Smart Tips For Raising Your Baby During The First Twelve Months
New parents - and even experienced moms and dads - are often intimidated by the prospect of raising an infant
. The possibilities seem endless, but so do the opportunities to make tragic mistakes. You want to make good choices; you want to ensure your little one develops into a happy, healthy toddler; and you want to avoid doing anything that might impair her success later in life. It's an ambitious goal.
Many experts suggest that happy children are those who develop certain skills during their first few years. Fortunately, much of this development happens naturally, provided that babies enjoy a healthy environment. In this article, we'll provide several tips that will help you create that environment for your little one during her first twelve months.
Be Aware Of Your Infant's Expressions
During the first three or four months, your baby will show signs of angst more often than joy. If she's upset, she'll let you know by crying. If she's happy, she may simply look around or stare at the faces of those near her.
By month five or six, she'll begin to smile and laugh regularly. You'll notice a marked difference in the manner in which she expresses herself. Certain factors will still upset her, of course; loud noises, hunger, a dirty diaper, and boredom may cause her to cry. But it will be easier to discern times when your infant is happy or distressed. Being aware of her expressions allows you to determine what is bothering her, and if necessary, to respond.
Engage Her Sense Of Playfulness
Even if your baby has a room full of toys, the best source of happiness for her is you. Make time to play with her. She'll feel more connected to you because she has your full attention while having fun. As she ages month by month, you'll notice that her creativity will begin to blossom. For example, she may start playing with building blocks; she might begin arranging puzzles; or she may show a penchant for painting.
These are a part of her natural development. They spring from her having an outlet for her playfulness. If you take an active role in the beginning, you can spur her willingness to explore and create.
Encourage Her Accomplishments
Babies learn early the joys of accomplishing things to which they set themselves. In fact, experts agree that much of our happiness comes from achieving this type of success in our lives. So, too, is this true for infants. For example, suppose your little one is trying to balance one building block on top of another. She may fail at first, but succeed with persistence. Her accomplishment will lead to joy.
Embrace it. Encourage it. You may instinctively want to help her, but encouraging her to achieve success on her own will pay dividends down the road.
Promote Her Mental And Physical Health
Like adults, infants need proper nutrition, plenty of sleep, and lots of physical activity. These are the cornerstones to good health. They'll play key roles in your baby's development during her first twelve months.
Pay particular attention to your little one's mood and activity. If she is unusually cranky, it may be an indication that she needs more sleep. If she's uncharacteristically apathetic, there may be a connection with the formula or food she's eating. Check with her pediatrician to make sure there are no health issues.
Let Her Confront (And Resolve) Challenges
Parents have a tendency to want their babies to be perpetually happy. So they rush to accommodate every cry for attention. To be sure, if your infant cries because she's hungry, feed her. If her diaper is dirty, change it. But if she's experiencing loneliness, or feeling distressed for reasons that are unclear, they may present an opportunity for growth. Allow her the space to strengthen her coping skills. If she learns to handle adversity at a young age, she'll be much more effective at doing so later.
Your baby's development during her first twelve months will play a key role in her later successes. Provide for her needs, but give her enough room to find her own way.
by: Jennifer Carlson
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