Early Infancy
Oscar Lara
Early Infancy
A delicate and wonderfully pure stage in every persons life between the beautiful moment they were born to the time they turn six months old. During the first year of a babies life is the most important time because there is more growth at this time than any other time in their life.
Feeding
Good diet now = healthy diet in later ages. The first few months, babies should only be drinking breast milk or formula. They should not start eating solids until around the age of 4 months.
Sleep
A babies naps could be as long as 30 minutes to up to 4 hours long and are taken from one to 4 times a day. They also need at least 9-12 hrs of sleep each night. Not enough sleep = fitful actions and socially demanding behaviors.
Stimulation & Interaction
These two factors are essential for cognitive and emotional development. Ways to demonstrate emotion and problem solving skills-
- talking & singing
- playing music
- conversation & reading
It is also recommended to provide experiences and surroundings to stimulate senses.
- museums
- zoos & aquariums
- farmers markets
- parks & playgrounds
Health Factors Affecting a Baby
A babies immune system is not fully developed when they are born and doesn't develop for a while. Although it is hard to see your child sick, it is most common for them to catch a sickness.
- colds
- RSV
- GER
- coughs (whooping)
- fever
- vomiting
- pneumonia
- diaper rash
- cradle cap
- ear infections
- jaundice
- acrocyanosis (blue baby)
- umbilical hernias
WhoopingCough Child by WhoopingCough
Agencies & Resources
Other Resources & Agencies
- adoption centers
- CPIR (center for parents information & resources)
- infant mortality reduction plans
Stress Reducing
Sometimes it can be quite difficult to tell when you baby is stressed because they don't use words. But, it can also be easy. If your child is excessively crying, this could be a sign of stress. What needs to be applied is common sense. If a baby hasn't been fed at a proper time and is crying, feeding can reduce the stress of the child. Other activities to accomplish are-
- giving the baby enormous amounts of love, attention, & affection
- rocking/singing the baby to sleep when tired
- one-on-one communication
- portray positive emotion & actions