How your baby's growing:
Your baby may start showing signs of one of her first major emotional milestones — stranger anxiety. She may become clingy and anxious around new (and even familiar) people and may cry if a stranger suddenly approaches her.
Keep this in mind when you're around people she doesn't know, and try not to be embarrassed when she cries in someone else's arms — just take her back and calm her down by holding her yourself. Tell your friends and family to approach your little one with slow, gentle movements.
A case of stranger anxiety doesn't mean you have to avoid new faces. Your baby will benefit from being around people other than you and your partner. Just remember that she needs your patience and understanding to get through this very important stage of development.
• Learn more fascinating facts about your 5-month-old's development.
Your baby may start showing signs of one of her first major emotional milestones — stranger anxiety. She may become clingy and anxious around new (and even familiar) people and may cry if a stranger suddenly approaches her.
Keep this in mind when you're around people she doesn't know, and try not to be embarrassed when she cries in someone else's arms — just take her back and calm her down by holding her yourself. Tell your friends and family to approach your little one with slow, gentle movements.
A case of stranger anxiety doesn't mean you have to avoid new faces. Your baby will benefit from being around people other than you and your partner. Just remember that she needs your patience and understanding to get through this very important stage of development.
• Learn more fascinating facts about your 5-month-old's development.
Your life: Getting your baby used to other people
When you were pregnant, you may have worried about whether your baby would bond with you. And now you may find that the two of you are so tight, she howls with protest if anybody else comes near — even your partner. When your baby rejects everyone else, it can be hard on them, and it means more work for you. That's why getting used to other people is an important part of your baby's socialization.
A strong, lasting bond grows through regular day-to-day interactions, so encourage Dad or your partner to get involved in even the most basic baby care tasks, like changing diapers, bathing, and feeding. Have him carry the baby around when he's going about his day — and make time for play, as well. Keep your distance at first so your baby can't hear or smell you. One idea: Divide baby care chores so your partner handles the daily bath or the bedtime routine every evening.
Expose your baby to friends and family, too. Try holding your baby while the other person talks and plays with her. Then hand her over to the other person and stay close. Eventually, leave briefly and come back. Repeat this step, making the interval you're away longer and longer.
3 questions about: Constipation
How will I know if my baby's constipated?
There's no such thing as a normal number of bowel movements per day. When — and how often — your baby moves her bowels can depend on when and what she eats, her level of activity, and how rapidly her body digests food. Constipation occurs when stool backs up in the intestines, either delaying bowel movements or making them hard for your baby to pass. Your baby may be constipated if any of the following is the case:
• Her stools are hard and dry or have blood in them.
• Three or more days have passed since her last bowel movement.
• She shows persistent discomfort when moving her bowels.
What causes constipation?
If your baby is being fed only breast milk, constipation is rare. Talk to your baby's doctor if her stools are hard, dry, or painful: When combined with other symptoms such as vomiting or a swollen tummy, this could indicate a more serious condition like a blocked intestine.
If your baby takes only formula, the particular brand she's drinking may not agree with her. Ask your doctor about switching brands.
If you've introduced rice cereal to your baby's diet as a first step toward solid foods, the cereal could be the culprit — it's low in fiber. Try adding pureed fruits such as pears or prunes (not bananas, which are constipating) or vegetables to the cereal or switching to oat or barley cereal instead.
Constipation can also be caused by dehydration, so giving your baby more fluids can help. If your baby's already eating solid foods, try giving her some prune or pear juice. You can feed her 1 ounce of juice diluted with 1 ounce of water, or add the juice to her bottle of formula or pumped breast milk.
How can I help?
Aside from making changes to your baby's diet, here are a few more tricks for getting bowels back on track:
• Wiggle your baby's legs in a gentle pedaling motion while she's lying on her back.
• Gently but firmly massage her belly below her navel. If you feel a firm area, keep a steady pressure there for a few moments.
• If you see her straining to make a poop, place her in a warm-water bath to relax her muscles.
• Use a glycerin suppository or stimulate her rectum with a rectal thermometer lubricated with petroleum jelly as a temporary measure, but only with the doctor's approval. If the constipation doesn't respond to these interventions, the doctor may recommend a baby laxative.
source: babycenter
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