While the fond parents and relatives will no doubt deluge a new baby will all kinds of toys, he really won’t be ready to play with any of them for several months. New babies cannot use their hands to pick up rattles or teddies – or anything else. It is only as they grow older that they develop such skills. However some toys such as musical mobiles will attract their attention and they will enjoy listening to these and watching them move while they are still quite young. Once they suddenly find out they have hands and can grasp things, holding a small object such as a light rattle will help them to develop small motor skills. Read More
How to Discourage Bad Habits – Climbing and Throwing
Some babies are climbers no matter how many times they are scolded and lifted down from the back of the sofa or the front gate. Baby must be provided with a safe place to play, but learning how to climb and get down safely will probably be better than constantly scolding him and lifting him down as he will end up doing it all the more just to get the attention. Read More
Keeping Baby Safe in the Home – Crawling
It won’t seem long before that helpless little bundle of joy that you brought home from the hospital is crawling around the home, investigating all that he can see and touch. Many parents feel that even precious goods should be left within baby’s reach so that he can learn not to touch them. This is not fair to baby or parents. Read More
Social Interaction with Other Babies
Generally, babies don’t want to play with other babies. If they play it is mostly with a parent. That is not to say that they should have no interaction with other babies and children. Babies and toddlers will learn how to do things by watching others do them. And having a certain amount of safe interaction with others helps them to be more social later on. Read More
Teaching Baby to Feed Himself
Most babies want to try and feed themselves before too long. A toddler’s natural curiosity will make him want to hold a spoon and imitate the movements his mother makes with it. At first he will usually miss his mouth and may wipe food in his hair or ears, but parents should not stress about this messy time. The more baby is allowed to do it, the quicker he will learn the skill of actually getting that spoon into his mouth. Read More
When to Start Potty Training
Some people don’t train their little ones to go on the potty until they are three. But even though it seems like a hassle at the time, children can be taught this skill much earlier. A little child who can learn to feed himself, walk and talk can certainly learn to go on the potty when necessary. And just think of all the money you will save in buying nappies or pull-ups. Read More
Playtime in the Bath
As baby gets older he will begin to love his bath. If the room is kept warm there is no reason why he should not be allowed a little extra time to splash around and enjoy the sensation of water on his skin and freedom from clothing. Eventually he will like to play with toys in the bath. However, no baby should be left in the bath without someone responsible being there to hold and watch him. Read More
Keeping Baby Warm – and Cool
When you first bring your new baby home from the hospital it is important to keep him warm. The hospital may have had really warm heating turned on and so baby was quite comfortable in a vest and nappy, with just a light cotton wrap over him. But most homes are not so warm. Read More
Cleansing Delicate Areas
All of baby’s skin is delicate, but some of it is even more so and needs extra care. The folds under the arm should be tended to carefully and only patted dry after the bath, not rubbed. Under the neck is a delicate area and is often prone to rash due to baby’s dribbling making it moist. It needs to be cleaned thoroughly but gently and patted dry too. Read More
Caring for Baby’s Skin
All babies have delicate skin but the skin of the newborn is the most delicate. No harsh soap or other cleanser is needed for bathing, but water only. However, most mothers use some brand of baby wipes for cleansing the nappy area. This has been formulated especially for babies and doesn’t seem to hurt them at all. And it is certainly more convenient than using a dish of water with a washer. Read More