My Baby Isn't Crawling!

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:19:45 GMT

Is your little baby approaching 4, 5, or even 6 months and hasn't begun to lift his head, push up with his hands, or attempt to crawl? It's normal for children to develop at their own pace. But for a child to be approaching a year without hitting these milestones is something to keep an eye on at the very least.

Look at the daily routine of your baby. Does he engage you in eye contact, make coos, babble, or laugh? He should be tracking your movements across the room, especially when you hold him upright in your lap. Be sure not to fall into a pattern of feeding, holding, and putting your baby to sleep. He needs to be propped in upright supported sitting positions. If he seems like he's trying to engage his legs, help him to do so and let him stand (supported) as long as he likes from as early as only a couple of months. This helps to build his leg muscles and when he tires, he'll quit.

Be sure to give your baby plenty of tummy time. Many babies fight being placed on their bellies. It isn't as comfortable, it's harder to see their environment, and they are less mobile. Your infant may scream and cry and it's easy for you to simply pick him up-but don't. Instead, use a baby mirror and place it in front of your baby's face. Engage your baby by laying down with him so that he can see you easily.

As time goes by, try to increase the amount of time he is on his belly daily, and within two weeks or so he should stop being so fussy about it. As he begins to adjust to it, he will first lift his head, try to roll (usually just from one specific side to another) and eventually push up and be able to roll in both directions.

Allow him to have as much tummy time during the day as he would like, when he gets over tired he'll certainly let you know.

As always, if you have any questions or feel something should be added, please email me or leave a comment!

Have a great day!

Babies and baby gates

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 19:57:38 GMT

The everyday hassles of raising children can be taxing on even a team of "experts," but you don't get a team, do you? You have yourself, and if you're lucky, a family and a partner. You can read every book there is on what you should expect when expecting or how to raise the new little bundle in your life. I can all but garauntee that things will not go as smoothly as the books may lead you to imagine. Being a new mother of six month old twins, there have been things that no amount of reading can prepare you for. Feedings on the hour every two hours-round the clock, projectile vomit, explosive diahrea, and; the cursed six o'clock witching hour which for some reason causes every living being under the age of five years to cry uncontrollably for no apparent reason. Of course, these things fade as your child grows and as you become more aware of what each cry actually signals. The first true smile, the tiny squeeky giggles, the first time a stranger holds them and they look to you for reassurance; all things that confirm you are a mother and you never knew you could love so completely, these are the times you remember.

And then, one day they begin to roll-fast, and crawl-quickly, and you wonder exactly how you're to keep them in their designated blanket area and still clean dishes or fold laundry. This is where we were several weeks ago before we found our baby enclosure. And I must say, it has been wonderful. The usual "it's too quiet" instinct seems to have subsided since we purchased our gate. I know that when they're in it, they are unable to reach anything haphazardly laying on the ground (the dust bunnies my daughter has a knack for collecting between her fingers). I personally recommend purchasing the puzzle foam alphabet as a foundation to put your baby enclosure around. Spit up is made easier to clean with the foam, and there is nothing for them to pinch or pull out of the carpet, as well as no carpet burn. A safe way to keep your eye on them and know exactly where they are and what they're doing. We went with the honeycomb enclosure versus the bar enclosure so that I was reassured they couldn't reach their arms out and grab anything or pull anything down.

So there it is, my tid bit gate promo. Seriously though, it's nice to have but I would say a must for moms of multiples.

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My Baby Isn't Crawling!

Babies and baby gates