|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Self-Feeding:
A Big Step Toward Independence
About the time that babies start to move around
on their own and pick up most anything and everything
within reach, they begin to show an interest in
feeding themselves. Self-feeding is a big step
toward independence and also helps a baby learn
eye, hand and mouth coordination.
Prepare Yourself for Messy Mealtime
When it comes time for self-feeding you'll want
to encourage your baby's efforts and get ready
for a few months of messy mealtimes-with more
food on the face or on the floor than in the baby.
This is okay and a stage that every parent goes
through. Take a deep breath and let them dig in!
First They Gum...
Finger foods should be firm enough to pick up
and hold, yet tender enough to "gum"
(and later on, to chew) and swallow easily. You
can tell if a cooked food is the proper consistency
for self-feeding if it can be pierced easily with
a fork. Keep the pieces large enough for baby
to grasp, but small enough so that even those
pieces swallowed whole won't be lodged in the
throat.
...And Then They Chew
As your baby grows and becomes more adept at chewing,
you can add munchier foods. Try zwieback or French
toast-small chunks of soft cheese-or fruits that
have been peeled and cut into bite-size pieces.
Dry cereal is another favorite finger food, but
one that's too difficult for babies of this age
to manage. Wait until your child is about nine
months old before offering this snack, and when
you do, make sure it's the sugarless kind.
Signs That Mealtime Is Over
Some babies may delight in flinging their food
about or dropping it to watch it land on the floor.
Babies will often do this toward the end of a
meal when they've had enough to eat and are no
longer hungry. If this happens, simply say that
mealtime is over, take the baby down from the
chair, and go on to some other-less messy-activity.
Or, you may simply prefer to remove the food from
the high-chair tray and give your baby a favorite
toy or two to play with.
Keep It Interesting. Keep It Healthy.
You'll find other suggestions for finger foods
in baby-food cookbooks. Of course, if you have
any questions about suitable foods, ask your doctor.
He or she is the best source of information about
the proper nutrition for your baby.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
Sleep
Tight
Leading up to baby's first birthday, your baby probably
has given up the morning nap, and some babies may
want to skip the afternoon nap as well. But even
when your baby is sleeping less in the daytime,
you may find bedtime becoming more and more difficult
to manage.
A Restless Stage
Babies of this age often resist going to bed even
when they're tired and need to sleep. Their new
level of energy and activity may leave them too
keyed up to relax easily. And if they're just learning
to stand they may hate to lie down even to rest.
Teething troubles can also interfere with sleep
at this age, and many babies dislike bedtime because
they don't want to separate from their parents at
the end of the day.
Stick With A Sleep Routine
By establishing a regular routine and sticking to
it, you can help your baby learn to accept bedtime.
Instead of simply putting your baby in the crib
and turning out the light, it's much more reassuring
to say goodnight with a familiar ritual. This creates
a quiet time, a time that allows your baby to settle
down.
Read a book together, sing a lullaby, rub your baby's
back, rock and cuddle-whichever activities are most
comfortable for you and your child. Then, before
you leave, make some final gesture that signals
the end of the routine. For instance, you could
wind up the music box, switch on the night-light,
and then say "night-night" together to
a favorite stuffed animal. A soothing bedtime routine
like this will help your baby give in to sleep,
and even sleep longer and better. It's also a good
idea if your sitters know the special nighttime
routine you use with your baby so they too can put
baby to bed with ease.
Water Works When You Leave
However well planned the bedtime routine, you may
find that crying begins as soon as you leave the
room. It may help to let your baby cry for a short
time before falling asleep. But often a baby will
not stop after a few minutes. While many parents
have heard that the "cure" for bedtime
crying is to let the child cry until the baby learns
that no one will come, this procedure is hard on
babies and parents.
Many parents just can't bring themselves to carry
it through even when they are convinced that it's
the right thing to do. A better alternative to the
"cold turkey" approach is to come in and
comfort a crying baby briefly every once in a while.
Short visits let babies know they're not forgotten.
As long as you keep visits to the point and don't
offer food or take your baby out of the crib, you
will reinforce the message that bedtime is for sleeping,
not socializing.
3 a.m. Wake Up Call
This same "spot check" routine can work
for a baby who begins to wake in the night. Often
the waking is due to discomfort or a dream and leaving
a baby to cry it out alone seems unnecessarily harsh.
At the same time, you don't want your baby to learn
that you are available for play in the middle of
the night. Therefore, go in and comfort your baby
briefly and make sure that everything is all right.
If the crying keeps up, return to say a few reassuring
words, but leave again. Your attitude should be
"I'd like to stay with you too, but we both
need our rest now." Parents who show sympathy
for their babies' feelings, even while setting firm
limits on behavior, make it easier for babies to
accept necessary limits. And eventually a wakeful
baby will find a way to comfort him/herself and
fall asleep again.
Back to top |
|
|
|
Highchair
Time
When your baby can sit up without support, it's
time for a high chair or a feeding table. Some parents
prefer to use feeding tables-a chair and table combination-because
they're lower to the ground and are made to be tip
proof. But a high chair is less expensive, easier
to store and easier to get baby in and out of. It
also brings a baby right up to the table for socializing
with the rest of the family. And, without the tray,
a high chair can be used at the table when your
child is older.
Highchair 101
When you shop for a high chair, check first for
safety. To prevent tipping over, the base of the
chair must be wider than the seat. There should
be a strong safety strap to keep your baby from
standing up or slipping out, and the backrest should
be high enough to support baby's head. The tray
ought to have a strong latch and a high rim to keep
spills from running over into the floor. If you
choose a wooden chair, be sure that the paint or
varnish finish is nontoxic, and consider using a
tie-on plastic chair pad.
Many high chairs fold flat for convenient storage.
If you buy such a chair, check to see that the locking
device is strong and reliable. Still other high
chairs have ball casters so that you can move the
chair about, baby and all.
Feeding Table Basics
If you shop for a feeding table, look for a strong
safety belt, an adjustable footrest, and overall
stability. Also, make sure that it will be comfortable.
Whatever kind of high chair or feeding table you
choose, don't leave your baby in it for too long.
A baby who is ready to crawl or stand will become
restless after a while and should be allowed freedom
to move around. And, for safety's sake, never leave
your baby unattended in a high chair or feeding
table, even for a minute.
Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
