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Your baby shows definite signs of becoming
more independent. For one she is increasingly
interested in her counterparts. Secondly,
she is able to self-soothe instead of relying
on you all the time. This is clearly visible
in her attachment to inanimate objects such
a pillow or a blanket or a soft toy. While
it is true, you are becoming less important,
you are still irreplaceable in baby's life.
One such situation where she will still
need you the most is when she wakes up in
the middle of the night, which seems to
happen quite frequently in this month or
the next. Another sign of independence is
her desire to self-feed, which seem to happen
around this time. During mealtimes, she
will try to grab for the spoon or pick up
bits of food - even pureed stuff. Right
now, she can manage to grasp crackers or
biscuits with fair amount of success with
her thumb and two fingers. It is around
this time too when she starts to become
shy in the company of strangers; this is
related to separation anxiety. Another notable
change is when baby holds two objects at
the same time. She compares them visually,
bangs them together and maybe even tries
to fit one into the other. |
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| Baby Watch |
| Stranger Anxiety |
Many eight or nine month old babies
show fear in the company of unfamiliar people.
Just as she understands she is separate
from you, she also understands she is separate
from other people, and she is not quite
sure how to size up these new faces. This
shyness is understandable. Babies differ
in intensity of separation fears in the
same manner as they show difference in levels
of stranger anxiety. Some react in a dramatic
manner to a new face, often twisting and
fidgeting or clutching a parent in fear.
Some show neutral reaction such as a watchful
glance or stare. Others flirt a bit, looking
at the stranger until he looks back, then
glancing away and back, away and back. They
usually warm up in a few minutes, though
at arms length. Nearly all babies exhibit
some wariness. A study conducted showed
that although outwardly some babies did
not show fear, they like the rest had accelerated
heartbeats (a sign of fear) in the presence
of strangers. Several factors contribute
to the difference in reactions. One is baby'
general temperament; some babies are just
more easy going than others. Another is
how a child is reared. Babies who have been
cared for by a number of caretakers while
young seem more comfortable with strangers.
Another finding seems to draw comparisons
between genders; with all other things being
equal, boys tend to be a little fearful
of strangers than girls. How the stranger
behaves also goes into account. The initial
wariness in baby is greatly reduced when
the unfamiliar person gears his behavior
to the baby's cues and engages baby in play.
Cuddly or Comfort Toys Most
babies form a strong attachment to a special
blanket or pillow or a soft toy around this
age. This offers them warmth, which demonstrates
the growing ability to comfort herself.
Is this dependency harmful? There is no
evidence suggesting these objects have any
negative effect on personality of baby.
Instead, a favorite toy can offer comfort
during separation anxiety. If your baby
wants a cuddly for comfort, keep it handy
when you travel with baby to new places,
go on outings, visit your pediatrician or
at any situations where there is uncertainty
or discomfort. Some tips on choosing soft
toys.
• Look for bright colors
• Make sure toys are machine washable
• Choose those which are colorfast,
as babies tend to chew on them a lot
• Choose toys that are durable and
well made; make sure the seams are well
stitched
• Toys should be free of buttons,
snaps, hooks and other small parts that
could be pulled off and swallowed
• Make sure plastic features are firmly
attached so that you can't pluck them out
• Toys with sounds offer great advantage;
babies love such toys
Discipline
and Baby
What is meant by the word discipline? Is
it punishment? Is it teaching baby right
from wrong? Throughout the early years,
discipline has two goals: short-term and
long-term. Short term involves stopping
dangerous or obnoxious behavior on the spot.
Long-term is teaching the child how to act
so that eventually she will be self-disciplined.
For babies short-term discipline makes more
sense, but over time, long-term discipline
will take over.
When you think of disciplining an eight-month
old baby, it is important to keep in mind
her developmental capacities. She tends
to be very curious and exploring is only
natural. She needs to touch, feel or taste
her surroundings. She is at the same time
to young to understand dangers, or know
her directions or control her actions. There
are three techniques to keep the situation
in control:
Babyproofing:
It is important to guard baby against dangers.
Babyproofing is a good way to ensure baby
safety. If potential dangers are out of
baby's way and reach, there will be fewer
opportunities for disciplinary actions
Distraction
and Substitution:
When you see your baby heading for trouble,
distract her with some toy or activity you
know she likes. If she is already holding
something dangerous or unacceptable, substitute
it with something safe.
Keep "NO"
to a Minimum:
Decide which behavior is dangerous and which
is annoying and keep 'No' for those dangerous
ones. You can try distraction and substitution
for annoying behaviors. There are times
when being firm is absolutely necessary,
especially in the face of danger. These
are the times to say 'No' and to remove
baby immediately from the source of trouble.
Explain to baby briefly why you are doing
so. For example, to the word 'No', add 'hot-it
burns' or 'sharp-it hurts', which clearly
communicates to baby the nature of danger
and your concern for her. Unfortunately
parents tend to overdo it with the 'No'
word, using it almost always when they feel
their baby is doing something they should
not be doing. A baby who hears 'No' repeatedly
will feel that the word has little value.
Conversely, if it is used sparingly, your
baby will learn that you stop her only when
there is real danger. Both baby and parents
are individuals with specific characteristics.
Therefore, your approach to discipline must
fit into your personal values and lifestyle.
Think of ways to incorporate the basic techniques
outlined above into your own plans. They
will help guide your baby's behavior until
she is old enough to understand how she
should behave.
More
Safety Guidelines
These additional guidelines can help protect
your baby even more. Use all that you
find applicable to your home situation.
• Use a mat in the tub every time
you bathe your baby
• Check labels of clothing to make
sure they meet safety standards
• Store iron in a safe place, out
of baby's reach. It is heavy and cause
injury if baby pulls it down on herself
• Keep all plastic bags out of baby's
reach
• Use the harness or belt attached
to secure baby in her stroller or highchair
• Don't give baby balloons as toys;
she might choke on it when deflated
• Begin teaching baby now not to
touch matches, safety pins, ashtrays,
cigarettes, knives and hot stoves, and
anything else you think you should protect
baby from
Stereotyping
your Baby
Do boys always play with cars? Do girls
always play with dolls? Most parents want
to avoid stereotyping their children but
some experts believe certain differences
between boys and girls cannot be eliminated.
Other experts feel parents can do some
things to embrace those differences. It
is the responsibility of parents to avoid
creating a gender division in their children.
Like everything else, this pattern begins
at home.
Offer your
child many different toys.
Give your baby options when it comes to
toys. Let girls play with trucks and cars.
Let boys play with dolls and stuffed toys.
Offer them all sorts of toys. But don't
be surprised if your child favors gender-specific
toys anyway.
Set and
example.
During the early years, your child will
get most of her ideas and exposure about
gender roles from observing your roles
at home. It is a good idea for parents
to share chores and household responsibilities.
In that way, your child will learn that
dads and mums do many different things,
and there is no stereotyping of household
chores and work as such.
Don't overprotect
girls.
Give girls the same experiences as boys.
Do not deny them certain experiences just
because they are girls. Treat your daughter
the same as you would your son. Encourage
them when they get frustrated and give
them the push when they need it.
Cuddle
boys more.
Just because they are boys, it does not
mean they don't need cuddling or pampering.
Comfort your son by holding him. Research
shows that touch is powerful and can lower
stress-hormone levels. Boys need this
benefit as much as girls do.
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| Baby Concerns |
Lice:
Your child can get head lice, and it has
nothing to do with hygiene or cleanliness.
Lice thrive in crowded environments. Exposure
may occur in day-care and child-care.
This infestation is caused by a small
parasite that lives on the body, most
often where there is hair. Symptoms include
itching and scratching, redness of scalp,
eggs or nits in the hair and hives.
Check for
head lice
by examining the scalp on the back of
the head at the hairline or around the
ears. Use a magnifying glass. Tiny, gray,
oval-shaped specks called nits may be
visible that are firmly attached to the
hair. If there are no nits, another popular
sign is intense itching.
If your
child gets lice,
wash all sheets, towels and clothing in
hot water with disinfectant. Dry clean
items that cannot be washed. Soak combs
and brushes in very hot water for at least
10 mins. Do not share towels, combs, brushes
or other hair-care items.
Call your
doctor
if you believe your baby has lice. Do
not use over-the-counter medication on
baby without your doctor's advice. If
your doctor advises you to use over-the-counter
medicine to deal with the problem, be
careful to keep the shampoo out of your
baby's eyes. After shampooing, comb the
hair thoroughly while it is wet with a
special comb to remove the nits. Sometimes
a repeat is necessary, and this should
again be done with your pediatrician's
advice. If the over-the-counter medication
does not work, you may need to get a prescription
shampoo. Preferably, get one that does
not contain lindane as an overuse causes
harmful side effects in children.
Baby eczema
It is a
skin disorder, also called atopic
dermatitis. The problem can occur any
time in early childhood and affects about
10% of all children. 60% of cases occur
during baby's first year. Most cases are
not severe. The problem tends to subside,
as baby grows older. At this age, the
problem occurs when baby's delicate skin
encounters the floor once he is crawling.
It may also be triggered by a food-related
allergy. Dry scaly red patches first appear
on the face. The rash then moves down
to the trunk and limbs. It does not affect
the diaper area usually. Symptoms include:
• Itchy skin
• Flaking or peeling of skin
• Small blisters that leak a little
fluid (in some cases)
• Infection
If your
baby does have eczema,
give her fewer baths. After her bath,
pat her dry instead of rubbing her dry.
Lubricate her skin often, 2-3 times a
day. Check with your pediatrician which
lubricant works best in this situation.
Dress baby in loose-fitting clothes that
allows skin to breathe. Avoid perspiration
situations as this aggravates irritation.
Avoid feeding baby foods she is allergic. |
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Milestones - your
Baby's progress report |
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His intellectual
capacity grows:
Baby understands the human face now. He
studies faces to compare them. He also notices
objects and points at the ones he wants.
He pays attention to details even more.
Baby is beginning to explore cause and effect
concepts. He is beginning to understand
when he repeats an action, it almost always
has the same effect. For instance, when
he drops a spoon, it always hits the floor.
His muscular
development:
Muscular development is finally reaching
his lower limbs. He may kick vigorously
when he is on his back. He may also move
himself around by creeping on his tummy,
using his arms to pull himself along. It
won't be long before he crawling. He may
throw things; he likes to throw things for
the effect! Due to increased muscle control,
baby is able to fit smaller things into
bigger ones, build a tower of two blocks,
or gather items for sorting and building.
He may also divide his weight between his
arms and legs when he plants his hands on
an unmovable object for support. Baby will
have many false starts before he learns
to crawl. When he stumbles, don't make a
big deal out of it, and he won't either.
Since baby is practicing to stand, you may
be able to show him how to sit down again
safely. Make it a fun game so it is fun.
Show him how to bend forward from the waist
as he begins to sit down. This way he will
land on his bums instead of his back or
front.
Baby's safety:
Your baby may have an urge to climb at this
age itself. It is instinctual and will happen,
sooner or later. You will notice baby has
no problems climbing up but getting down
however can lead to calamity. He will try
all sorts of places to climb but not all
of them will be ideal or safe: it wont be
long before he will push a stool to the
sink. He will be able to climb high enough
to reach the medicine cupboard. Look around
and take measures now to protect baby, such
as turning furniture so it cannot be used
as a ladder. You may need to remove objects
that invite baby to climb where he should
not.
Uses both
hands:
Baby still uses his hands discriminately.
Sometimes he uses his right hand to pick
up something, then he will use his left
hand for something else. He is not making
the right-hand or left-hand distinction
yet. You may notice baby holding an object
in one hand. She may bang two objects together;
these are possible because of increased
hand control. She is using her thumb, first
and second fingers to grasp larger objects.
Sitting without
support:
By now, baby can sit without support when
his legs are stretched out in front of him.
His neck, hip and back muscles are getting
stronger and more coordinated. You may notice
baby practicing knee bends while he holds
onto something for support. This will soon
progress to squatting to pick up an object
with one hand while he supports himself
with the other hand. |
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| Toys and
Play |
Stand
and Reach
The game helps baby recognize that he can
get objects by standing and reaching for
them. Place a favorite toy on the seat of
a sturdy chair or sofa seat. With words
and movements, encourage your baby to pull
himself up by holding unto the chair. If
this is difficult or he doesn't understand,
help him to his feet. Then lean him against
the chair so he can reach the toy. When
he gets the toy, applaud and praise him.
Then place him back on the floor and start
over again.
Drop a spoon
game
When baby drops his spoon from his highchair,
make a game of picking it up. Reach down
and pick it up, then say something silly
such as "baby dropped he spoon. We
have to pick it up!" He will no doubt
drop the spoon again. This game reinforces
to baby that an object continues to exist
even when he cannot see it. |
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