Baby Development Dos and Don’ts for New Parents

You’ve got the video camera set up and your Baby Development Milestones notebook open, ready to make that first entry! You watch your baby week by week so you don’t miss that first smile or word. Then you start to worry- shouldn’t your bundle of joy be talking by now? Why hasn’t junior started crawling yet? Is something wrong? This kind of anxiety is natural for all newbie mommas and dadas. Before you start to panic, check out some of these parenting dos and don’ts when it comes to your child’s developmental issues.

The Don’ts

• If you have a Baby Development Milestones timeline and your bambino doesn’t seem to be keeping up with it, don’t panic! Each child will develop at their own pace, hitting those milestones when they’re good and ready. Some kids develop quickly, others just take a little more time.

• Don’t block opportunities for development. Many newbie parents do this without even realizing it. For instance, are you worried that your bundle of sunshine hasn’t learned to sit up by herself yet? It could be because you’re holding her all the time! Set her down and give her some space to learn how to roll over, sit up, and crawl on her own.

• Don’t assume the worst. If your whippersnapper seems to be having trouble with speech and comprehension, it could be because of recurrent ear infections. If you do spot something that bothers you, don’t wait. Talk to your doctor about it as soon as you can and approach the problem calmly. Most developmental issues turn out to be minor things that can be ironed out quickly.

The Dos

• Create an environment that is safe and comfortable for baby to grow and explore. Give them a lot of space to putter around on the floor. This is where most of their developmental milestones are reached, right at the ground level!

• Give your tiny tyke toys that are of different shapes, sizes, and textures. Stock up on things like crayons, building blocks, and puzzles to help develop their fine motor skills.

• Laugh, sing, talk, and play with your child as much as possible! Not only is this loads of fun for you and your kiddie, it helps them develop their social interaction skills. Instead of switching on the TV for cartoons, use that time to play with your baby instead.

Your child will hit their developmental milestones when they are ready. And when it happens, it will truly be a special event for the baby and for you too!