Day 364 - Can You Do This? Month 12

Today's First Time Parenting Tip - Track your baby's milestones to make sure they're developing correctly

Its important to make sure that your infant doesn't have any developmental problems, but if he or she seems slow in one area, don't worry about it too much unless they're way behind or your pediatrician seems concerned. Everyone loves to compare their accomplishments to others, but the fact is some babies are fast in verbal development, but slow in the physical department, or vice versa. If you're worried about it, ask your pediatrician. At the end of the twelth month, your infant should be able to:

• Pull up to a standing position from sitting
• Drink independently
  
• Stand alone
  
• Give a high five or play ball
  
• Walk for a step or maybe two
• Put objects into a container

Probably will be able to:

• Say a word other than mama or dada
• Stand well by themselves
  
• Walk for more than a few steps
• Understand and respond to the word no sometimes
• Gesture for an object that they want without crying
  

Taken from What to Expect the First Year

Parenting, Verbal, Physical, Development, Emotional

Day 334 - Can You Do This? Month 11

Today's First Time Parenting Tip - Track your baby's milestones to make sure they're developing correctly

Its important to make sure that your infant doesn't have any developmental problems, but if he or she seems slow in one area, don't worry about it too much unless they're way behind or your pediatrician seems concerned. Everyone loves to compare their accomplishments to others, but the fact is some babies are fast in verbal development, but slow in the physical department, or vice versa. If you're worried about it, ask your pediatrician. At the end of the eleventh month, your infant should be able to:

• Walk or "cruise" on furniture
• Correctly identify "mama" and "dada"
• Respond to their name

Probably will be able to:

• Pull up to a standing position from sitting
• Drink independently
  
• Stand alone
  
• Give a high five or play ball
  
• Walk for a step or maybe two
• Put objects into a container
  

They might also be able to say a word other than mama or dada, stand well by themselves, walk for more than a few steps, understand and respond to the word no sometimes or gesture for an object that they want without crying.
Taken from What to Expect the First Year

Parenting, Verbal, Physical, Development, Emotional

Day 305 - Can You Do This? Month 10

Today's First Time Parenting Tip - Track your baby's milestones to make sure they're developing correctly

Its important to make sure that your infant doesn't have any developmental problems, but if he or she seems slow in one area, don't worry about it too much unless they're way behind or your pediatrician seems concerned. Everyone loves to compare their accomplishments to others, but the fact is some babies are fast in verbal development, but slow in the physical department, or vice versa. If you're worried about it, ask your pediatrician. At the end of the tenth month, your infant should be able to:

• Stand while holding onto something
• Wave good-bye
• Pick a small object up between their thumb and forefinger
  

Probably will be able to:

• Walk or "cruise" on furniture
• Pull up to a standing position from sitting
• Correctly identify "mama" and "dada"
• Respond to their name
  

They might also be able to drink independently, stand alone, play ball or give a high five, walk for a step or maybe two, say a word other than mama or dada or put objects into a container.

Taken from What to Expect the First Year


Parenting, Verbal, Physical, Development, Emotional

Day 258 - First Steps

Today's first time parenting tip - Encourage your baby to walk by finding the thing he loves most

Most parents try to get their baby to walk by holding him up or crouching in front of him as he's cruising. Then, some type of dialog starts that basically repeats "Walk to mommy/daddy!" over and over again. Maybe your baby takes some steps, maybe he doesn't.

The point here is to think about this a tad differently. Rather than only offering him yourself or his other parent as incentive, think of the thing that interests him the most. This could be your smiling, laughing face.

Or it could be the dog. A ball. Or in our case, the cat.

Our son loves petting and watching the cat walk around. A lot of the time he'll crawl over to him or try to work himself out of our arms when the cat is underfoot. So it seemed pretty natural that his first steps were to get closer to the cat.

Your baby is going to try, fail, try, fail, try, fail at a lot of things, because that's how they learn. The most important thing is to offer a supportive environment that encourages experimentation, and to also help your baby accomplish all the new things he's trying to learn. Offering something he's naturally interested in rather than trying to force something is a great way to help him have the best chance to learn.

Parenting, Physical, Development, First, Steps