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

Your baby coos back when you talk to them and holds his/her head pretty steadily. Your baby is also starting to put weight on his/her legs. Some babies this age start grasping for their toys, reaching out for other objects and rolling over. A few who are more advanced may try to imitate speech sounds, cut their first teeth and be ready for solid foods.7

Your baby may be intrigued by other children, and you may see him/her turn toward children's voices in person or on television. They laugh when tickled and when they're interacting with others, and he/she may cry when something disrupts their play.7

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Doing Everything Right: Tips for new moms

  • Your baby can probably pick things up now, and naturally, the first place he/she'll put them is in their mouth. Now's a good time to put valuables and small objects he/she could choke on out of their reach.13
  • Most babies' first teeth appear between four and seven months of age. A month or two before the first one is visible, your baby may drool heavily or have fuller cheeks from swollen gums. If he/she seems bothered by it, give them a teething ring you keep in the refrigerator or cold foods such as applesauce or yogurt.14
  • Even 10-minute bursts of exercise can rev up your energy level, which is good for you and your baby. Trying walking or hiking with your baby in a carrier or backpack, or put him/her in the stroller and walk around the neighborhood. Enlist your partner to watch him/her for a half hour so you can go to the gym or for a walk to get some welldeserved time to yourself. Don't forget to drink extra water before. During and after exercise to make up for the fluid you may lose by sweating.15

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7 “Month-by-Month Guide to Baby's Emotional Development” www.americanbaby.com

13 “Developmental Milestones: Grasping” www.babycenter.com

14 “Developmental Milestones: Teething” www.babycenter.com

15 “Water: How Much Should You Drink Every Day?” www.cnn.com

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