Your 7-month-old: Week 2

How your baby's growing:

By now, you may have already told your baby that the telephone isn't a toy, or that rattles aren't for throwing, or that her sister's hair isn't for pulling. At this age, your baby may begin testing your authority by refusing to follow your simple directions. She's not really being disobedient or willful — just curious.

Keep in mind that she simply can't remember things you tell her for more than a couple of seconds at a time. The best tactic is to use a simple "no" and then distract her.

• Learn more fascinating facts about your 7-month-old's development.

Your life: Treating yourself well

Being responsible for a tiny creature 24/7 or rushing from work to baby can be rattling. A few midway-through-the-first-year reminders:

Stay healthy. Don't skimp on your own nutrition — whether or not you've lost your pregnancy weight. Avoid caffeine and alcohol: Their stimulating and calming effects are only temporary and wind up making you feel worse later. Do some moderate exercise several times a week, even if it's just walking after parking your car a little farther from work. Allow yourself plenty of sleep, including naps if possible. And wash your hands a lot and avoid touching your eyes to prevent catching a cold, especially if your baby has much contact with other children.

Get out. Enjoy some fresh air by taking a walk or gardening. Your baby is still small and portable, so take advantage of this before she's a toddler on the go. Venture out on your own, too: Arrange an excursion with a friend or your partner for a little adult conversation, or treat yourself to another activity you miss.

Pamper yourself. Splurge on a massage, a facial, a manicure, or whatever makes you feel special. A nice long bath can do wonders, too.

Get centered. Consider yoga, a stretching class, deep breathing, or other relaxation exercises.

3 questions about: Anemia

What is anemia?
Anemia is a condition that occurs when the body's red blood cells contain a decreased amount of hemoglobin (a red pigment that delivers oxygen to the tissues and carts away the waste material, carbon dioxide).

Anemia has many causes, including nutritional deficiencies, genetic disorders, medications, infections, and chronic diseases. The most common cause of anemia in babies is iron deficiency, due to insufficient iron in your baby's diet, an inability to properly absorb iron from food, or ongoing blood loss (in the intestinal tract, for instance).

Some kinds of anemia are inherited, such as the serious disorder sickle cell anemia, which is caused by abnormal hemoglobin. Sickle cell anemia is most common in African Americans.

Although premature babies are often anemic from birth, full-term babies are born with extra iron stores. Over the first six months of life, their iron levels decrease and must be replaced. Sometime between 9 and 13 months, your child's hemoglobin level will be checked during a well-baby visit to screen for anemia.

What are the symptoms of anemia?
Symptoms include fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, and paleness of the lips, skin, and membranes of the eyes and mouth, and under the fingernails. More serious effects include breathing difficulties, heart problems, permanent physical and mental problems, and an increased susceptibility to lead poisoning.

If a blood test confirms that your baby's iron levels are too low, her doctor may recommend dietary changes or an iron supplement. Store iron supplements safely and follow directions for giving them carefully, as an iron overdose is very dangerous.

How can I prevent anemia in my baby?
You can prevent or treat the type of anemia caused by iron deficiency by making sure that your baby gets enough iron. What to do:
• Determine whether your baby is at high risk for anemia. Risk factors include premature birth or low birth weight, inadequate iron in your own diet if you're breastfeeding, or a lack of iron-fortified formula in a formula-fed baby's diet. If you're concerned, ask your baby's doctor whether it would be a good idea to adjust her diet or add a supplement.

• Breastfeed your baby for as long as you can. Breast milk contains a special form of iron that's more easily absorbed than the iron in other foods.

• Don't feed your baby cow's milk before age 1. Cow's milk is low in iron and can irritate the lining of your baby's intestines, causing tiny losses of iron over time.

• Feed your baby iron-fortified cereal, and starting around 8 months, introduce other foods rich in iron like beans, spinach, egg yolks, and lean meats, poultry, and fish.

• Give your baby foods rich in vitamin C to help iron absorption. Some good choices: red bell peppers, papaya, cantaloupe, broccoli, strawberries, and oranges.

source: babycenter