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

More and more, your baby is able to sit without support and imitate speech sounds with his/her own distinctive babble. He/she may also be reaching for things with a sweeping motion. He/she's still trying to combine syllables into word-like sounds and may be lunging forward and crawling. Babies who are more advanced physically can stand while holding onto something, wave bye-bye and bang objects together.19

Thankfully, baby is starting to understand the meaning of the word, "no," although he/she's also able to express their anger more strongly too. He/she's getting more sociable, and enjoys interacting with others.7

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Doing Everything Right: Tips for new moms

  • The quality of breast milk depends on the mother's diet, so if you're breast-feeding, you may want to take a multivitamin-mineral supplement. Talk to your doctor to be sure.
  • Fluoride is a mineral that helps strengthen teeth, and it's recommended for all babies six months and older who drink only bottled or filtered water that doesn't contain additional fluoride; or whose tap water contains less than 0.3 parts per million of fluoride. Contact your local water department to find out the fluoride content in your area, and consider giving your baby a supplement or fluoridated water if necessary.20 Consult your physician if using other fluoridated products, and consult your dental professional for appropriate oral hygiene practices.
  • To make sure your house is safe for baby to explore, get down on her level to see what he/she might grab, such as dangling electrical cords, tablecloths, pull cords for window blinds, garbage cans, house plants and unsteady furniture. Either put them out of their reach or get rid of them entirely.21

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

19 “Milestone Charts: What to Expect from Your 7-to-12-Month-Old” www.babycenter.com

20 “Ask the Experts: Should I Give My Baby Vitamin Supplements?” www.babycenter.com

21 “Keeping a Cruising Baby Safe” www.babycenter.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.
More

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