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Did you know that a lot of parents actually keep an online journal tracking the different milestones of their babies? On the first year of life, your baby responds to a warm and loving environment. She learns to smile at people she trusts and imitate sounds. Babies learn faster when they feel reassured and loved. Holding your baby when she cries and responding to her needs are essential in creating a strong healthy bond.

Here are several guidelines to help you keep track of your baby’s milestones during the first year of life. Remember that these are just guidelines, not rules, if your baby is not yet showing some of them, don’t fret because this doesn’t mean an unhealthy baby.

By the end of the first month, babies:

Move their head from side to side. At times, babies can lift their heads but they can’t sustain this for long periods.
Bring arm to face. They also have strong reflex movements especially when their cheeks are touched, and can grasp objects placed on their hands.
They also like to study faces and can focus on items which are 8 to 12 inches away.

On the second month, babies:

Track movement and bright colored objects with their eyes.
Start to make “ooh” and “ahh” sounds instead of just crying and fussing
Smile during interaction with people they trust.

During the third month of life, babies:

Stiffen legs as if trying to stand
Grasp and shake toys such as rattles. They also tend to reach for shiny and dangling objects.
Kick energetically when awake. They also attempt to move when laid on their tummy.
Imitate sounds they hear.
They start recognizing people and develop trust with known people and fear strangers

On the fourth month, babies:

Roll over from tummy to back and will start learning to roll over from back to tummy.
Start putting things in their mouth
Respond to sound and recognize food sources
Have distinctive cries for pain, fear, discomfort, etc.

By the end of the fifth month, babies:

Use toys and other tools to get items they want. They will also start to pay attention to smaller objects and will see you even when you’re across the room.
Begin teething. They also try to hold their self up when in sitting position

During the sixth month, babies:

Make simple sounds like “mama” and “dada”
Can eat solid foods, hold own bottle and drink from a cup
Make responses showing that language is understood

On the seventh month, babies:

Play simple games such as peek-a-boo
Self feed finger foods
Can read emotions from the tone of your voice

By the end of the eight month, babies;

Roll around the play area, sit unsupported, get into the crawl position, at times may attempt to crawl.
Have own language and babbles on their own
React differently to different people, have favorite person/people
React to people saying their name

On the ninth month, babies:

Can change positions with support, from lying down to sitting up to crawling.
Can recognize self

During the tenth month, babies:

Stand with support, try to stand while holding on to furniture
Get upset when toys or other objects are taken away

By the end of the eleventh month, babies:

Wave bye-bye, clap hands in excitement, greet people
Say mama and papa and simplified names of members of the family
Understand “no” and simple instructions
Recognize family members in pictures and by their names

Now that your child is a year old, you and your baby are already sharing a special bond. You already know what your child’s like and dislikes, and you probably won’t remember your life without her. Now your child is able to:

Crawl or walk with little or no support
Dance to music and shake their head “no”
Explore, open and shut cabinet doors, climb on toys and furniture
Share belongings to others and form attachment with items.

The article is provided by Baby-Assistance.info, a great website all about Babies. Site also sells wonderful Baby eBooks.

Colic is a term used to describe uncontrollable crying of a healthy baby. If your baby is 5 months old and cries for hours at a time then chances are she is colicky. Colic is not a disease and it won’t cause your baby long term harm but it is a tough thing to go through for both yourself and the baby.

Colic usually shows up around the 2nd or 3rd week of life. Babies often cry when they need change of nappies or when they are hungry but when they cry inconsolably at about the same time during the day – most often during the evening or late afternoon, then you can be sure that colic is the culprit. Babies who are colicky usually have enlarged bellies and they usually extend or pull up their legs and passes gas when they cry. Also, some babies tend to get red in the face and their feet are usually very cold. In general, most babies which have colic appear uncomfortable and in pain.

Thankfully, colic tends to go away on your baby’s 3rd or 4th month. By the 5th month, your baby should be over it. Yes, that’s a long way to go and taking care of a colicky baby can be stressful, which is why you will need to take regular breaks to keep yourself in the best condition. You can have your partner take over while you go for a walk to let loose. Some mothers even cry just to relieve the tension.

It is believed that breastfed babies can become colicky because of their mother’s diet. Dairy products, especially milk, cheese and yogurt are just some of the main causes of colic. Other suspects are spicy food, nuts, strawberries, vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, garlic, coffee and alcohol. To see which of these foods are causing colic, try to avoid them all for a few days and then reintroduce one food at a time with an interval of at least two days for reintroductions. If your baby starts being fussy again after you eat a certain food, then you’ve discovered the culprit. You will need to abstain from this food until your baby outgrows her sensitivity.

Some people also believe that colic can be caused by wrong formula milk. This doesn’t usually happen but it is still best to see a doctor and try switching formula or your doctor might suggest a milk-free and lactose-free milk supplement. For bottle-fed babies, you should try to reduce the amount of air that your baby swallows. Curved bottles or bottles with collapsible and disposable liners will probably work best for you. Also, make sure to burp your baby after feeding. Some babies tend to stop crying when they’re wrapped snugly in a blanket or when they hear rhythmic sounds like the vacuum, and dryer. If you want to help your baby sleep, bring her to the part of your home which has the least stimulation. Noise, bright lights and a lot of people can aggravate the situation so try to avoid these.

The article is provided by Baby-Assistance.info, a great website all about Babies. Site also sells wonderful Baby eBooks.

Having a baby doesn’t mean an end to your adventures. Unfortunately, with a baby in tow, much of your travel is spent soothing and entertaining your baby. No more staring out to space while dreaming of your perfect vacation. Though traveling with a baby has a lot of disadvantages, it has a lot of advantages as well. Cuddling a baby on your lap, you will realize that the world is a much friendlier. The cardinal rule when traveling with your baby is this: create a home away from home so you can make the experience something that the whole family can enjoy.

When you’re traveling with a baby, bed-and breakfasts, beach scenes and big cities are perfect destinations. You can also go bike touring, car camping and even desert adventures! Family camps and resorts nature camps and ski resorts are great destinations for your family vacation. You might need to avoid activities, which involve rafting, theme parks, foreign travel and long stays with friends. These can be too exhausting for your baby and could cause her to have sleeping problems.

A three month old is a perfect candidate for traveling because unlike toddlers, they can’t run around and get into trouble. A baby needs a lot of things so make sure to organize your trip and pack checklists for your baby. It is best to prepare a first aid kit for minor medical problems. You might also want to bring prescription medications just to be sure. Some pediatricians suggest that parents fill out an emergency sheet, which contains contact names and numbers, including your child’s health information and medication she takes.

It is always advisable to bring a hat for your baby to shield her from the sun in case of warm weather or keep the head bundled in times of cold weather. You should also bring sun screen if you are planning to go to the beach. SPF15 with UVA and UVB protection should be enough for the little one. Apply this in small amounts on the face and the back of the hand for babies below 6 months. For older kids you should apply liberally in areas exposed to the sun.

Babies should always be sitting in the backseat. Make sure that the car seats are properly installed and that the seatbelts are correctly threaded. You should also get shade screens to protect your baby’s eyes and to prevent the car from getting too hot and uncomfortable.

When traveling by plane, your baby might experience ear pain from air pressure during landing and takeoff. To prevent this, have her suck on a pacifier or a sippy cup. If your baby is sleeping, leave her as it is and she might get through the takeoff and landing without any trouble.

If you’re crossing time zones, try not to over schedule your first day so your baby can have enough to rest and adjust to the changes you’re exposing her to. If you’re breastfeeding, you should make sure to have a water bottle with you to keep you from getting dehydrated.

The article is provided by Baby-Assistance.info, a great website all about Babies. Site also sells wonderful Baby eBooks.

When babies can’t sleep, the whole family is miserable. The other kids in the family are tired because they too can’t sleep with all the racket the baby is making and the parents are exhausted from being awake the whole night with the baby. Babies who have sleeping problems cannot fall asleep easily and are usually awake in the middle of the night. Sleep patterns in babies also take some time to develop so it can be pretty difficult to say whether your child’s sleeping habits are abnormal. Newborns need to have atleast 16 hours of sleep in a day, but this can be one to two hours at a time, depending on the baby. Most babies do not develop normal sleeping patterns until the 4th or 6th month.

A baby’s sleeping problem develops when parents react too quickly when the child cries. Most new parents do not know that when left alone for a while, babies may stop crying and fall asleep by herself. When parents react immediately to the first cry, babies get used to being comforted and will soon expect to get attention immediately.

To prevent your babies from developing sleeping problems, parents need to make sure that they are well rested so they can cope with their baby’s situation. A technique used in our family is that my husband and I alternate getting up for the baby so that at least one of us is well rested.

Here are some other tips that parents can do to help babies fall asleep easier and stay sleeping longer.

Avoid too much stimulation at night. Try not to play with your baby before going to sleep.
Try not to let baby to sleep too long in the morning. Some parents try to wake their babies at 3pm so the baby can fall asleep at night.
Put your baby to bed immediately as soon as she is tired. This way, she can learn to relax.
Rocking your baby to sleep creates a habit. Soon your baby will need to be held and comforted back to sleep when she wakes in the middle of the night.
Avoid putting your baby to sleep with a pacifier. A pacifier is used to soothe the baby but she should not sleep with it.
Do not put the baby to sleep in your bed. Several studies have shown higher incidence of crib death in babies sleeping with their parents, this can also create sleeping problems.

It is best to encourage your baby to sleep on her own, especially when she reaches her third month. When your baby is already drowsy, lay her down on a designated sleeping area. Try to put her down when she’s awake while feeling cozy and loved and she will begin to associate this with falling asleep and she will soon get the hang of sleeping on her own.

Some parents believe that their babies should be allowed to “cry it out”, allowing babies to cry themselves to sleep. Studies suggest, however, that this shouldn’t be used with children below six months of age.

The article is provided by Baby-Assistance.info, a great website all about Babies. Site also sells wonderful Baby eBooks.

When I was younger, I used to get really irritated when my sisters used to start crying. It seemed as if they have nothing better to do but cry themselves to sleep. Nowadays, however, a smile creeps on my lips every time I hear my daughter cry. It has become music to my ears. Fact is, up to this point that I’m writing this article; I’m still wondering how this has happened. I, who have always sworn never to give birth, now have a beautiful daughter. I, who have always been a happy go lucky gal, am now content just playing with my baby.

I was on my second trimester when I started feeling fears. I was afraid because I didn’t know how to give a baby a bath. I was afraid that I might not be able to make my baby stop crying. I was afraid that my baby might die because I couldn’t take care of her properly. My husband kept telling me, everything will be alright once the baby’s born, but I didn’t believe him at the time, I continued to fret and cry at night.

Now that my daughter is here, I found out that taking care of her is so much easier than I imagined, thanks to the help of my mother and friends who had babies before me. Just like most mothers, I’ve found out that a baby’s cries are simply their way of communication. Since they are unable to provide anything for themselves, they rely on us to provide them with the food, warmth and comfort that they need. For new parents, it can be difficult to work out what your baby is trying to tell you – whether they are feeling cold, thirsty, uncomfortable or whether they just want to cuddle. As your baby gets older, he or she will learn other ways of communicating such as eye contact, make noise or even smiling which will greatly reduce their crying. To reassure yourself, here is a list why babies cry and what you can do to soothe them.

Your baby is hungry.
People say that this is the main reason why babies cry. Babies’ stomachs hold very little and would need to feed very often. Offer your milk and let him or her keep feeding until she wants to. If your baby doesn’t stop crying, then he or she might be expressing her next need.

Your baby needs to feel comfortable.
Babies cry when they need a diaper change or if their clothes are too tight. Babies also need to feel warm. To check if you baby is too hot or too cold, try feeling her stomach. It is also advisable to keep your baby’s room at 18 degrees Celcius or 64 degrees Farenheit.

Your baby needs to be held.
Babies need cuddling and reassurance. Older children may be soothed by seeing or hearing you but babies need physical contact to feel comfortable. If you already fed your baby, or changed their diapers and he or she keeps crying, chances are, she needs to be touched.

Your baby needs to rest.
Some babies find it hard to sleep especially when they are getting too much attention. Some babies just want to stop the noise so she can rest for the day.

The article is provided by Baby-Assistance.info, a great website all about Babies. Site also sells wonderful Baby eBooks.

 Babies are such fragile beings that walk (or crawl) on earth. Babies are really sensitive. Any small detail in the atmosphere or just anywhere around a baby could alter his health and welfare. However, as little and as vulnerable as they may seem, these innocent angels have the ability to tell the difference between good and bad.

- Mark Crockrum

The article is provided by Baby-Assistance.info, a great website all about Babies. Site also sells wonderful Baby eBooks.