Baby Care Magazine

Learning to crawl

The development of your baby is marked by several significant changes that herald the beginning of a healthy adult life. As parents it is good to be aware of these developmental landmarks. Below listed are the major ones you need to know.

Hearing

Babies are capable of hearing even before birth. Hearing becomes fully matured when they reach the end of 1 month. This does not hold true to babies who have hearing impairment. Your child will learn other developmental skills based on his/her capacity to hear. Babies recognize familiar voices and can also feel alarmed if there are sudden outbursts causing a lot of noise. At around 5 months they start noticing when their names are being called.

Head and neck control

The complete development required for head control will be attained at 6 months. They can lift their heads when they reach the end of 1 month. At around the tie between 3 to 4 months, there is marked improvement and steadiness in the way babies hold their heads.

Rolling

Rolling over on his/her back from front or vice versa develops fully by the time the baby reaches the age of 6 months. Kicking around, making swimming movements with his arms, tiny push-ups will further strengthen your baby’s skills for mobility.

Teething

This process starts at the age between 4 to 7 months. Some babies start sprouting their first teeth later than this. By the age of 3, most children have a set of 20 milk teeth.

Sitting

This is the first step in the process of standing up and subsequently walking. Once the neck and back muscles grow strong, the process of sitting independently begins. This occurs at around the time your baby reaches the age between 4 to 7 months.

Vision

Your baby’s vision will develop completely when he/she reaches the age between 6 to 8 months. The clarity in the eye-sight of a baby develops gradually, month on month. In the initial few months, the baby’s vision is limited to a certain distance (8 to 15 inches) and is unclear. At 2 months your baby will begin to notice colours. The colour of the eye also reaches its final version although there can be minor changes later. At 8 months your baby can recognize people and objects like an adult.

Crawling

Between the ages of 6 to 10 months your baby will start crawling using his/hers and knees. This is a sign that your baby will soon learn to walk. Some babies skip crawling altogether and directly learn to walk.

Walking

Between the ages of 9 to 12 months your baby will start walking. Some kids start later than that, at around 16 months. Babies start by standing up unsteadily, then moving from one place to the other using furniture or other support and then start walking. Although when they start walking, they will need your support, since they are not very steady, gradually learning how to walk all by themselves.

Talking

Your baby will utter certain simple words at 5 months, at 7 to 12 months babies learn to imitate the words you use. Between 13 to 18 months your baby will start communicating with you for conveying simple messages like hunger or the desire to be carried. At 24 months your baby will latch on to almost all the words you use and will also use some of them to communicate. This is the time when babies are most receptive to learning new words. By the age of 3 your baby will be talking all the way with variations in tone, pitch and vocal patterns. You will be amazed at how well he/she can communicate at this stage. Your baby will be capable of intelligent conversation at this stage understanding the questions you ask and answering appropriately.

Be sure to record all these amazing moments of your child’s growing years in his/her baby book along with pictures that will make you feel blessed at having such a precious gift. Happy parenting!!!

Amidst toys

Babies develop varied skills through activities that parents engage them with. Their first playmates are generally parents because their world is limited to the family they reside with. Once your baby starts recognizing your voice and your touch, you need to move on to the development of other sensory skills of the child. Whatever your baby’s age, always make it a point to interact with him/her. Through these activities your baby will learn to distinguish sounds and their sources. Your child will also realize that there are a lot of sounds and tasks that can be controlled and that certain results are expected when certain things are arranged in order. For example, babies are very sharp when recognizing the sound of their father’s cars. They can almost always tell without actually looking outside the window that a family member has arrived. It is essential to keep them occupied as they grow up because this is the time they start developing skills and abilities required for a fruitful life ahead.

What should you do to make your child both receptive and giving? What activities will stimulate his/her interest and lead to good physical, mental and social development? Here’s a small list of activities that may interest and entertain both you and your child. It is also the best way to bond with your child.

• Hold your baby every single time with the same care and affection. This reassures them and makes them feel secured and loved. Their sense of self-worth increases due to the attention that they receive, this being very important in future.
• Sing lullabies when you put your baby to sleep, other songs when you are just spending time with your kid.
• Even if your baby is very young, you must make it a point to talk to him/her. He/she may not be capable of responding yet but the child’s hearing skills will make him/her notice the words you use.
• Take your baby out in the garden or the terrace instead if confining him/her to the crib. This will make the child realize that there are other places to explore.
• Be consistent with feeding and putting your baby to sleep. Erratic changes will disturb you baby since he/she expects certain activities at certain times.
• Buy your kid toys that will increase his/her ability to interact.
• Read good short stories while putting your baby to sleep.
• Let your child play with any article that he/she takes a fancy to as long as it is not dangerous.
• Tummy time activities are considered to be one of the best since they allow for physical development and strengthening.
• Play games like peek-a-boo with your baby. All babies love this game more than anything else since they find something new every time you play this game.

As your baby gets older you can increase the number of games as well as the complexity of these games. It will only increase your child’s capability to understand his/her surroundings and will also improve his/her key life skills. Happy parenting!!!

Vaccination

Vaccination is very important for your child’s health and his/her subsequent growth into a healthy adult. There are various life-threatening diseases that can be prevented through appropriate and timely vaccination. It is essential because one of the major responsibilities of being a parent is to secure your child’s health and this can be effectively achieved through vaccination. There are fixed vaccination schedules as per pediatricians. Immunization from a whole host of diseases is possible with the help of vaccines.

Vaccination schedule

Vaccination schedules vary according to your state, the age of the child and his/her health prevalent conditions, the vaccines available and some other factors. Below given is a general schedule that is commonly followed by all parents and doctors. It is advisable to constantly keep in touch with your doctor for vaccination details till you secure your child’s immunity, firmly and irreversibly.

• 2 months old: DTP-Hib, Polio and PCV
• 3 months old: DTP-Hib, Polio and Meningitis C
• 4 months old: DTP-Hib, Polio, PCV and Meningitis C
• 12 to 15 months old: Hib, Meningitis C and MMR

(DTP-Hib: Diphtheria/Tetanus/Whooping Cough, Haemophilus Influenza type B, PCV: Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, and MMR: Measles/Mumps/Rubella)

It is also advisable to be aware of the vaccines that will be given to your child along with their exact purpose and the positive effects that they will have on your child. You need to take your pediatrician’s advice and follow it strictly for a successful vaccination program. It is vital to follow the vaccination schedule because your child needs to be immunized at the appropriate age before a disease/illness hits him/her. Usually a child has a slight fever after any vaccine is administered. This is a positive sign that the body is reacting to the vaccine.

It is difficult for parents to see their child being administered vaccine after vaccine every few months or at regular intervals because it causes discomfort to their little one.

Here are a few tips that will help you deal with vaccination.

• Ask your doctor about what needs to be done after the vaccination is over.
• Get your child’s favorite toy to distract him/her during the administration of the injection.
• Ask your pediatrician if your baby can be given something to ease the pain. Do not decide on your own, always consult your doctor.
• Ask your doctor about the breast feeding schedule before and after the vaccination.
• When the injection is being administered, hold your child gently and encourage it to look at you so that the child is looking at a familiar face when the pain strikes.

Your child will definitely cry after the injection has been administered and may continue doing so for a couple of days but in the long run, vaccination is only going to protect him/her from deadly diseases. Happy parenting!!!

Baby crib

You do everything to ensure your baby’s well-being and any sickness even if it is occasional is sure to prove unsettling for you. Usually parents panic at the first instance of sickness in their child. There are a few basic points to remember in order to handle your child’s illness. These are general tips to tackle nominal illnesses and anything serious needs to be referred to your pediatrician immediately. Usually it is better to refer your baby to the doctor as soon as you detect symptoms like skin rashes, high fever, has been vomiting frequently and violently, is irritable for no external reason. Behavioral symptoms like absence of enthusiasm when offered a favorite toy, tiredness even after not having played at all, does not want to be held by anybody but the mother, cries more than usual etc are also important in determining if the little one is experiencing any discomfort.

Whenever you are in doubt about your child’s health it is better to get a routine check-up done since this will put you at peace. Detection of headaches and stomach aches is difficult for parents because the baby can not express his/her discomfort in words. Incessant crying is the sign that warns parents that the child is suffering. Regular health checks are anyway essential so as to detect diseases or abnormalities early and treat them efficiently.

It is advisable to keep your pediatrician’s number handy for anyone to reach in emergency, even if you are out and the child is under the care of a baby-sitter. The medical details of a child will also need to be kept handy for ready reference. These should include the details of vaccination, previous medication among others.

In any sort of sickness and specially fever it is advisable to follow a few simple home remedies.

• Give complete dosages of medicines as prescribed by the pediatrician.
• Keep the child’s system wee hydrated by feeding enough fluids. Incase of an infant, breast feed or feed water.
• Keep the child warm in case of fever with chills.
• Put on loose, cotton clothes so that the baby does not feel hot due to the clothing.

Above all, shower your child with much more love and affection than usual, this is sure to help him/her get back to normalcy faster and will also put an end to your anxiousness. Happy parenting!!!

Being fed

Treating heat rash

Heat rash is an irritating condition which develops due to excessive heat especially during the summers. It is pretty common in babies during seasons of prickly heat. These rashes generally develop where clothes fit snugly across the skin. It may be the child’s chest, skin that folds at the elbows, stomach, groin and buttocks. It develops when your child perspires heavily to fight the heat and more the perspiration; higher are the chances of rashes. You will have to keep your child cool during the summers so as not to aggravate the situation. When it is not treated satisfactorily, it may lead to a heat exhaustion or stroke, which then becomes a serious issue. Keep your child cool by removing unnecessary clothes and put him/her to sleep in a cool area. Put on the air conditioner or the fan so that a comfortable breeze reaches the body. Cut your child’s mails short so that there is no damage due to itching. Bathe your baby with lukewarm water and lay him down to dry on a cotton towel.

Treating acne

Acne in babies is not a very serious condition because it happens due to hormonal changes. Most of the times, it does not bother the child at all. It will clear up gradually but you need to make sure that none of the activities aggravate the condition. Keep the child’s mouth and nose clean since moisture can worsen the condition. Do not use creams or lotions, for the same reason that moisture does not help. Clean your baby’s face in a gentle manner instead of scrubbing. In case you want to use any solution on the acne after your pediatrician has approved, make sure you test it on a small patch elsewhere.

Treating fever

If the fever has occurred due to some minor disturbance in the child’s system then it is possible to treat it without any major worries. But in case the fever is a result of some other serious condition then consult your pediatrician. Take your child’s temperature frequently to check for fluctuations, provide enough fluids to keep his system hydrated. Put light, cotton clothing that is comfortable for your baby. A sponge bath of luke warm water is highly beneficial in fevers. Keep your child comfortable and provide him with his favorite toys to help him sleep.

Treating cold

Cold is a condition caused by viruses and can be treated gradually. Putting in a few drops of saline solution can help release the mucus congestion which is the most irritating aspect for the baby. But all sorts of nasal solutions should be used only if your pediatrician recommends.

All health problems in babies need special attention and it is advisable to consult your pediatrician before you take any action on treating you child. After all inappropriate medication or methods may put your little one through more suffering.