What Can You
Expect of Your Baby?
& How to Help Baby Grow
Babies need time to develop movement and communication skills. They need
to learn to trust. You can help your baby learn all these things...
What babies can do
Babies grow and change so much during those first twelve months. Your baby
* sit up, roll over, crawl, stand up and maybe even walk
* look at and play with hands and feet, cry when you leave, recognize own
* play “putting in and taking out” games, hug or carry dolls
or stuffed toys
* respond first to adults and then to other babies when they make sounds
* make throaty noises, then babble, enjoy hearing rhyming and silly language
How to help your baby learn and grow
* babies try to imitate the sounds they hear, read the looks on your face
and what your movements mean; when you talk, sing, smile and gesture to your child, this is the beginning of learning language;
so---respond to baby’s gurgles with calm and encouraging words
* respond to cries by trying to find out what’s wrong: crying has a
purpose, it’s your baby’s only way of communicating with you, so think of yourself as learning a foreign language:
is she hungry? wet? bored? too hot? too cold? need a hug, want to hear your voice or listen to music, or be danced around
the room? something else?
* allow baby to move about and learn about its body
* provide safe objects to look at, bat at, grab, bang, pat, roll and examine
* arrange for safe play areas
* provide many opportunities to hear language and make sounds
Help your baby develop trust
Babies need to become attached to one person who provides security and love.
This first attachment is the basis for all human relationships that follow. Hearing your calm voice, feeling your comforting
touch and being held by you all help your baby develop trust.
Music is a good way to enhance this trust relationship...
* Play soft and comforting music in the background
Babies learn to understand their world by seeing, touching, holding, shaking
and inspecting objects. This also helps them develop coordination and strengthens their muscles. Here are some ways to help
your baby learn...
* Move your newborn’s arms and legs
* Lightly tickle your baby under the chin or on the tummy
* When baby starts to control
her head, lie on the floor and put her head on your chest;
let baby reach for your nose or grab your hair; name each thing baby touches,
for example say “Where is your nose?” then touch baby’s nose and say, “Here is your nose.” Say
the name of objects over and over to help your child connect the sound with its meaning.
* Place baby on your belly (this releases endorphins that provide comfort
and builds stomach and back muscle strength needed to learn to crawl)
* Hold baby in your arms or lie face up with baby on your lap and support
his head well on your knees: sing a lullaby and cuddle with your baby
* Talk to your baby often. For example, when baby stretches toward bottle
or you, say, “You’re ready for more milk? Here’s your milk, isn’t it good?”
* Provide a wide array of learning objects: a wooden spoon with a face drawn
on it, different textured fabrics, an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll, pots, pans, lids, an old purse or basket with
safe objects in it, boxes, plastic containers, large spools, keys, a tightly closed can filled with beans, rattles. Let baby
look at, touch and listen to the sound of the objects. Place one or two in baby’s play area (more might be confusing).
* Start comforting rituals at bedtime: sing the same songs every night or
rock baby or rub her tummy
* To entertain or distract your baby, sing an action song like If you’re
happy and you know it, clap your hands (repeat and repeat, clapping your hands)
* Dance with your baby to soothe upsets: put baby’s head on your should
and hum softly or glide around the room to music. To amuse baby, try a dancy show tune.
* Play peek-a-boo or patty cake with baby
* Make funny faces