Throughout the first year, babies check lots of proverbial boxes. It is really easy to get caught up in the "What is my baby doing?" game, but really important to remember that children develop at all kinds of different rates and, chances are, your baby is coming along just fine. If your baby is not doing something you think he should be doing at a certain age... well, that's why nurse's lines exist, right? Ask your pediatrician's office for advice. Most likely, they will tell you that your baby is well within normal range for a particular skill. If they are a little concerned, they will be able to give you some "drills" to practice with your baby to work on that particular skill. As with anything, a little time and patience will take you a long way when dealing with milestones.
As for that mommy who can't stop bragging about what her child is doing today? Ignore her. Easier said than done, I know, but really - ignore her. One day your child will do something ahead of his time and you can take the high road... or brag incessantly!
For those of you who are wondering what "typical" behaviors are for children at any given age, see below. Just remember that the ages mentioned are really averages. If you have a question about what your baby is (or isn't) doing, I'm happy to do some research and find out what the literature says about it. Just shoot me an email or comment here.
One month of age:
Makes jerky, quivering arm thrusts
Brings hands within range of eyes and mouth
Moves head from side to side while lying on stomach
Eyes wander and occasionally cross
Prefers black-and-white or high-contrast patterns and prefers the human face to anything else
May turn toward familiar sounds and voices
Prefers sweet smells
Recognizes the scent of his own mother’s breastmilk
Three months of age:
Raises head and supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
Opens and shuts hands
Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
Brings hand to mouth
Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
Grasps and shakes hand toys
Follows moving objects
Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
Smiles at the sound of your voice
Begins to babble
Begins to imitate some sounds
Turns head toward direction of sound
Begins to develop a social smile
Imitates some movements and facial expressions
Seven months of age:
Rolls both ways (front to back, back to front)
Sits with, and then without, support of her hands
Supports her whole weight on her legs
Reaches with one hand
Transfers object from hand to hand
Responds to own name
Begins to respond to “no”
Distinguishes emotions by tone of voice
Babbles chains of consonants
Finds partially hidden object
Explores with hands and mouth
Struggles to get objects that are out of reach
Interested in mirror images
Responds to other people’s expressions of emotion and appears joyful often
Twelve months of age:
Gets to sitting position without assistance
Crawls forward on belly by pulling with arms and pushing with legs
Creeps on hands and knees supporting trunk on hands and knees
Gets from sitting to crawling or prone (lying on stomach) position
Pulls self up to stand
Walks holding on to furniture
Stands momentarily without support
Bangs two cubes together
Puts objects into and takes objects out of container
Tries to imitate scribbling
Responds to simple verbal requests, including "no"
Uses simple gestures, such as shaking head for “no”
Babbles with inflection
Says “dada” and “mama”
Uses exclamations, such as “oh-oh!”
Tries to imitate words
Finds hidden objects easily
Looks at correct picture when the image is named
Imitates gestures
Enjoys imitating people in play
Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys
Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
Finger-feeds himself
Extends limbs to help when being dressed
Monday, March 29, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
SIDS Risks & Prevention
SIDS. When my son was first born, I refused to even say the word. My husband knew that "the bad thing" meant SIDS and that I feared it with my whole self. The really scary thing about SIDS is that there is only one real fact we can state about it - nobody knows much. Most every piece of advice surrounding SIDS prevention is based on some science, but as with any health issue, we cannot truly prevent it until we know what causes it. There is no known cause of SIDS.
I'll start with the factors the medical community generally accepts as risks for SIDS, but keep in mind that more than half of SIDS victims have none of these factors.
-Being male. Boy babies are more likely to die of SIDS.
-Between 1 month and 4 months of age. Infants are most vulnerable during the second and third months of life.
-Having been premature or of low birth weight.
-Being Black, American Indian or Native Alaskan.
-Having been born to a mother who smokes or uses drugs. Smoking after pregnancy also increases a baby's risk. This also applies to second-hand smoke, so try to keep your baby away from cigarettes everywhere you go.
-Having been born during the fall or winter months.
-Having recently recovered from an upper respiratory infection. Evidence of infection within four weeks of death is a common finding
-Being the siblings of a baby who died of SIDS.
-Being born to a mother who had poor prenatal care, a placental abnormality, low weight gain during pregnancy, her first pregnancy before age 20, anemia, or an STD or UTI.
Now onto the prevention efforts.
- "Back is Best" - always, always place your baby to sleep on his back. Both stomach and side sleeping are believed to place your baby at risk.
-Breastfeeding is though to reduce the SIDS risk.
-A very firm mattress. It may seem cruel to place your baby to sleep on something nearly hard as a board, but it is good for their development and it is believed to reduce the change of SIDS.
-A "stuff" free crib - no stuffed animals, loose sheets, soft bumpers, or anything that can either restrict air flow or end up over your baby's face.
-Same room, separate sleeping space. You can hear your baby to react if he neesd you, but remove the danger of rolling on him or pulling the blankets over his face.
-A pacifier at sleep time.
-Avoid overheating. If you are afraid your baby may be cold, add a layer of clothing rather than increasing the house temperature.
-Educated secondary caregivers on all of the above (grandparents, daycare workers, etc.). Know that babies who are used to sleeping on their backs are actually at a higher risk if put to sleep on their stomachs than a baby who always sleeps on his stomach.
What we did/do - Our son slept in our room on a separate sleeping surface (a bassinet) for the first four months of his life. We moved him into his room (and his crib) at four months and one day of age. His crib has a very firm mattress with a firmly-fitting fitted sheet. We do have bumpers, but they are breathable bumpers (made of mesh). He does not have any items with him in the crib while sleeping. We have a ceiling fan always running while he sleeps. We always put him down to sleep on his back. We put him down to sleep with a pacifier most of the time. He is always in a sleep sack and we never use blankets.
Also, know that there are many products on the market that prey on your fear of SIDS. There is no proof that breathing monitors reduce the SIDS risk. If it helps you sleep at night, go for it, but don't feel like you are a bad parent if you don't buy these types of items.
_______________
I am not a medical professional and I offer these tips based on my experience and a whole lot of reading. Please consult with your medical professional before taking acting on any of my tips.
I'll start with the factors the medical community generally accepts as risks for SIDS, but keep in mind that more than half of SIDS victims have none of these factors.
-Being male. Boy babies are more likely to die of SIDS.
-Between 1 month and 4 months of age. Infants are most vulnerable during the second and third months of life.
-Having been premature or of low birth weight.
-Being Black, American Indian or Native Alaskan.
-Having been born to a mother who smokes or uses drugs. Smoking after pregnancy also increases a baby's risk. This also applies to second-hand smoke, so try to keep your baby away from cigarettes everywhere you go.
-Having been born during the fall or winter months.
-Having recently recovered from an upper respiratory infection. Evidence of infection within four weeks of death is a common finding
-Being the siblings of a baby who died of SIDS.
-Being born to a mother who had poor prenatal care, a placental abnormality, low weight gain during pregnancy, her first pregnancy before age 20, anemia, or an STD or UTI.
Now onto the prevention efforts.
- "Back is Best" - always, always place your baby to sleep on his back. Both stomach and side sleeping are believed to place your baby at risk.
-Breastfeeding is though to reduce the SIDS risk.
-A very firm mattress. It may seem cruel to place your baby to sleep on something nearly hard as a board, but it is good for their development and it is believed to reduce the change of SIDS.
-A "stuff" free crib - no stuffed animals, loose sheets, soft bumpers, or anything that can either restrict air flow or end up over your baby's face.
-Same room, separate sleeping space. You can hear your baby to react if he neesd you, but remove the danger of rolling on him or pulling the blankets over his face.
-A pacifier at sleep time.
-Avoid overheating. If you are afraid your baby may be cold, add a layer of clothing rather than increasing the house temperature.
-Educated secondary caregivers on all of the above (grandparents, daycare workers, etc.). Know that babies who are used to sleeping on their backs are actually at a higher risk if put to sleep on their stomachs than a baby who always sleeps on his stomach.
What we did/do - Our son slept in our room on a separate sleeping surface (a bassinet) for the first four months of his life. We moved him into his room (and his crib) at four months and one day of age. His crib has a very firm mattress with a firmly-fitting fitted sheet. We do have bumpers, but they are breathable bumpers (made of mesh). He does not have any items with him in the crib while sleeping. We have a ceiling fan always running while he sleeps. We always put him down to sleep on his back. We put him down to sleep with a pacifier most of the time. He is always in a sleep sack and we never use blankets.
Also, know that there are many products on the market that prey on your fear of SIDS. There is no proof that breathing monitors reduce the SIDS risk. If it helps you sleep at night, go for it, but don't feel like you are a bad parent if you don't buy these types of items.
_______________
I am not a medical professional and I offer these tips based on my experience and a whole lot of reading. Please consult with your medical professional before taking acting on any of my tips.
What is Mom Tips 101?
Mom Tips 101 is my new blogging venture. It's not just for moms - dads are welcome, too!
I will endeavor to post a new parenting tip each weekday. My first tip? Perfect is not necessary - aim to be good enough. That is what I will do with this blog. I am quite certain there will be days, maybe weeks, I do not post something, but I will give it my best. That's good enough.
If you have any questions, please email me. I would love to have suggestions for subjects for posts, too.
I will endeavor to post a new parenting tip each weekday. My first tip? Perfect is not necessary - aim to be good enough. That is what I will do with this blog. I am quite certain there will be days, maybe weeks, I do not post something, but I will give it my best. That's good enough.
If you have any questions, please email me. I would love to have suggestions for subjects for posts, too.
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