Parenting Matters: What your baby needs

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Having a baby is wonderful part of life. There are many important lessons to learn to keep your baby healthy and happy, and it is worth the time to learn ways to be a good parent to this special person.

One of the behaviors you need to get used to is that your baby will cry. Some moms think it will spoil the baby if you pick her up when she is crying. It won’t.

When you react to what she needs, you are teaching her she can trust you. It brings her comfort. It shows her you care about her. You are making her feel safe and loved.

One thing your baby needs is plenty of sleep. Some babies have more difficulty settling down for the night than others. A few things you can do to help will be to keep the noise down, put her down at the same time each night, massage her or rock her, put the same soft doll or stuffed animal in her crib so she connects with it, and even sing to her when you put her down to calm her.

Play with your baby. She will like it. Peek-a-boo is a great game. Place a sheet or blanket over your head, then lift it up and say, “Boo!” Any variation of this game is fun for her. You can also sing simple songs to her. Sing her nursery rhymes or even make up a song. Move her arms or her legs as you sing. She will thoroughly enjoy this kind of play. She probably will just like the time you are spending with her.

Laugh with her. Let her see you smile and see if she will smile back at you. Teaching your baby about being happy is one of the most important lessons you can teach her. This is a lesson you will need to teach her throughout her growing up years.

Make sure she has toys that are safe. Plan on her putting every toy you give her into her mouth. Make sure they are “non-toxic” and they don’t have small parts or sharp edges or points. You don’t want toys to have strings or ribbons but usually these can just be removed.

Never hang toys or a pacifier around your baby’s neck. Be sure not to let her play with a plastic bag because it can choke or smother her. Balloons are also hazardous. They can break and then they become a choking hazard.

As your baby gets a bit older, she will want to explore the world. Give her time on a flat surface. Put some toys just out of reach so she will reach for them. Make sure she is wearing clothes that allow her to move easily.

Talk a lot to your baby. You may feel she doesn’t understand but she is working on it. Babies start talking at different ages. They also learn in different ways. Talking to her helps her learn. The more you talk with her, the more likely she is to begin to talk with you.

Taking turns is part of language. When your baby coos or makes sounds, be sure to listen to her. Then respond. Talk back and forth with her often. Let her hear you using familiar words and sounds and new ones. This will get her attention.

Make sure she sees you being happy with her for making sounds. Babies respond to happy faces. This will encourage her to keep going on to the next step.

Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and former executive director of Parenting Matters Foundation, which publishes newsletters for parents, caregivers and grandparents. To reach current First Teacher Executive Director Nicole Brewer, email nicole@firstteacher.org or call 360-681-2250.