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A Way to Get Baby to Sleep Through the Night

baby sleeping on back

Baby Sleep Training

Young babies need 12 to 13 hours per day to sleep and by six months, most sleep 11 to 12 hours total according to Dr. Richard Ferber, author of Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems.

Sleep training is the answer to getting your baby to sleep through the night. Know what’s going on with your baby and make a plan for baby sleep training that you faithfully follow.

  • Keep the room slightly cool,
  • Turn the lights off
  • Always put your baby to sleep on her back,
  • Use a swaddle blanket or sleep sack avoid loose balnkets

Know when your baby is able to sleep through the night.

By three months, or once a baby weighs about 12 pounds, they are usually physically able to sleep through the night.

Is your baby is waking up and only eating a few sips? Maybe’s she’s not really hungry and you might want to try to you skip that feeding.

Realize when a bad habit is setting in.

If your baby is waking up but only taking a little milk or formula, chances she’s not really hungry. By feeding her when she’s not really hungry you are encouraging waking to eat and are prolonging the time it will take to train her to sleep through the night.

Let your baby fall asleep in her crib or sleep space.

You want your baby to learn to fall asleep on her own, and she won’t be able to learn how to if you’re rocking her to sleep. You can rock baby but once she’s groggy put her down, encouraging her to fall asleep on her own in her own space.

If your baby awakes and doesn’t need to eat, don’t pick her up.

Reassure your baby, gently pat her on the back and whispering “I’m here”. Don’t turn the lights on.

Once your baby has calmed down, but still awake, leave the room. If your baby cries again, wait a few minutes, and repeat the steps above.

Continue waiting a few more minutes each time before going to her when she cries, this encourages her to learn to fall back to sleep on her own.

Babies who have good sleep habits are less fussy. Help your baby to get the sleep she needs by creating good sleep habits and a peaceful environment early on.

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How to Come Out of Quarantine and Into Childcare

family mom dad toddler

Many child care professionals and centers have enhanced their health and safety protocols to keep children, their families and themselves safe and help you come out of quarantine and into childcare It is inevitable that there will be a high need for more child care spaces as parents begin to return to work.

The Real question is how are children affected by COVID and what are their chances of becoming ill. The Mayo Clinic has a very good article about babies and toddler and COVID. It outlines the likelihood which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reports is that among nearly 150,000 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. between Feb. 12 and April 2, only about 2,500, or 1.7%, were in children.

Are Infants art Risk from COVID?

Although rare, Babies under the age of 12, are at higher risk of severe illness with COVID. Likely it is caused by immature immune systems and smaller airways. Making them more likely to develop breathing problems.

How to find quality child care during COVID?

For a quality childcare look for small group size, access to educational programming, flexible hours and a safe environment with oversight and supervision. With a warm, safe and stimulating environment where self-confidence is encouraged and an interest in learning is promoted through play,

Some of the changes you will notice as Childcare centers open in COVID times and you begin to come out of quarantine and into childcare.

  • drop off and pick-up routines might be staggered or altered
  • meals being more “disposable”
  • a reduced number of children at the center
  • some activities and play will differ to keep children in smaller groups and more separated
  • restrictions types of toys and use of more plastic and metal toys which reduce the risk of spread and are more easily cleaned

Children will still receive the human connection they need but in a safer way from licensed childcare trained providers.

What do you think, is it safe to send your child to a childcare center?

According to the CDC.gov a true answer below means your child’s ( family) COVID risk is high. goto the full risk assessment tool: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/schools-childcare/back-to-school-decision-checklist.pdf

COVID Risk AssessmentDoes Not ApplyFalseUnsureTrue
My child has an underlying condition that increases the risk for severe illness from COVID-19.☐☐☐☐
I live with someone, or my child’s caregiver, is at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 due to age or underlying medical conditions.☐☐☐☐
The level of community spread in my area is high.☐☐☐☐

Does your job require you to leave the home so you must find outside childcare?

Can an employer can’t fire you because you are unable to find child care?

No, under Emergency Sick Leave and Expanded FMLA Child-Care Leave
employers must give you a two-week emergency paid leave for COVID-19 related quarantines and sickness and unavailability of child-care providers.

You can’t be fired under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave for the care of children whose school is closed or when a child care provider is unavailable for COVID-19 related reasons. Both of these mandates apply only to employers with fewer than 500 employees.

These new laws became effective April 1, 2020, and expires December 31, 2020. The DOL will not, however, bring enforcement actions based on FFCRA violations occurring through April 17, 2020, provided that employers have made reasonable, good faith efforts to comply with the law.

More Information here: American Bar Association

Child care options to consider:

  • childcare center
  • at home childcare
  • friend or relative
  • neighborhood daycare coop

Are you having problems finding childcare? Have you considered switching to a home childcare provider?

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Top 12 questions to ask a childcare center

child care worker and child

Finding a childcare center for your son or daughter is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as a parent. Most importantly, you want your child to feel safe and secure in a stimulating environment that allows him or her to grow and learn.

It is easy to get information about a daycare’s curriculum and credentials online. But a visit to experience it firsthand is the only way to really know if it’s a good fit for you and your child.

Whether you are seeking care for your infant, toddler, or preschooler, the first step is to find a reputable and qualified childcare center.

Prepare some questions to ask yourself during the visit. That way, it will be easier to remember what is important to you as the childcare provider walks you through the facility. Here is a checklist of 12 questions to help you assess if a childcare center is the right place for your son or daughter.

12 questions to ask when visiting a childcare facility

  1. What is the initial smell when you enter the building?
  2. Does the environment feel cheerful and welcoming?
  3. Are there any environmental health or safety concerns?
  4. What sounds do you hear as you walk through the facility?
  5. Do staff members interact with children in a warm, positive manner?
  6. Does the center director engage with staff?
  7. How do staff members interact with you during your visit?
  8. Do the children in the classrooms appear to be stimulated and engaged?
  9. Can you envision your child in the classroom interacting with teachers and playing with peers?
  10. Can you picture walking into that building every morning and every evening with a strong sense of safety and confidence?
  11. Ask about procedures to protect the children from COVID (children under age 3 should not wear masks)
  12. Ask about how they are protecting the teachers from COVID?

Trust Your Instincts

Of course, you’ll have questions that you want to ask the center director, but if you are able to respond positively to the questions above, you may have found childcare that meets your child’s needs. Alternatively, if one of your answers brings up a sense of concern or worry, you may need to ask additional questions, conduct further research, and look at other childcare options. Trust your instincts. The right childcare provider will make this transition to childcare much easier you and your child.

Ultimately, the childcare provider you choose should make you and your child feel safe. Once safety is established, you can find a facility that provides the education for your child to have the best possible start during these critical learning years.

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Child Development: How Two-Year-Olds Learn Fine Motor Skills

toddler stacking blocks

How Two-Year-Olds Learn Fine Motor Skills?

Your two-year-old has just started enthusiastically running, jumping and — yes — saying “No!” Running and jumping is good for their development. It is important to recognize the need for fine motor skill development — especially young boys who tend to have difficulty sitting still to color.

What are fine motor skills?

Fine motor skills include precise thumb, finger, hand, and wrist movements that are practiced through tracing, scribbling, painting, cutting and pasting.

Scribbling:

Create art with crayons. Random scribbles come first, and then circular scribbles will emerge! Try flat and vertical surfaces. For a good sensory experience, use sticks to draw in sand on warm days or in the snow during the winter.

Puzzles:

Your child will begin to complete 2- 3 piece puzzles with guidance. If your child has a favorite picture, paste it onto heavy cardboard, and then cut it into a few simple pieces. Puzzles are a great way to help your child develop coordination of visual and motor skills.

Stacking Good Time:

Kids love to stack. Help your child learn to stack blocks, empty thread spools, raison boxes, sponges, or small containers. Tochallenge your child’s fine motor movements, stack items that are small enough to fit in your child’shands. This is great for hand-eye coordination, as well as grasp and release movements.

Page Turner:

If your child loves story time, make it as interactive as possible, whilerefining your child’s hand movements. Helpyour child learn to open a book, turn a few pages, and then turn only one page at a time.

Silly Putty:

Play dough or silly putty is a great way toincrease your child’s hand and finger strength. It is also agreat way to introduce a new sensory experience. Help your child pinch, squeeze, poke, and roll the dough. Easy recipes for play dough can be found on the internet.

Double Trouble:

At this age, your child is beginning to use both hands to play. Let your child carry empty plastic bowls, or two large apples or oranges so they use two hands at once. This helps increase bilateral hand use and strength.

Snack Time:

No doubt your child loves to pick up small objects. They might use their whole hand at first, and then will learn to use their thumb and fingers to pick up objects. Give your child cheerios, raisons, or marshmallows to help learn to use a pinch-like grasp. Make sure to supervise your child, to avoid choking.

Getting Ready for Scissors:

Practice with spray bottles, clothes pins, salad tongs, and tweezers to develop the ‘open-shut’ hand movements needed for scissors. For a good sensory experience, help your child use the tongs to puck up objects out of sand, snow, water, rice, etc.

Open Sesame:

Encourage your child to begin opening bottles and doorknobs, or to play with toys that require twisting. Put goodies or toys in a jar, and let your child undo the lids to get to the prize. These types of activities help develop wrist rotation.

Little Painter:

At this age, your child can imitate and create lines and circles. Tape paper to a vertical surface to create proper grasp and hand movements. For a good sensory experience, use hands and fingers in finger paint, pudding, or play dough. This will help your child learn the motor patterns used for drawing and writing.

Puzzles:

Your child can being completing 4- 5 piece puzzles. If your child has a favorite picture, paste it onto heavy cardboard, and then cut it into simple shapes. Puzzles are a great way to help your child develop coordination of visual and motor skills.

Sky Scrapers:

Your child may now be able to stack as many as 5 or 6 objects. You may also begin teaching your child how to line up object horizontally or in a row, to make a train or truck they can push around. Use blocks, raison boxes, sponges or small containers.

Kitchen Helper:

Your child may love to imitate your actions. When you are busy making dinner or baking, let your child pretend they are working too. Give them simple tools to play with, and that will increase their hand dexterity and strength at the same time. For example, let your child stir water in a bowl with a spatula, use a garlic press with play dough, wipe the tables with a washcloth, play and make drawings in salt on a cookie tray, or scrub vegetables with a cloth or brush. These activities will strength fine motor abilities, and give your child new sensory experiences.

Snack Time:

At this age, your child should be using his or her thumb and fingers to pick up foods. Give your child cheerios, raisons, or marshmallows to help learn these skills. Make sure to supervise your child to avoid choking. For other foods, encourage the use of a spoon and fork to increase coordination and control of the hands. 

Child Development: Preschoolers Ages and Stages
Child Development: Baby 7-12 Months Old
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Healthy Toddler Treat: Creamy Cranberry Dipping Sauce

cranberry yogurt dipping sauce

By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers

Yummy Toddler Food

Toddler Meal Kit

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Toddlers love to play with their food. Dipping sauces make foods taste good and provide your child with an activity that makes meals and snacks more fun. These two recipes are for children one-yer old or older. Enjoy these yummy dipping sauces – one for fruits and another for veggies, tofu, and meats.

What age to introduce cranberries to baby?

Over 12 months (cooked/juice/sauce).

Over 18 months (dried).

Creamy Cranberry Dipping Sauce

Healthy Toddler Treat: Creamy Cranberry Dipping Sauce
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Healthy Toddler Treat: Creamy Cranberry Dipping Sauce

Recipe by Sugar Bee BabyCourse: Ages and Stages
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking timeminutes
Calories

40

kcal

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup 100 percent cranberry raspberry (or grape) juice

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

Directions

  • Combine ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisking until smooth.
  • Serve hot or at room temperature.
  • Perfect for dipping fruits and veggies

All about cranberries

The cranberry is a Native American fruit that grows on trailing vines like a strawberry, and thrives in wetland areas, called bogs. Cranberries are harvested in September and October.

The most common technique for harvesting is known as a “wet” harvest, which involves flooding the bogs with water to float the fruit for easy collection. In the winter the frozen water insulates and protects the vines.

The North American cranberry has a distinguished history. Native Americans used cranberries as food, in ceremonies, and medicinally.

Revolutionary War veteran Henry Hall planted the first commercial cranberry beds in Dennis, Massachusetts in 1816. Today they are farmed on approximately 40,000 acres across the northern United States and Canada.
Cranberries are available in a variety of product forms including fresh, juice, dried, and sauce.

Cranberries are a healthy fruit.

They contain no cholesterol and virtually no fat and are low in sodium and contain significant amounts of antioxidants and other phytonutrients. They may help protect against heart disease, cancer, aging, and other diseases. Cranberries contain bacteria-blocking compounds that are helpful in preventing urinary tract infections, and possibly ulcers and gum disease.

Cranberries for the family

Cranberry up your Thanksgiving meal by trying some of these tasty and simple ideas.


1. Football snack: Add dried cranberries to any nut mixture.

2. Salad: Sprinkle dried cranberries on mixed green or spinach salad. The sweetness of the cranberries is terrific with any vinaigrette dressing and is a great compliment to crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese.

3. Side dish: Add dried cranberries to your favorite stuffing, wild rice, or couscous recipe.

4. Veggie: Sauté onions, diced zucchini, and dried cranberries in olive oil. Season with a dash of turmeric, cinnamon, and rep pepper flakes. Great taste and awesome color!

5. Most important cranberries are yummy toddler food!

5. All American apple pie: Add ½frac12; cups of fresh cranberries to your favorite apple recipe.

6. Treat the whole family to fresh cranberry sauce. Make this simple recipe that can be made ahead of time.

Cranberry Mustard Dipping Sauce

Details

Servings
Prep time

3 minutes

Cooking time

0 minutes

Calories

30

PrintPrint

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

PrintPrint

Directions

  • Combine ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisking until smooth.
  • Serve hot or at room temperature.
  • Serve with raw/blanched veggies, baked tofu, chicken fingers or fish sticks.
Introducing Finger Foods to Your Baby
https://sugarbeebaby.com/homemade-baby-food/
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How much should a 1-2 years-old eat?

toddler eating

By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers

Parents often wonder how much food should their little ones (1-2 years old) be eating.

Recent media coverage suggests over the past 20 years, restaurants and food companies have been increasing their serving sizes. This trend is considered to be a contributing factor in the rise in obesity (among adults and children).
We all know that children should eat less than adults. After all, they are smaller. The following are some serving size guidelines for a 1-2 year old that may help you out.

Milk/Dairy: Servings:

16-20 ounces of milk per day. Whole milk, soy or rice milk are recommended. Other equivalents: 1/2 -3/4 ounce of cheese = 4 ounces of milk. 1/4 cup of yogurt = 2 ounces of milk.

Fruits and veggies:

Servings: 5 or more per day. Serving size: 1-2 tablespoons – Pureed, mashed, or cubed.

Grains: Servings:

3-4 per day. Serving sizes: 1/2 slice of bread, 1/4 cup of cooked cereal, 1/4 cup of dry cereal. 1/4 cup of pasta, 2-3 saltine crackers, or 1/2 tortilla.

Non-dairy proteins (meat, fish, beans, eggs): Servings:

2 per day. Serving sizes: 1/2 egg, 2-3 tablespoons beans (i.e. black, pinto, edamame, etc…), 1 tablespoon peanut butter, or 1 ounce of fish, lean beef, pork or chicken.

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Child Development: Preschoolers Ages and Stages

preschoolers

Child Development Guide for Preschoolers

Children develop at their own pace, so it’s impossible to tell exactly when yours will learn a given skill. The developmental milestones below will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect as your child gets older, but don’t be alarmed if your child does not exactly follow the steps as outlined.

Child development by end of 36 months

Social

  • Imitates adults and playmates
  • Spontaneously shows affection for familiar playmates
  • Can take turns in games
  • Understands concept of “mine” and “his/hers”

Emotional

  • Shows affection openly
  • Shows a wide range of emotions
  • By 3, separates easily from parents
  • Objects to major changes in routine

Cognitive

  • Makes mechanical toys work
  • Matches an object in her hand or room to a picture in a book
  • Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
  • Sorts objects by shape and color
  • Completes puzzles with three or four pieces
  • Understands concept of “two”

Language

  • Follows a two- or three-part command
  • Recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures
  • Understands most sentences
  • Understands placement in space (“on,” “in,” “under”)
  • Uses 4- to 5-word sentences
  • Can say name, age, and sex
  • Uses pronouns (I, you, me, we, they) and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
  • Strangers can understand most of her words

Movement

  • Climbs well
  • Walks up and down stairs, alternating feet (one foot per stair step)
  • Kicks ball
  • Runs easily
  • Pedals tricycle
  • Bends over easily without falling

Hand and Finger Skills

  • Makes up-and-down, side-to-side, and circular lines with pencil or crayon
  • Turns book pages one at a time
  • Builds a tower of more than six blocks
  • Holds a pencil in writing position
  • Screws and unscrews jar lids, nuts, and bolts
  • Turns rotating handles

Developmental Health Watch
Alert your child’s doctor or nurse if your child displays any
of the following signs of possible developmental delay for
this age range.

Frequent falling and difficulty with stairs

Persistent drooling or very unclear speech

Cannot build a tower of more than four blocks

Difficulty manipulating small objects

Cannot copy a circle by age 3

Cannot communicate in short phrases

No involvement in “pretend” play

Does not understand simple instructions

Little interest in other children

Extreme difficulty separating from mother or primary caregiver

Poor eye contact

Limited interest in toys

By the end of 4 years (48 months)

Social

  • Interested in new experiences
  • Cooperates with other children
  • Plays “Mom” or “Dad”
  • Increasingly inventive in fantasy play
  • Dresses and undresses
  • Negotiates solutions to conflicts
  • More independent

Emotional

  • Imagines that many unfamiliar images may be “monsters”
  • Views self as a whole person involving body, mind, and feelings
  • Often cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality

Cognitive

  • Correctly names some colors
  • Understands the concept of counting and may know a few numbers
  • Tries to solve problems from a single point of view
  • Begins to have a clearer sense of time
  • Follows three-part commands
  • Recalls parts of a story
  • Understands the concepts of “same” and “different”
  • Engages in fantasy play

Language

  • Has mastered some basic rules of grammar
  • Speaks in sentences of five to six words
  • Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand
  • Tells stories

Movement

  • Hops and stands on one foot up to five seconds
  • Goes upstairs and downstairs without support
  • Kicks ball forward
  • Throws ball overhand
  • Catches bounced ball most of the time
  • Moves forward and backward with agility

Hand and Finger Skills

  • Copies square shapes
  • Draws a person with two to four body parts
  • Uses scissors
  • Draws circles and squares
  • Begins to copy some capital letters

Developmental Health Watch
Alert your child’s doctor or nurse if your child displays any
of the following signs of possible developmental delay for
this age range.

  • Cannot throw a ball overhand
  • Cannot jump in place
  • Cannot ride a tricycle
  • Cannot grasp a crayon between thumb and fingers
  • Has difficulty scribbling
  • Cannot stack four blocks
  • Still clings or cries whenever parents leave
  • Shows no interest in interactive games
  • Ignores other children
  • Doesn’t respond to people outside the family
  • Doesn’t engage in fantasy play
  • Resists dressing, sleeping, using the toilet
  • Lashes out without any self-control when angry or upset
  • Cannot copy a circle
  • Doesn’t use sentences of more than three words
  • Doesn’t use “me” and “you” correctly
Child Development: Baby 7-12 Months Old
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Strike Up The Band! Music Means More Than Fun!

preschool bou guitar

by Christina Lorenzen

The Love of Music

We may not all love the ballet, opera or an afternoon at a museum, but you would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t like music. With so many kinds to choose from, from classical to hip hop to classic rock, there’s something for every taste. It’s long been said that “music soothes the savage beast” and many of us find ourselves soothed by our car radios on the way home from a long day of work. Music not only has the power to relax or energize us, it also has been shown to make children smarter.

Early Childhood

Early childhood specialists have conducted tests and concluded that preschoolers who received music lessons for several months showed specific advantages over their playmates who did not. Tests showed these children had improved dramatically in their abilities to color patterns of color, draw geometric figures and figure out mazes. These skills reflect spatial intelligence which is the foundation for complex types of reasoning needed in math and science.

BENEFITS of Music for very young children/preschoolers:

1. Promotes large and small motor skills development.
2. Cultivates concentration and focused listening.
3. Fosters early vocal development and enhanced social abilities.
4. Encourages parent/child bonding

It’s been proven that music stimulates all areas of a child’s developing brain.

Early musical exposure has been linked to superior motor abilities. It has even been shown to affect social abilities positively. Hands-on participation in music, especially during the brain’s crucial developing years of ages 3-10, is especially valuable. During the ages of 3-10, the areas of the brain responsible for higher thinking abilities are developing. What does all this really mean? Simply put, music is a healthy and natural opportunity for your child to express him/herself while promoting the positive development of the whole child – socially, physically and emotionally.

Dwindling School Programs

Unfortunately, with school funding dwindling each year, many schools have small music programs with limited room for children to participate. Many schools have cut their music programs altogether, taking away more than just the fun of playing from their students. If your child’s school does not offer a music program, check with a local music store/school and reap these rewards from your investment:

BENEFITS of Music for older, school-age children:

1. aids academic aptitudes in mathematics, science and the arts.
2. increases scholastic participation.
3. teaches the value of achieving goals
4. bolsters self-image and self-assurance.
5. inspires self-sufficiency and appreciation for teamwork.
 

Educational Toys Toddlers love

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Child Development: 3 – 6-Month-Old Milestones

5 month old baby

Child Development Guide for 3-6 Months

Babies develop at their own pace, so it’s impossible to tell exactly when your child will learn a given skill. The developmental steps listed below will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect, but don’t be alarmed if your own baby’s development is not exactly as listed.

Social and Emotional

  • Begins to display a social smile
  • Enjoys playing with others and may cry when playing stops
  • Expressive and communicates more with face and body
  • Imitates some movements and facial expressions

Movement

  • Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
  • Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
  • Stretches legs out and kicks when lying on stomach or back
  • Opens and closes hands
  • Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
  • Brings hand to mouth
  • Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
  • Grasps and shakes hand toys

Vision

  • Watches faces closely
  • Follows moving objects
  • Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
  • Starts using hands and eyes in coordination

Hearing and Speech

  • Smiles at the sound of your voice
  • Begins to babble
  • Begins to imitate some sounds
  • Turns head toward a sound

Developmental Health Watch

Alert your child’s doctor or nurse if your child displays any
of the following signs of possible developmental delay for
this age range.

  • Does not seem to respond to loud noises
  • Does not notice hands by 2 months
  • Does not follow moving objects with eyes by 2 to 3 months
  • Does not grasp and hold objects by 3 months
  • Does not smile at people by 3 months
  • Cannot support head well by 3 months
  • Does not reach for and grasp toys by 3 to 4 months
  • Does not babble by 3 to 4 months
  • Does not bring objects to mouth by 4 months
  • Begins babbling, but does not try to imitate any of your sounds by 4 months
  • Does not push down with legs when feet are placed on a firm surface by 4 months
  • Has trouble moving one or both eyes in all directions
  • Crosses eyes most of the time (occasional crossing of the eyes is normal in these first months)
  • Does not pay attention to new faces, or seems very frightened by new faces or surroundings

Source: CDC

Learn More about baby development:  Does your Baby Cry too Much?

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Introducing Finger Foods to Your Baby

Finger Food Mania: Tips and Recipes for Introducing Finger Foods to Your Baby

By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers

There is nothing cuter than watching your little one chase food around the highchair tray with her fingers, and seeing the sense of accomplishment in her face when a tiny little piece of food actually makes it her mouth.
When your baby is between eight and nine months old, you can begin to introduce finger foods to encourage your baby to begin self-feeding. It is very important that the texture of finger foods be very soft, so that your baby can “gum” the foods. To get food soft enough for gumming, many of them will need to be cooked.

Examples of finger foods that can be served raw include small pieces of:

  • Banana
  • Avocado
  • Tofu
  • Semi-hard cheeses — Jack, Colby, (introduce over 12 months)
  • “O” shaped cereal
  • Puffed rice cereal

Examples of cooked finger foods:

  • Apples slices
  • Pear slices
  • Whole asparagus spears
  • Carrots sticks/rounds or baby carrots
  • Zucchini or yellow squash rounds
  • Broccoli spears
  • Sweet potato slices or cubes
  • Whole green beans

To smooth the way for introducing finger foods here are few tips that may help you out:

  • Always feed your baby in a “seated position.” The risk of choking rises as you introduce finger foods.
  • Never let your baby eat foods without adult supervision.
  • Don’t be in a rush. Introduce finger foods one at a time and slowly add different ones.
  • Continue to feed your baby softly, pureed baby foods for most of the meal, and transition to more finger foods over a six- to eight-month period.
  • Start with foods your baby likes.

Here are few toddler finger food recipes to help you get started with finger food fun!

Sweet Potato Cubes – Yummy Toddler Food


Your baby will like the bright orange color and sweet taste of these little morsels. Babies have a natural sweet tooth developed from drinking breast milk or formula, which are sweet. The natural sweetness of sweet potatoes make them a favorite baby and toddler food!

Sweet Potato Cubes
Print

Sweet Potato Cubes

Recipe by Cheryl TallmanCourse: Ages and Stages, Baby
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

5

minutes
Calorieskcal

Ingredients

  • sweet potato

  • cinnamon (optional)

  • nutmeg (optional

  • ginger

Directions

  • Wash, peel and dice sweet potato into small cubes about ½ – 1;-inch in size.
  • Place the cubes in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and cook them in the microwave on HIGH for 5 to 7 minutes
  • Let them stand for 5 minutes. You’ll know they are done if you can mash them with a fork.

Notes

  • Storage: Covered container. Stays fresh four to five days in the refrigerator or up to two months in the freezer.
  • What age to introduce? About nine months
Golden Delicious Apples

Cinnamon Apple Slices


Your baby will like the sweet juicy flavor and the challenge of picking these up will help develop her fine motor skills. These are super easy to make and great for any meal or as a snack!

Time needed: 15 minutes

  1. Wash, peel and core 1-2 golden delicious apples.

  2. Cut the apples into slices about 1/4-inch thick.

  3. Place the slices of apples in plastic bag and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon over the apples slices.

  4. Close the bag and shake it up so the cinnamon is distributed evenly over all of the slices.

  5. Place the slices in a microwave safe dish and cook them in the microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes.

  6. Let them stand for 5 minutes.

  7. They are done if a fork slides into them easily. Cool completely before serving.

Storage: Lasts four to five days in the refrigerator or up to two months in the freezer.

What Age to introduce:

About nine months

Dusted Tofu Cubes

These nutritious, little cubes are fun to pick up and they taste good too! For a little variety, you can use banana instead of tofu.

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 teaspoon flax seed, finely ground

  • 1-2 tablespoons of Cheerios (or other cereal) OR 2-3 graham crackers

  • 5-6 1/2-inch cubes of firm tofu

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Directions

  • Place ground flax seed and cereal/graham crackers in a bag and crush into crumbs.
  • Add tofu and shake lightly to coat the tofu cubes with the crumb mixture.
  • Serve immediately.

Age to introduce:

Over 12 months (without flax seed 8-10 months)

Your toddler is sure to love these yummy toddler foods.