Infant Tips

As your infant begins to crawl, stand, and walk, new challenges arise. By now your infant should be sleeping through the night (see newborn tips). Your infant will require a morning nap and a 2-4 hour afternoon nap. As they get older many infants and young toddlers outgrow the morning nap, but the afteroon nap should continue for the first several years. Bedtime at night should be around 7 to 8 PM. Feedings should now be less frequent (every 3 or 4 hours). Do not introduce solid food (rice cereal, etc.) until your infant is 10 or 11 months old.

Care should be taken to ensure your infant stays safe from stairs (try a baby gate), items on tables, electrical outlets, etc. Infants often discover their world by putting things in their mouths. This is normal, but it may mean washing things frequently and ensuring they do not put anything into their mouths that poses a choking risk.

As an infant your baby will be getting his or her teeth. Often discomfort accompanies this and you will find your once calm, happy baby crying for no apparent reason. To ease their discomfort try teething rings or placing a wet washcloth in the freezer for 30 minutes and allowing your infant to chew on it. Teething pain relievers such as Baby Tylenol or Baby Orajel may work for severe instances (be sure to read the instructions!). For diaper rash (it will happen!) try applying a cream during every diaper change. Use care when wiping or cleaning around diaper rashes.

In the infant stage your baby will now begin to smile at you and make amusing gurgling and chuckling sounds. Your infant will progress from rolling over to sitting up, to standing with assistance. Enjoy this stage because once they start walking and talking into toddlerhood new challenges arise.

For more valuable advice for your infant see On Becoming Baby Wise.

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All information contained in this site is designed to assist people with raising young children and is not meant to diagnose or offer treatment for serious illnesses. When in doubt, always consult your child's physician.

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