Your 3-month-old: Week 2

How your baby's growing:

Babies simply love to be touched. In fact, they thrive on it — touch is a critical part of growth and development. All that skin-to-skin contact not only helps you and your baby bond, but it's comforting when she's upset and soothing when she's irritable.

Nurture your baby's sense of touch with a variety of materials, such as fake fur, felt, and terry cloth. Your baby will probably try to eat everything, so choose carefully and don't leave her alone with anything that could come apart in her mouth. Look for books like Pat the Bunny that make reading a tactile experience.

• Learn more fascinating facts about your 3-month-old's development.

Your life: Making peace with your post-baby body

Childbirth is a life- and body-changing experience: Your hips and waist may now be slightly wider, and your belly may be softer. Give yourself at least the nine months it took to grow your baby to return to something closer to your pre-pregnancy shape. Many women find that they simply can't return to their pre-pregnancy weight. As long as your weight is in a healthy range, this is perfectly okay.

If you're breastfeeding, it's particularly important not to go on a highly restrictive diet. Instead of focusing on rapid weight loss through a diet or exercise program that may be impossible to live with the rest of your life, think more carefully about what you eat and how you eat. Here are some guidelines:

Eat smaller portions, and chew each bite more slowly. You'll find that you can feel satisfied with less. Stop before you feel full or bloated.

Drink water. Carry around ice water in a refillable sports bottle and sip it throughout the day. Not only is it smart to stay hydrated if you're nursing, downing liquids also fills your stomach and curbs hunger pangs. Herbal tea, decaffeinated coffee, and flavored or vitamin water are also okay in moderation.

Eat more "good" calories, fewer "bad" ones. Don't abandon the emphasis on nutrition that you developed while you were pregnant.

Snack smart. Keep low-calorie munchables around, such as fruit and raw vegetables.

Start exercising. Remember to begin slowly. If you're resuming a pre-pregnancy workout routine, ease back into it.

3 questions about: Missed immunizations

What if my baby doesn't get her shots when she should?
If your baby has missed a shot in a series (such as the DTaP vaccine) because of illness or another reason, don't worry. Your doctor will continue to administer the series by picking up where you left off, usually at the next well-child checkup. Some doctors will have you schedule an in-between visit with a nurse for shots to catch up. (The doctor's office keeps careful records, but it's also a good idea for you to do the same.) Be sure to remind your doctor of any missed shots.

Are there times when my baby shouldn't get a shot?
Yes, although most of the time when your baby has a low fever or a mild cold, it's still safe and effective for her to get the vaccine. Get your doctor's advice if your baby has:
• A high fever or a new illness.
• An immune disorder or deficiency or takes medicine that interferes with her immune system.
• Epilepsy.
• Had nonfebrile convulsions.
• Been given high doses of oral steroids for more than two weeks in the last three months.
• Had a severe reaction to a previous shot, such as a temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 degrees Celsius) or higher, convulsions, inconsolable crying, or collapse.

What if my baby was born prematurely?
Premature babies and babies with a low birth weight (less than 5 lb., 8 oz. or 2.5 kg) should follow the same schedule for immunizations as full-term infants, unless your doctor suggests otherwise.


source: babycenter