All infants:
- Love to explore the world around them, so you have to make your home safe.
- Have their own personalities, which may be different from their parents’.
- Put new and stressful demands on parents, so parents may need to ask for help.
- Need routines that match their unique abilities, and parents may need to adjust their schedules to fit this new individual.
- Your baby is now smiling and cooing and will soon start to move around more. These are signs of your baby’s personality and the start of a lifelong learning process.
Infants Do Talk
When infants begin to babble, they like the people around them to talk back. Have fun talking with your baby.
- Make silly noises.
- Play peek-a-boo games.
- Sing songs.
- Show and talk about simple picture books.
- This is the way your baby learns how to talk.
Infants Love To Explore
You may have noticed that your baby is becoming interested in everything within reach, especially simple toys with bright colors and ones that make noise. It seems that whatever infants grab, it finds its way into their mouths.
By age 3 or 4 months, infants are drooling and chewing on the things they put into their mouths. This is how they learn about the world around them.
Make sure that you never give infants a toy so small that it fits entirely in their mouths or a toy with parts that can break off easily. This can lead to choking!
Infants Have Personalities
Even very tiny infants act in very individual ways. Some are loud and active, others are quiet and passive. Some are easygoing and cuddly, others are very serious. Some are relaxed, others are more high-strung. As a parent, you already know your baby’s unique personality.
Think about this personality when you are caring for your baby.
- If your baby is naturally fussy and has difficulty calming down, avoid too much stimulation.
- If your baby is sensitive to changes in routines, make sure that your days are not too busy or filled with lots of changes. If your baby’s personality is different from yours, remember that what makes your baby comfortable and happy may not feel right for you.
Last Updated 11/17/2009
Source Connected Kids: Safe, Strong, Secure (Copyright © 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics)
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
