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| Infant - Week #31 |
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| Your Baby's Development |
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Is your baby intrigued by sounds? Babies respond to different sounds much like adults do. When a baby is startled, she jumps. When she hears something new, her brain is able to quickly link the new sound to information already stored in the brain to form a reaction. Her reaction is based on the emotion her brain pushes forth. For example, if a child hears someone cry or scream, she may do the same; if a dog growls, it may make her feel scared and begin to cry; and if someone laughs, she will most likely mimic the same reaction. Have you ever heard one of those radio contests where the station plays a song on the air and asks listeners to call the hotline number in an attempt to guess the sound? A sound in isolation is hard to place (which defines the radio contest), but if callers were able to use more than just the sense of hearing, the contest would not be much of a contest, would it? Providing your child with an opportunity to build up a repository or sound file will help her make insightful connections while she is playing with her toys, establishing mobility, and even understanding that words like "I'm home" come from daddy as he enters the door from work each night. The following activity is designed to expose your child to a variety of sounds around the house so that she can develop an understanding of sounds everyday objects make. As her brain continues to develop, she will be able to use this activity as a foundation for building meaning around those objects. For example, expose her to the sound of an electric toothbrush and let her carefully touch it (building the foundation.) Then as she gets older and has a mouthful of pearly whites, give her an electric toothbrush. She will be able to make the connection that the familiar sound, the sound of the rotating bristles, helps to clean her teeth as she holds the toothbrush and moves it around in her mouth (linking to prior knowledge.) |
| Encouraging Your Baby's Thinking |
Take a sound field trip around your house. The following list will give you a starting point for things to listen to with your baby. Consider printing this list off and jotting down a few words to describe her reaction to each sound. Show her new sounds and also allow her to hear familiar ones, too. As you listen to a familiar sound, consider interacting with the object in a different manner than she normally does to give her a different perspective and deeper understanding of its characteristics.
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| From A Parent's Perspective |
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My daughter enjoyed listening to most of the sounds listed above. I wrote down how she reacted to each one as we progressed through the list. The ones that seemed to frighten her were the very loud sounds like the sound of the vacuum, the whirlpool jets (but it probably didn't help that she was in the tub when I turned them on...oops), and the car alarm. All three of those loud sounds elicited the same reaction; she got a scared pouty face and then began to whimper. I was surprised by the reaction she gave to the vacuum, though, since she normally sits in the middle of the room and watches me vacuum around her without concern. The one recommendation I would give would be not to run around the house doing all these at once. You don't want to over stimulate your baby, especially if she is not comfortable with a few of the sounds she hears. Give her ears a break and her mind time to make meaning out of the few sounds you expose her to during your quick lap around the house. Also, consider giving her time to fiddle with an object, when appropriate of course, so she can learn more about how it works along with the sounds it produces. |
| Parenting 411 |
My husband and I were asked to give our friends who were about to be new parents some advice on parenthood. The following list of items are ten things we came up with that we continue to come back to time and time again as we progress through these wonderful years of parenthood with our three adorable children. The list is by no means limited to these ten items or specifically to new parents. We could have created page after page of little pieces of advice and wisdom; however, these were just a few of the first things that came to mind. Sit down with your partner and come up with a list of your "ten wise thoughts" as they relate to parenting. They can be little pieces of good advice, parenting no-no's, or clever little tricks you rely on to get you through tough moments. When you are finished, compliment each other on surviving times of trial and tribulation, laugh at your mistakes, and rejoice in your accomplishments. What a great way to reflect on parenthood...together!
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| Bye-bye Binky (Or not!) |
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The pacifier, or ‘binky', is a great comfort to many babies. Many parents are grateful to have something to give to baby to help them sleep, to help with extended periods of crying, to soothe them in the car seat and to suck on instead of mom, if she is nursing. But when is the best time to help wean baby of the pacifier? There are as many opinions on this as there are babies or so it seems. Some recommend weaning the baby from pacifiers before six months. They say that babies are not as attached to the pacifier and parents may have a fussy night or two but then, baby will move away from the pacifier. Others see no worry for a child in having the binky into a his or her second or third year and noting only that parents should make sure that the pacifier is not delaying or interfering with a child's speech. As always, the best time to wean your baby of the pacifier is when you and the baby decide it is time. Some babies simply stop needing the pacifiers as much or the binky gets misplaced and the baby forgets about it. Other babies seem to very much need the comfort of a pacifier and parents may decide that it is not worth struggling with it at this age. If you feel you must wean and it does not go well, give it a month or two and try again. As with most parenting issues with babies, issues do not have to be resolved today. With all the things parents worry over, the pacifier is a really a relatively minor issue and one that will most surely be resolved when your child is ready. |
| Bath Time Fun |
It is time to get your baby out of the baby tub and into the big tub. You want this time to be a splash for your baby without them going down the drain. There are a few things you can do to ensure that your baby's big tub experience is a success. The key is to be prepared:
One important thing to remember is to have fun with your baby. This is their first time in a big tub so make it a memorable one, at least for you. |
| Velcro Baby! Dealing with Separation Anxiety |
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As Keenan grows and learns, he has entered the realm of ‘separation anxiety'. He cries as if he is in pain every time I leave the room or move out of his eye sight. This can be very trying at times. As a mom, I do need to start a load of laundry, answer the phone, go to the bathroom and can not always bring him with me right away. When I do pick him up, he is so grateful and cuddly. I know it is just a phase and we both do the best we can. I know that sometimes he is going to have to cry for a minute. I am also trying to take a lot more time these days to carry him in the sling and to just sit and cuddle. |
| Isabel's Big Splash |
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Isabel loved her baby tub. Every time she would get in it, she would kick and splash. I was a little nervous about the big tub, especially because of the slipperiness. I put a washcloth underneath her and she was good to go. Isabel's big sister, Olivia, was a big helper. She played with Isabel and helped her ease into the new environment. Isabel had a fun-filled time in the big tub. It was a joy seeing Isabel having such a wonderful time! |
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