1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 4 Months 5 Months 6 Months 7 Months 8 Months 9 Months Birth 1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 4 Months 5 Months 6 Months 7 Months 8 Months 9 Months 10 Months 11 Months 12 Months 13 thru 18 Months 19 thru 24 Months

Baby Steps: Growth & Development

This month, your baby will probably be able to lift his/her head, respond to sounds and make eye contact with you. Some babies this age can follow objects, ooh and aah, and distinguish black and white patterns. A few can smile, laugh and hold their heads at a 45-degree angle.3

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Doing Everything Right: Tips for new moms

  • Stimulate your baby's sensory development by singing lullabies or playing children's songs and music ranging from Mozart to Madonna.
  • Baby's eyes can now focus, so help him/her learn to follow motion by moving a rattle or bright toy from side to side and up and down in front of them. Don't be concerned if he/she doesn't follow motions smoothly; this could take a few months.4
  • When your baby tries to "talk" to you, coo and gurgle back at him/her, and speak to them face to face whenever possible.5
  • Be sure to drink plenty of water in the days and weeks after your give birth to help prevent bladder infections.6

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3 “Milestone Charts: What to Expect from Your Newborn to 6-Month-Old” www.babycenter.com

4 “Your 1-Month-Old's Development” www.babycenter.com

5 “Your 4-Week-Old” www.babycenter.com

6 “The New Mom: Physical Changes” www.babies.sutterhealth.org

The information on this Web site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding you or your child's health.

Consult your physician or dental professional if using another fluoridated product.

Helpful Tips
for Parents

Ponder the Pacifier

Whether or not to use pacifiers is an age-old debate, but the American Academy of Pediatrics gives it the thumbs up through the first year of life. Sucking is comforting, familiar and calming to babies and a pacifier can be the ideal way to provide contentment between feedings.
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Drive Time

You’re always careful to protect your baby from the sun’s harmful rays with sunscreen, clothing and a hat when he’s outdoors. But did you know he also needs protection when he rides in the car for an extended period? The glass in car windows blocks some but not all ultraviolet rays that can cause sunburn, so if possible, move his car seat out of direct sunlight and apply broad spectrum children’s sunscreen to his exposed skin.

Hand in Hand

Are you wondering whether your baby will be right-handed or left-handed? Be patient; it may be months or years before you know for sure. Most babies start showing a preference for reaching for things with their right hands between six and nine months, but it’s not until they’re 18 months or older that they start using their preferred hand more consistently. By age three or four, their handedness should be fairly evident. If it’s not, you may want to talk to your pediatrician.

Source: “How Handedness Develops in Infants,” by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P., www.drspock.com, June 10, 2001