Preparing and Caring for Baby 101
Amy Brandon
Child Care Program
Begin with Good Prenatal Care
Prenatal care can help keep you and your unborn baby healthy. The following “dos” and “don’ts” for a healthy pregnancy are from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Eat a healthy diet- Don’t drink alcohol
- See your doctor regularly
- Don’t use illegal drugs
- Get enough sleep
- Don’t eat fish with lots of mercury
- Get regular, low-impact exercise
- Don’t use chemicals
- Ask your doctor before taking any medications
- Don’t take very hot baths, use hot tubs or saunas
“Healthy Baby, Healthy Me” is a research project by The Ohio State University Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program targeting low-income, pregnant females. It helps expectant mothers acquire knowledge, develop skills, and change behaviors to improve their nutrition. Program participants can earn up to $50 while learning to prepare healthy menus and meals, practice safe food handling, and manage food budgets. For information about “Healthy Baby, Healthy Me,” call (614) 247-2065.
Learn About Basic Baby Care and Development
Feeling confident about how to care for your newborn will allow you to relax and enjoy getting to know your baby.
Sleep Safely Tips
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development states that sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death in children between one month and one year of age. Most SIDS deaths happen when babies are between two- and four-months old. To reduce the risk of SIDS:
- Always place your baby on his/her back to sleep
- Place your baby on a firm sleep surface, such as a safety-approved crib mattress, covered by a fitted sheet
- Keep soft objects, toys, and loose bedding out of your baby’s sleep area
- Do not allow smoking around your baby
- Keep your baby’s sleep area close to, but separate from, where you and others sleep
From Infancy to InfantSee
The American Optometric Association has developed InfantSee. This public health program is designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness care to improve all children’s quality of life. Babies learn to see, and vision skills begin developing, at birth. Parents can become aware of vision milestones and how to aid infant vision development. Visit infantsee.org for more information.
During the first four months of life: Your baby should begin following moving objects with the eyes and reach for things—first by chance, and later more accurately—as hand–eye coordination and depth perception develop. To aid development: use a nightlight or other dim lamp in your baby’s room; change the crib’s position frequently and your child’s position in it; keep reach-and-touch toys within your baby’s focus (about eight to 12 inches); talk to your baby as you walk around the room; alternate right and left sides with each feeding; and hang a mobile above and outside the crib.
Between four and eight months: Your baby should begin turning from side to side and using his or her arms and legs. Eye movement and eye–body coordination skills should develop further, and both eyes should focus equally. Allow your baby to explore different shapes and textures with his/her fingers; give your baby freedom to crawl and explore; hang objects across the crib; and play “patty cake” and “peek-a-boo” together.
From eight to 12 months: Your baby should be mobile now, crawling and pulling himself/herself up. Your baby will begin to use both eyes, judge distances, and grasp/throw objects with greater precision. Don’t encourage early walking—crawling is important in developing eye–hand–foot–body coordination. Give your baby stacking and take-apart toys, and provide objects that your baby can touch, hold, and see simultaneously.
Spending some time before your baby arrives to better your health and increase your knowledge will help ensure that you are ready when the time comes to bring your baby home. To receive a packet of this information, contact Amy Brandon at abrandon@hr.osu.edu.
Find Out About Developmental Milestones
“Learn the Signs. Act Early.” is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s campaign to increase awareness of developmental milestones in how children play, learn, speak, and act. Visit cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly to learn more. Knowing what your child should be doing is the first step in identifying when they are not developing properly. A delay in social, emotional, motor, vision, hearing, or speech could be a sign of a developmental problem. The earlier issues are recognized, the more that can be done to help your baby reach his/her full potential. By the age of three months, many babies:
- Begin to develop a social smile
- Enjoy playing with other people and may cry when playing stops
- Imitate some movements and facial expressions
- Raise their head and chest when lying on their stomach
- Stretch their legs out and kick when lying on their stomach or back
- Open and shut their hands
- Push down on their legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
- Bring their hands to their mouth
- Grasp and shake hand toys
- Smile at the sound of familiar voices
- Begin to babble
- Turn their head toward sound