Baby Development

From the time your baby is born, he or she will undergo dramatic change in the first two years of life. Your baby’s diet will change from breast milk (or formula) to solid foods, then finger foods, and so on. Your baby’s physical development will astound you. For example, you will love hearing your baby’s coos, his or her first words, and his or her first sentence.

I found this really impressive baby milestone chart – which will take you through your baby’s development month-to-month. You will learn how your baby’s dietary needs will change, his or her physical development, language development, and cognitive development. It is amazing how much a baby will change in the first two years of life.

And if you’re wondering how expensive a baby’s first year will be, this infographic also gives you an interesting view. For instance, did you know that in the first year alone, you will spend $2,000 in disposable diapers? And $1,700 in formula (if you don’t breastfeed).

Check it out, and let me know what you think!
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Should babies watch TV?

Experts don’t think so, but parents with babies and small children still allow their little ones to watch the boob tube. Television fascinates babies and toddlers. They love watching it, and they’ll spend hours in front of the TV if you let them. The television is a “good” babysitter; it keeps babies and little ones occupied like nothing else.

But there’s a price for allowing your kids to watch TV – their language development, social and cognitive skills may suffer as a result. Here are the main reasons why TV watching is bad for your baby.

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Guest Post by Joyce Brister.

While the first five years of a baby’s development is a period of incredible growth and learning, every baby is different and each develops at its own pace. Understanding the rapid developmental changes can help parents and primary caregivers provide a nurturing environment for the child.  Since a baby’s future begins even before birth, how parents deal with the baby’s development has effects that can last his/her entire lifetime.

All parents worry about their child’s growth and development, especially if the birth was difficult or the child developed a disability or chronic condition.  Although each child’s rate of growth is different, the patterns of growth have common denominators and are fairly predictable.  It is the timing of the stages of development that differ, even amongst siblings. For instance, many babies are walking by age one, but it is still considered normal to be walking anywhere from 9-16 months of age.

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