Baby milestones
Moms are usually concerned what their baby will do when. It’s actually not a competition and babies are different. My seven-month-old can crawl however it’s not perfect but we’re getting there, he smiles a lot, he sleeps through the night (thanks god). He rolls over and sits unsupported but he can’t sit up on his own yet.
It’s so fascinating to see how he develops day-by-day. I just love it. I read about baby milestones on thebump site and I want to share with you.
We know, we know: Every kid hits milestones at his own pace — so, no, you shouldn’t freak out if yours doesn’t follow this guide to a tee. But it might be worth a talk with the doc if you’re worried or if baby misses a few biggies. “If it’s just one milestone that your child is a little behind on, mention it to your pediatrician,” says Tanya R. Altmann, MD, author of Mommy Calls(American Academy of Pediatrics, 2008). “But chances are, everything’s probably fine. However, if your child isn’t hitting multiple milestones across the board — not smiling and not rolling over, for example — then I would be a little more concerned.” Otherwise, be prepared for the following milestones to happen.
Sleeping Through the Night
When it’s likely to happen: Generally, after four months of age, an infant should be able to sleep at least six to eight hours straight without feeding, says Altmann. And by six months of age, they should be able to go at least 8 to 10 hours without a feeding.
How to encourage it: Let baby sleep! Slowly start extending the time between nighttime feedings until you get there. And don’t rush to pick up baby the moment she cries at night. She needs to learn that if she wakes in the night, she doesn’t need you to help her fall back asleep again.
What if baby misses the mark: If she’s not sleeping through the night by six to eight months, it might just be because you’re hitting the nursery too often at night, says Altmann, and you may want to consider backing off. But you may still want to mention it to your pediatrician — if baby keeps crying and can’t fall asleep, that can be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Crawling
When it’s likely to happen: Baby should start crawling between six and nine months.
How to encourage it: Give baby plenty of tummy time and free playtime on the ground. “Get down on the ground with him and show him a bright-colored toy, move the toy a foot away from him and then coax him to move toward the object,” suggests Altmann.
What if baby misses the mark: Don’t stress — he may be right on track anyhow. “Many experts don’t consider crawling a milestone, because a lot of infants won’t crawl at all,” says Altmann. She usually tells parents her definition of crawling is simply the method baby uses to get from one place to another. He could be wriggling on his tummy, rolling, scooting — it doesn’t have to be the typical hand-and-knees crawl most parents visualize.
You can check out the rest here:
http://pregnant.thebump.com/new-mom-new-dad/baby-basics/articles/baby-milestones.aspx
