makes the first attempts at getting into the world more.
Feeding
Breast or formula should continue to be the major source of nourishment. However, you can now bow to all that pressure and begin solids, if you like. There is still no requirement for solids. Indeed, nutrition experts agree that your baby will continue to be well nourished for the first year, if you only feed breast milk or formula. You might begin by diluting a tablespoon of dry rice cereal with milk and feeding. Offer it twice a day and thicken the consistency as your child learns to take it from a spoon. Avoid stuffing your child with an Infant Feeder or putting it in a bottle. A major reason to feed solids is to teach your baby new tasks, to include the spoon. As your baby accepts the cereal well, you may offer other cereals, then fruits and vegetables. Avoid mixtures and introducing more than one new food every few days. If your baby does not enjoy solid foods, don’t push it. Wait a couple of months and try again.
SIX MONTHS
Development
Now your baby begins to develop the nerves to the hips and legs, as he learns to sit. She will reach out with one hand, grasp and transfer from one hand to another. This is everyone’s favorite age. The baby becomes very sociable and smiles and laughs. He knows and relates to his parents, his food, and other familiar objects. He recognizes strangers and is not yet afraid of them. Some call this "the age of spoiling," but the baby has simply become wise enough to have opinions of his own. Parents will need to agree on policies for the baby’s general guidance and management. These guidelines will require firmness, decisiveness and consistency.
Sleep problems may develop at this age as the baby’s sleep pattern matures. Dreams begin to occur, as the baby spends less time in very deep sleep. This may be expressed as "night crying." Sometimes parents reinforce night crying by starting nighttime feedings again. It is best to place the baby in bed sleepy but awake. This way, many babies learn how to go back to sleep unassisted, when they reawaken later.
Teething usually occurs and most babies discover a new tooth by now. Beginning at 6 months, you will find 1-2 new teeth per month for the next 2 years. During these two years, babies will sometimes cry for many reasons and have fevers due to their many infections. However, it is tempting for many parents to "blame it on teething." A surprise is that dental experts say there is no reason why baby teeth should cause pain when they erupt. Teething is only an itchy sensation and responds best to chewing. Teething gels or powders are unnecessary. You should be careful not to explain away a baby who is sick and in pain by blaming fever and pain on the teeth.
Feeding
Continue breast or formula feedings. However, this is a good time to reflect on why you are giving your child that bottle. Don’t just give a bottle to quiet your child or put him to sleep with a bottle. Use the bottle for nourishment. Hold your child if she needs comfort. You may begin introducing the cup, but you will need to hold it.
Solid food from baby food jars is unnecessary. Strained foods aren’t even advisable, as your child needs to learn various textures. Successful parents have suggested the following tips:
- Use mashed cooked vegetables directly from your table.
- Feed ordinary flaked breakfast cereals after soaking in milk and mashing with a fork.
- Mash soft-boiled or scrambled eggs.
- Cut well-roasted meat across the grain and crumble it into fine shreds, mixing with gravy.
- Canned and pureed citrus and other fruits may be added
- Juices don’t have to be special baby juice.
NINE MONTHS
Development
As soon as the baby learns to sit or stand, you can forget lying down. He wants any object he can hold, mouth or bang. He can now vocalize well and begins to say DA-DA and MA-MA. She soon will become more mobile and learn to crawl, creep and walk. Interactive games such as peek-a-boo, chase, and bye-bye are fun. Amazingly, he learns to oppose the forefinger and thumb to grasp small objects like buttons, beans, crumbs and fuzz. She also learns to put these small objects in strange places in her body, mouth, noses, and ears among others.
Stranger awareness is typical of this age. Babies usually think "strangers" are anyone but mother. Psychologists say babies by this time have realized that they are separate persons from their mother. Fear of strangers continues their separation anxiety. Sleep patterns are usually well established by now. Your baby should be able to sleep alone and not require a bottle at night.
Feeding
Skill with the cup is increasing. Begin weaning by offering the cup more and more, and the baby’s natural thirst for new tasks will wean him without effort over the next 2-3 months. Most babies can eat directly from the table, taking care to avoid hard foods. Even without teeth babies can handle coarser foods and tender cooked vegetable and meat sticks. 16-30 ounces of milk or formula are still necessary.
Safety
The accident age starts at 9 months. Those probing fingers can place small objects in the mouth and airway. Falls, poisonings, and burns occur as the baby develops mobility faster than he can develop reasoning. Accidents kill more children at this age than all diseases put together. Try to anticipate accidents and prevent them by childproofing your home.
TWELVE MONTHS
Development
The progression of development from head to foot continues during the second year of life. This time the gross movements become more refined. Facial muscles allow subtle facial expressions. The baby can now control the tongue to learn many words and expressions including that dreaded word that you taught him..."NO." It is not too early to think about discipline. Make as few rules as you can get by with. Learn to enforce them consistently. Allow your child to begin making decisions that do not put him or your valuable property at risk. Better yet, put the valuable property beyond reach.
Feeding
If the baby is not weaned yet, set a definite goal of 2 weeks. Gradually decrease the bottle and offer more cups. While weaning from the breast is not as important, if you are ready, the same technique should work. There is no need to wean your breast baby to a bottle and then to a cup. It is natural for your child at this age to have less appetite. Never attempt force feedings. Remember, the baby is still the best judge of how much.
Safety
After you have childproofed the home, don’t forget the car. Safe driving habits and child-safety restraints save more children at this age than modern medicine! Use them. Every home medicine cabinet should contain Syrup of IPECAC, especially if you have a toddler. This over the counter preparation is an effective way to have your child vomit poisons and can be life-saving long before you get to the Emergency Room. Learn how to use it...1-2 Tablespoons for indicated poisons, followed by 2-3 glasses of warm water.
FIFTEEN MONTHS
Development
Your toddler is no longer a baby and should be encouraged to develop socially toward early childhood. It is natural for the developing child to try to control his environment to include his parents. The dreaded age of temper tantrums is here. She remembers that you responded best to screams as an infant. That is her primary tool to use to manipulate you and the environment. Your task is to teach that screaming is no longer an effective tool. Try to avoid giving in to screams. Teach that you respond best to smiles and laughter and you will help your child develop a very effective social tool. He responds best to that lesson when it is taught consistently in a stable environment. Always praise positive behavior and try to ignore unwanted behavior. Begin a "time-out" for screaming by telling your child he needs to rest in his room if the tantrum cannot be ignored. It is fair to enforce the time-out with a gate or closed door. Use a timer to set short periods, so that the timer, not you, is responsible for the length of time-out.
Feeding
Expect picky or streak eating habits. This is a natural stage and rarely causes malnutrition. Do not cater, but place a very small serving of the family’s food on the plate. If the child is uninterested, excuse her, but offer the covered plate when the child returns hungry. Avoid replacing the food with excess sweetened juices or milk. Vitamin pills or drops are rarely needed; the body uses vitamins best when obtained naturally as part of food. Be patient and use this technique and time to encourage a lifetime of good nutrition.
Safety
- Car restraints and safe driving habits: Use them.
- Poisons: Lock them up.
- Choking Foods: Avoid chewing gum, nuts, raw fruit, vegetables, and large chunks of meat.
EIGHTEEN MONTHS
Hopefully by now your toddler has successfully passed the temper tantrum stage. Don’t worry; relapses to this stage are common...even through adulthood! Generally, your baby at this age will be fearful of strangers. He may have quite a vocabulary of 25 or more words. Hold off, mom. He is still not ready for toilet training.
The average baby can now walk up steps, just not back down. That’s what parents are for...to catch! He scribbles, can name body parts (Where’s your nose, mouth, eyes, etc.), and takes off his clothes.
TWENTY-FOUR MONTHS
The big task for the 2 year-old is to get along with other 2 year-olds, as peer relations become important. If not in nursery school, a mother’s day out program weekly may be helpful to meet other children and adult caretakers. The first visit to the dentist should be planned before age 3.
He can now amaze Dad by throwing a ball, and actually carry on a conversation with Mom, using sentences. He can now draw lines, instead of scribbles, plays tag or chase, washes his hands, and can put on some of his clothes. Let him! It’s an excellent opportunity to teach responsibility and let him do it, by HIMSELF!
THREE YEAR OLDS
Finally he has learned to share...sometimes with his playmates. Don’t miss the chance to teach life-long safety habits: stay in the seat belt, stay in the fenced yard out of traffic, and learn how to swim.
She is now pedaling a tricycle or Big Wheel, can give both her names, knows colors, copies a circle, dresses, and doesn’t usually cry when separated from Mom.
OK, here it is...toilet training. If left to their own devices, most children have toilet trained themselves, girls by 2 ½ and boys by 3 years. It is our opinion that the toilet cannot be taught, but learned by imitation. Give your child a toilet seat that is convenient and comfortable. Undress him and let him sit on the seat after breakfast and dinner for 5-10 minutes, while you read to him. Eventually, praise him to high heaven for the accidental poop or pee in the seat and by the end of a week, he will be trained. If not, give up, wait a week and try again. Timed right, to correspond to the child’s physical, emotional, and social maturity, it should only take a week. If toilet training is excessive, the child may become confused, and refuse to void or defecate for weeks. It is better for children to soil or wet their diapers, than to not go at all.
