Baby Watch
When Baby eats food off the floor
Does your baby drop food only to pick it up and
eat it? As particular you may be about hygiene,
you may overlook this sometimes. When baby crawls
she is sure to find whatever you missed. Most
parents worry that food off the ground can harm
baby when she eats it. Don't panic. The germs
on your floors don't usually make your baby sick;
food eaten off a floor which is contaminated with
pet urine or feces could cause a problem. If your
baby drops her pacifier, you don't have to rush
and sterilize it in most cases. Do rinse it off
to remove dirt.
When your baby is shy..
If your baby is shy, don't worry about it. She
may need some prompting or help in exploring a
new situation or environment. Shy children do
not have a low self esteem nor does shyness affect
her ability to make friends. Let your child approach
others; ease her into new social situations gradually.
Do not force her into interactions that make her
feel uncomfortable. Pay attention to her cues.
If she is reluctant to leave your side, she is
just not ready to get into a new situation. Encourage
her to play or get involved. As she grows older
and with your encouragement, she will probably
be less shy.
When you say "No"...
Your baby may have difficulty obeying when you
tell him 'No' or 'Don't'. He may get hurt or angry.
That is ok since you are doing it for his safety
and health; there is only so much you can do to
babyproof your home. At this point it is necessary
for baby to learn there will always be areas that
are off limits. This will make your life a lot
easier when you visit other people's homes. If
baby is used to having some things not going his
way, he is less likely to throw a tantrum when
you restrict him outside your home.
Finger foods
Now is a good time to start on finger foods if
you have not already. Finger foods are small,
bite-sized pieces of food. Crackers, teething
crackers, pieces of toast, pieces of cheese, small
bits of meat, macaroni are good finger foods.
The object of giving baby finger foods is to encourage
self-feeding. Since he can't use spoon efficiently
yet, using his fingers encourages him to practice
eating skills. Offer a variety of foods: let baby
touch and feel and smell the food. Patience is
necessary. It takes baby much longer when he feeds
himself.
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