Hello! This month might start to be a bit difficult. I only say that because at 7 months your baby might be starting to pick up different things you do. They might start to notice how you treat people, what you eat, how you treat your body, what you say, what you watch, and most importantly how you treat their family. If there are some habits you have been meaning to change, now might be the time to do it. With that being said if you want to comment below and share what you want to change I will hold you accountable, if you want me to. :)
Here is the good news: your baby is also picking up on those good habits you have too! I have personally tried to work out while my baby is awake so he sees it as a normal thing mommy does. My husband and I have also been trying to not bring electronics to the dinner table and for about a half an hour after dinner so we can have family time before the baby goes to bed. At first it was awkward to eat without the TV but our nights go a lot more smoothly and we enjoy the time we have together more than we used to.
Roller Derby
Whether or not your baby is crawling they are working on those skills. You can help them and keep them entertained at the same time! Get a bottle or something that rolls well and put things inside it like rice, bells, brightly colored puff balls, or really anything your baby finds enticing. You can also put things on the outside that your baby likes. Or if you are really lucky, your baby might find that the plain old water bottle is exciting how it is! Show your baby how to roll it and push it along to help them chase after it. If they aren't interested you will need to spice things up with colors, sounds, and textures. When they are motivated by their new toy they will try that much harder to scoot, crawl, and roll to their heart's content.
Lullabye
Its no secret that I love the Beatles and I love Rockabye Baby. I love this song because of the bubble sounds. They remind me of playing Mario when he is in the water. :)
Octopus' Garden
"Octopus's Garden"
I'd like to be under the sea In an octopus's garden in the shade He'd let us in, knows where we've been In his octopus's garden in the shade
I'd ask my friends to come and see An octopus's garden with me I'd like to be under the sea In an octopus's garden in the shade
We would be warm below the storm In our little hideaway beneath the waves Resting our head on the sea bed In an octopus's garden near a cave
We would sing and dance around Because we know we can't be found I'd like to be under the sea In an octopus's garden in the shade
We would shout and swim about The coral that lies beneath the waves (Lies beneath the ocean waves) Oh what joy for every girl and boy Knowing they're happy and they're safe (Happy and they're safe)
Can you believe its been 6 months already?! There is a lot of physical milestones your baby might achieve this month, let's see what we can do to help them learn.
Selfie App
While I'm not a fan of taking selfies I have noticed that the bright light from any technical device just calls to my baby. He loves my phone, and always wants to touch it. My husband found this app called Baby Selfie that allows your baby to not only look at themselves (like a mirror) but also take a picture whenever their little hand touches any part of the screen. Its quite funny and you end up with a couple good pictures of your baby.
Clapping
Have you tried clapping with your baby yet? I'll be honest, I haven't. Now that I know its something they can learn at 6 months I'm going to start trying it out. I found this cute song you can use to help them clap their hands, among other things. Its to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". Clap, clap, clap your hands Clap your tiny hands Clap, clap, clap your hands Clap your tiny hands
Additional verses: Stomp, stomp, stomp your feet… (and so on). Pat, pat, pat your head... (and so on). Rub, rub, rub your tummy... (and so on).
Sign Language
Its never too late to start teaching sign language (if you want to) to your child. I only do a few signs such as eat, more, drink, all done, and I love you. I will add more as he learns and grows so he can communicate better with me.
If you aren't convinced or don't know where to start click here and watch a short video about teaching sign language and the benefits (along with watching a toddler sign--so adorable!!).
Brushing Teeth
Oral hygiene is very important and when is a better time to teach it than when your child starts getting teeth?! It is recommended to brush twice a day with a little toothpaste approved by your pediatrician. A lot of babies and children in general like to be the only ones allowed to touch their mouth so to help with the stress you can have a timer, countdown like a rocket (10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..BLAST OFF!) or a song that you sing every time. This way the child knows the teeth brushing will come to an end and will most likely decrease the stress around this task.
Smell the Spice Rack
It always seems that babies need you most when you are cooking. If you are able to take a quick break from cooking you can take them to the spice rack and let them smell different spices and herbs. This will help them learn different smells and help you learn what spices they might like. This will also help you when you start feeding them solids as they might recognize different spices and herbs in their food and enjoy it more. That might be wishful thinking, but its worth a try!
Bubbles-fun for the whole family and the dog
Who doesn't love bubbles?? Go outside, or inside where you don't mind getting bubbles everywhere and start blowing bubbles! Your baby can track them with their eyes, try and get them by rolling, scooting, or reaching out to them. This is also a great tummy time activity, as long as the bubbles aren't popped by the time they get to the ground ;).
Click here for some homemade bubble recipes.
Chasing Game/General Play
Momster and Babester is my son and my favorite game to play. The best part is anyone in the family can join in and they will continue to play this game basically the rest of their life.
Momster and Babester is a regular chasing game and I like to switch out who the monster (chaser) is. That is why there is the Momster and the Babester. Whether your baby is on their tummy or back you can always get on your hands and knees, growl, and say, "I'm gonna get you!" Your baby will be able to continue to focus on where sounds are and also get a sense of play. If they can roll around they might try to use that as a way of running away from the Momster.
I also like to switch the roles and have the baby become the Babester. I playfully scream, "Oh no! He's got me!" as I put my baby on my chest and act dead for a second or two. It's playful, it's silly, and your children will hopefully have a fun time with it.
Play is crucial for children's development. It helps them develop: Socially; they learn how to interact with others and not poke other's eyes all the time. Emotionally; they learn to feel different emotions like happiness, sadness, frustration, excitement, etc. as the interact with others. Physically; they work on their milestones of rolling, sitting, and soon to be scooting and crawling. Cognitively; they learn how to look at different playing situations to find a solution. For example, if you are chasing them they quickly learn where they can go to escape the big, bad Momster.
General play helps you as well because as quoted from babycenter.com "The more he laughs, the less he cries" and we all know what the infectious laughter of an baby does to us. :)
Tummy Time
If your baby is struggling with tummy time you can strengthen their muscles and make them more comfortable. All you need is a towel or blanket. Place the baby on their tummy on the blanket or towel. Gently lift the top and middle of the towel with one hand on each side so the baby's tummy and head are slightly above the floor. Gently roll the baby back and forth from one side to the next. Your baby should stay on their tummy the whole time, just rolling on their tummy. You can also add a funny sound that they like. An, "Oops!!" or "Uh-Oh!"could make it more fun for them as they roll from side to side.
Lullabye
This month is also not a lullabye but also another song that keeps my child entertained while I'm changing his clothes or diaper.
Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam
Jesus wants me for a sun-BEAM
to shine for Him each day.
In every way try to please HIM
at home, at school, at play.
A sun-BEAM! A sun-BEAM!
Jesus wants me for a sun-BEAM.
A sun-BEAM! A sun-BEAM!
I'll be a sun-BEAM for Him.
*Each time you sing a capitalized word you jump with them (if holding them), or get really close to their face (if changing them).
I'm back! After a long break to move my family to England I have started the blog back up. Let's get to it shall we?
Here are some activities and helpful hints in understanding your 4 month old.
Floor time
Spend time with your baby on the floor. They will learn all about the floor and its contents over the next couple months and I'm sure they will love when you get down at their level, especially to play. This will also help them feel comfortable as they learn to roll.
Play
Help your baby explore sounds, colors, and work on hand eye coordination with rattles, crinkled up paper (I don't know what it is about plain white paper but babies love it!), and stuffed animals.
You can also play a game called "Can you top this?" from babycenter.com. Try on different "hats" whether it be an actual hat, a cooking pot, a pair of leggings, a clean diaper, really anything and ask your baby, "Do you like my hat?" (Does that remind anyone else of the book Go Dogs, Go!?) your baby will think it's pretty funny and your other kiddos can get in on it too!
Song
This post's song is not a lullaby but a just a regular song to help in stressful times. My little guy hates getting clothes on and off so in order to help me keep my cool and both of us to stay happy I like to sing "Once There was a Snowman" as I dress and undress him. I've found that if I have a go to song during stressful times that I can keep us both calm longer.
Once There was a Snowman
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Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman
Once there was a snowman tall, tall, tall (You get taller as you say tall, tall, tall)
In the sun he melted, melted, melted (You start to get smaller as you "melt")
In the sun he melted small, small, small.
Congrats on making it out of the newborn stage! Personally I'm a little sad about it but at the same time things are just getting better so its still exciting, fun, and wonderful. :)
There is so much development going on right now! Here are some games/fun ways to bond with your little one as they develop.
Laughing
This one is probably about as individual as every baby. Try making your baby laugh by saying things in a funny voice, playing peek-a-boo, getting up close and saying, "Hey" over and over again (that's what got my little guy to show those pearly gums), and showing them themselves in the mirror. Laughing and smiling has been proven to release endorphins so laugh and smile more not only to bond with your baby but also to help you and your baby be happier!
Gross Motor
Your baby might be using their hands more to grab at the air but you can also place a rattle, their sock, or something else on their belly while they are laying down. Watch as they move their hands to grab it or knock it off. It's pretty cool watching your little one maneuver their tiny hands around in order to do something.
Tummy Time
I hope tummy time has been getting better and longer. You might even hear a couple squeals of excitement from your baby! Get on your tummy too and talk to them, laugh with them, and show them how to roll over. You can also take a rattle and shake it to the side of them. This will help not only their brain to determine where the sound is coming from but also to move their head while on their tummy. That's like triple duty!! Man, your baby is learning so much!!
Temporal Lobe (with the Lullaby)
Your baby's temporal lobe is really starting to develop. The temporal lobe is in charge of remembering visual memories as well as storing new memories, processing sensory input (understanding what they are seeing, feeling, smelling, hearing, and tasting), emotion, and comprehension of language. SO MUCH LEARNING AWESOMENESS!!
Let's break down what processing sensory input looks like:
A lot of learning disabilities are caused by the inability to process information correctly. By practicing some of the activities below you are helping your baby input information correctly. For example, pretend the brain is like a filing cabinet and each time you touch their hand and say, "hand" their brain is putting in an index card with the word "hand" into the "hand" file. Eventually they will look at their hand, retrieve the index card from the correct file and recall that this object on their body with 5 little things sticking out is a hand. If a person didn't work on developing the temporal lobe then it will be as if the brain is a messy filing cabinet with incorrectly labeled files and index cards in the wrong places. Memory (both short and long term) wouldn't be accurate, memorization would be very difficult, you could have trouble reading because your brain is misplacing the sounds/spellings/words which would then affect your comprehension. Math and science could also become difficult/inefficient as you couldn't accurately memorize facts, formulas and steps. And as you can tell a messy filing cabinet not only affects the input processing but also the memories, understanding of emotions, and comprehension of language. But don't worry, no complicated learning activities here, you are probably already helping them develop just with what you do everyday!
There are many things you can do to help the temporal lobe rock in it's development. You can read to your baby. Describe the pictures, the plot or lesson (although in some books its really hard to find it), the characters, and the feelings of the characters. This helps with the comprehension of language and understanding emotions. You can also read the My First Words and other similar books that are basically quizzing books. Those are great for helping to store new memories.
Talk about your emotions and your baby's emotions. I like talking about my and my baby's emotions because it is helping me get into the habit of talking about my emotions with my child. I want to be able to tell my child what emotion I'm feeling and reacting in a positive or at least constructive way so they know they can do the same AND so they understand that other people feel those emotions too!
Is this a good time to start sign language? You betcha!! Baby signs are found all over the internet and books (I even found a pop up book that taught sign at a grocery store the other day!) This is awesome for the temporal lobe because it works the sensory input, memorization, and comprehension of language!! You can start small with signs for eat, sleep, and change diaper and move to other signs as you wish! And as an added bonus sign language baby babble is the CUTEST thing in the world! You won't see a lot of them signing back to you for a while because the temporal lobe is working on input not output but I promise you that they will sign back to you someday. And it'll be the cutest thing in the world.
Continue talking with your baby, especially describing the things you see, hear, and feel. Your baby is not only figuring out what these things are, but that they have an effect on him/her! That's the sensory input processing working away! You can sing songs like "The Itsy Bitsy Spider", and one of my favorites that combines listening, feeling, and comprehending is "Tony Chestnut". Listening because your baby listens to the word you are saying, feeling because they feel the body part you are touching and comprehending because there is an actual story in the song. This is a great song because you can act it out for/with your baby and have you other kids join in too! I'll admit, the youtube video is a little interesting, but I love to sing this song and act it out with my son.
Lyrics:
Tony Chestnut knows I love you
Tony knows
Tony knows
Tony Chestnut knows I love you
That's what Tony knows
Tony
Tony
And his sister Illene
And Ilene loves Neal
And Neal loves Pat
But Pat still loves Bob
And there's Russell
And Skip
This song is silly
But it's hip
How it ends
Just one man knows
And guess what?
Its Tony Chestnut
At 2 months old you might be noticing a little more personality in your little one. You also might notice that they are more awake during the day than they used to be. John loves looking at my face and cooing but that only lasts for so long. He usually is awake for 45 minutes to an hour so I've been looking for some things to do to help him learn and enjoy our time together. I find that if I have a plan then I don't get too overwhelmed or frustrated when I don't know what to do.
So, lets see what activities we can do with a 2 month old. :)
Eye Tracking
Hold a piece of tin foil (its shiny), a brightly colored toy, or stuffed animal in front of your baby. Move it from side to side, up and down, and close to their face to keep them tracking it.
You can also practice while sorting laundry. Hold up a piece of laundry and wave it side to side and ask who it belongs to. Older kids can join in too and it could be a fun way to bond and get some chores done (if you play around and put a piece of baby clothing in your pile).
Singing
I know I talked about this a lot last post, but I really enjoy singing and dancing with my little guy. John seems to calm down more when I sing and I have gotten over the awkward phase of being embarrassed to sing loudly when my husband is around. Some people go to great lengths just to get a baby to smile. :)
Here Comes the Sun-The Beatles
"Here Comes The Sun"
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
It's all right, it's all right
Its interesting how 7 weeks old seems so old and yet so young. I feel like John's birth is just a story now, it doesn't feel like I actually gave birth anymore but that's probably because I feel completely healed, at least physically.
At 7 weeks old babies are continuing to work on learning the tasks from previous weeks. And at this point I feel I should define 2 words: learn and master.
To me, to learn is to continue to work on a task or behavior. It may not look like I can complete the task or show the behavior and that's because I am still learning. Learning takes a lot of time and I personally need love and support while I learn something new.
To me, to master a task or behavior means you can do it correctly about 95% of the time. Everyone makes mistakes with what they have learned so there's that 5% buffer. To master a task or behavior looks like I can do it or be it! So please don't get frustrated or give up when you feel your little one isn't learning because I guarantee they are, they just haven't mastered it yet. Remember these 2 very important definitions and teaching your child anything will become easier because you are more understanding of where they are in their learning path.
Let's see what fun activities can help these babies learn this week:
Language
Its no secret that the best years to learn language is 0-3 years old but did you know that babies can't tell the difference of languages for the first 6-12 months of their life? According to Brain Rules for Babies babies are born being able to speak any language. BUT their ability to distinguish differences in language stops by the time they are a year old. What does this mean? Have you ever seen Goonies? In the movie a Japanese kid named Data points out that there is a "booty trap". Another kid corrects him by saying "booby trap". He responds, "That's what I said, 'booty trap'!" Data wasn't exposed to the 2 words "booty" and "booby" before he was 1 year old and therefore didn't hear that there was a difference. If you have learned a language I'm sure you can think back to a word or sound that you just didn't understand, well that means you weren't exposed to it before age 1. Interesting huh? It gets better. According to a study done by a guy named Kuhl (talked about in Brain Rules for Babies) the only thing that can expose babies to other languages is social interaction=real people. Language DVDs don't work, recordings don't work, only social interaction (aka physically talking with the baby) helps the baby to learn a language. This means while I was watching Saved by the Bell and thinking that it was okay because my baby was learning language I was WRONG. The only way babies learn language (including their native language) is through social communication (aka talking). Interesting huh?
So, go on a stroll with your baby and tell them what you see, point out things you see, hear, and feel, (and smell?). Cook something with your baby (make sure they are safe of course), tell them what you are mixing together, where the food comes from, and what the smell or texture of it is. You could be raising the next Rachel Ray or Bobby Flay, who knows?
Hand Eye Coordination/Gross Motor
Hold up a white and black object in front of your baby. Move the objects around and see if your baby tracks the objects with their eyes. This helps with hand eye coordination!
Sing "The Eensy Weensy Spider" (sorry if that's spelled wrong) as you do the hand motions, "Patty Cake" with their hands or feet, or "This Little Piggie" as you play with their toes. This helps them start to learn about their hands and feet and with hand eye coordination.
You can also pedal with their legs or do the can-can, do the Y-M-C-A with their arms and hands, or just dance with them! A dance party is a great way to get the other kiddos involved and even if you feel silly dancing in front of them DON'T! They think you are the bomb.com no matter what you do (well I guess that depends on their age... and what dance you are doing. You might not want to "drop it like it's hot" with your youngins around).
Lullaby
Yes, yes it is. It is "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. Who doesn't love singing this song with the most absurd voices and dance moves? I'm sure you and your baby will have a blast with this one. :)
And if you really want to sing along with words that you didn't make up (or think are made up) here are the lyrics: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, No escape from reality.
Open your eyes, Look up to the skies and see, I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy, Because I'm easy come, easy go, Little high, little low, Anyway the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me.
Mama, just killed a man, Put a gun against his head, Pulled my trigger, now he's dead. Mama, life had just begun, But now I've gone and thrown it all away.
Mama, ooh, Didn't mean to make you cry, If I'm not back again this time tomorrow, Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters.
Too late, my time has come, Sent shivers down my spine, Body's aching all the time. Goodbye, everybody, I've got to go, Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth.
Mama, ooh (anyway the wind blows), I don't wanna die, I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all.
I see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango? Thunderbolt and lightning, Very, very frightening me. (Galileo) Galileo. (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro Magnifico.
I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me. He's just a poor boy from a poor family, Spare him his life from this monstrosity.
Easy come, easy go, will you let me go? Bismillah! No, we will not let you go. (Let him go!) Bismillah! We will not let you go. (Let him go!) Bismillah! We will not let you go. (Let me go!) Will not let you go. (Let me go!) Never, never let you go Never let me go, oh. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Oh, mama mia, mama mia (Mama mia, let me go.) Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me.
So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye? So you think you can love me and leave me to die? Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby, Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here.
(Oh, yeah, oh yeah)
Nothing really matters, Anyone can see, Nothing really matters, Nothing really matters to me.
Congrats! You made it to the 6th week! That means you are healed (hopefully)!!
Let's see what your baby is learning this week shall we?
Tummy Time
This week while you have tummy time try mixing it with reading time! Choose a baby book that will keep your baby's attention (different colors, and shapes) and read it to them while they practice tummy time. The bright colors of the book accompanied by your voice can keep their attention away from the uncomfy-ness of being on their tummy.
You can also put your baby on a firm piece of cardboard and move it forward and backward, this will help them understand what it is like to crawl and you might see hand movements start to creep in the more you do this.
Play, Play, Play
Your baby is probably becoming more awake after eating and its a great time to play! Play pat-a-cake with their hands or feet, make silly faces with them, and make up funny stories with them as they act it out (with your help).
If you have another little one you can even finger paint with both of them (although it might be difficult if you only have one adult there). Put the baby's hand or foot in a stamp pad and stamp it on some paper. Then the other sibling(s) can make their footprints and handprints into imaginative works of art!
Choices
Its never too early to let your child know they have a voice and can make choices of their own. This will also help you as you get used to this and when your baby becomes an independent toddler. Give your baby 2 choices whether its what onesie to wear that day, which pair of socks, if they want to read a book or sing a song before bed, whether they want to play first or after a bath, really any 2 choices you want! As you tell your baby the choice touch a hand, the first hand they move gets the choice! This can also be quite funny when you involve someone else. The other day I asked John whether he wanted me to change his diaper (as I touched the left hand) or if he wanted his dad to (as I touched the right hand). He moved his right hand and my husband got to change the diaper.
Words=Things?
To help your baby understand that the words you are saying actually mean something, AND that everything has a name grab a grocery insert, book, or even make something of your own. Point to each object and tell the name. You can also add other information like if you like it or not (with the grocery insert), if it belongs in a category, and if you have a funny story to go along with it. My sister made a book for her first child with lots of pictures for each letter in the alphabet, including pictures of family. It was fun to see as he got older he started saying more and more words from that book and each time he said our names we just melted because it was so cute.
Lullaby
"I am a Child of God" is one of my favorite songs to sing. It's message is to basic, yet fundamental. You can hear it here
My goodness! 5 weeks old! Although not much is shared in this post, your baby is learning more and more each day and building off of skills learned the previous day and weeks. Your baby might be turning it's head when it hears something, smiling back at you when you smile, cooing and wiggling more each day. Here are some fun activities to help your little guy or gal learn.
Hearing
Clap your hands or snap at the side of your baby's head. This will help them learn to turn their head in order to see what made that sound.
Simon Says
Play Simon Says with your baby. Stick out your tongue, move your arm, or blink and see if they copy you. This helps them develop their motor skills and have fun playing with you!
Reading
This week while you read with your baby change the tone and pitch of your voice. See if your baby notices these changes and possibly prefers a certain pitch or tone of voice.
Lullaby
I love The Beatles, and I love their "sunny" songs the best. So, here is "Good Day Sunshine" in lullaby format. :)
"Good Day Sunshine"
Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, good day sunshine
I need to laugh and when the sun is out
I've got something I can laugh about
I feel good in a special way
I'm in love and it's a sunny day
Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, good day sunshine
We take a walk, the sun is shining down
Burns my feet as they touch the ground
Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, good day sunshine
Then we'd lie beneath the shady tree
I love her and she's loving me
She feels good, she knows she's looking fine
I'm so proud to know that she is mine.
Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, good day sunshine
Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, good day sunshine
Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, good day sunshine
Good day...
I'm not really going to give you a "mound" of info, just a couple more fun things to help them learn. Can you believe you have a month old already? Has their face changed already? Isn't it fun to see how much they weigh and are continuing to grow? It's amazing!!
Now that we are done squealing and giggling about your newborn lets find out about some fun things we can learn with them this week.
Communication
Are you starting to hear little coos, grunts, and hums? Your baby is starting to learn to talk! No matter how hard you try your baby will learn how to talk (and talk back) so even if you are anxious it's going to happen, so why not help out? Talk to your baby, especially when their face is close to yours. When they are being changed and eating are some of the best times. I have noticed that John will stay awake longer while eating (and eat more) if I talk to him. He doesn't have the same response if I am listening to music, or watching TV, only if I am talking. This week do a show and tell of their room and of your home. Tell them memories you have in each room or about specific items in your home. Tell them a joke or two and maybe you will be able to see that cute little smile as you laugh at the joke (or at yourself). Involve other children and let them tell the new baby what its like to live in the house and what the rules are (you might get some funny answers).
The first time I made John smile I was wiping some spit up off of his lips. I brushed the cloth on his lips and gums, smiled at him and he smiled back! Since then I've been able to get him to smile and talk more while doing this. Hopefully that's a helpful trick.
Journaling
Okay, maybe not journaling, but at least documenting this time of your baby's life. Take pictures of your baby and maybe a few "selfies" (I hate that word) as you lie on the ground next to them. They will soon be outgrowing those cute newborn clothes you have them in so snag a couple photos of them while they are wearing those faves to remember. This might not be teaching them anything, but it'll be fun to reminisce about later.
Reading
As a teacher I have a firm belief in reading (every day) either to or with your little ones (and big ones). A love of reading is (in my opinion) the NUMERO UNO important thing you can teach your child. Try to go one day without reading. You can't! And as I was saying on my soap box in the first post if every student I taught in special education read a book every night they would show HUGE progress. Now I didn't grow up loving reading, and I don't blame anyone for that (kind of). I was the 4th of 5 children and I was doing okay on my own. I have always (ish) been able to read on level but I never really had a LOVE of reading. I have since found authors and book series that I love and therefore better understand other reasons why reading is so important; it helps you develop imagination, creativity, and learn to escape in a healthy way.
So, this week start reading to your little one. If you like to read the scriptures every day, read a couple verses or a chapter with them (this is easiest for me on a handheld device while they are eating). Read one of the baby board books you have every night before putting them to bed, or read from a book you are reading. Lay down next to them and show them the pictures as you read. This is another fun thing you can do if you have multiple kids. Point out the emotions of the characters, colors, or shapes you see too.
Hearing
I got this idea from one of the websites I told you about in my first post. To help your baby develop their hearing and understand they can hear in 2 different ears you can talk in each ear. You can use a toilet paper tube to whisper something in their left ear, then whisper something else in their right ear. This also might help if your little one prefers to look to one side (*cough* John) for them to look at the other side. You can do this while you are changing their diaper, or while reading a book. Take turns with your spouse and read opposite pages so your baby hears from you out of one ear, and your spouse out of the other ear.
Lullaby-I am like a Star
This is a song from the Children's Songbook from lds.org. I love this song; it's sweet and short.
You can see/hear it here
Lyrics
I am like a star shining brightly,
Smiling for the whole world to see.
I can do and say happy things each day,
For I know Heavenly Father loves me.
These weeks seem so go by so fast don't they?! Hopefully you are feeling a little more healed and are still amazed at what you have accomplished (you just had a baby!!). At 3 weeks old you can still work with your baby on what they are learning from their previous 2 weeks of life and if you are feeling up to it adding a little more fun!
Eye strengthening
This sounds terrible but until I read about eye strengthening a couple weeks ago I didn't know why babies had mobiles. Now I know. It's another way for them to strengthen their eyes! They still can't see far away but they may be able to see a mobile above their swing or crib. If you don't have a mobile you are in luck, they still prefer to look at your face so you can continue moving from side to side and letting them track you.
Tummy Time
**Please ask your pediatrician when they think you should start tummy time. When you do, some more fun ideas to help that little noggin stay up is to put a mirror in front of them, and if they don't seem interested in the cute little baby staring back at them sit next to them so they can see your reflection in the mirror. Whenever I try to get John to look at himself in the mirror his eyes only look at me. It makes sense because he knows my face whether its a reflection or not, he has yet to figure out (and understand) what he looks like.
Another fun idea is if you have other children to get them involved in tummy time too. Let them be on their tummy in front of the baby and talk to them in order to get their new sibling to look at them. The older sibling might as well get used to teaching the younger one, they will be doing a lot more as they both grow.
Outside Time
I was very blessed to have John in the spring. I love to be outside and soak up the rays (my husband calls me a lizard). Even though newborns' bodies can't soak up the rays (Vitamin D) yet, they can still enjoy being outside. Take them in their stroller, or in a baby carrier, on a walk around outside. Tell them what you see, how you feel, and where you are going. They will enjoy this (and you too) whether they are asleep or not. It might even be the thing to get them to sleep! Layout a blanket on the lawn and an umbrella to shade your baby, let them breathe the fresh air and learn new smells (is someone mowing their lawn? Are flowers blooming?) and new sounds (bees going from flower to flower, cars driving by, or complete silence). If it is too cold to go outside or you don't feel comfortable bundling them up and taking them out for a short while then sit by a window and describe what you see, and soak in the window rays. This will also help with any last bits of Jaundice.
Lullaby
This lullaby is "Lullabye" by Billy Joel. The message is so sweet and I love singing this to John.
"Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)"
Goodnight, my angel Time to close your eyes And save these questions for another day I think I know what you've been asking me I think you know what I've been trying to say I promised I would never leave you And you should always know Wherever you may go No matter where you are I never will be far away
Goodnight, my angel Now it's time to sleep And still so many things I want to say Remember all the songs you sang for me When we went sailing on an emerald bay And like a boat out on the ocean I'm rocking you to sleep The water's dark And deep inside this ancient heart You'll always be a part of me
Goodnight, my angel Now it's time to dream And dream how wonderful your life will be Someday your child may cry And if you sing this lullabye Then in your heart There will always be a part of me
Someday we'll all be gone But lullabyes go on and on... They never die That's how you And I Will be
I realize I might have gone a little overboard with the last post. Having a newborn is tiring, and they are barely awake so I have adjusted this post to only 2 things to do with your 2 week old. Oh, and a song.
Love and Security
Feeling loved and secure are the most basic of needs and most important. When you are loved and feel secure you automatically can tackle more difficult tasks. So, cuddle with your baby, flirt with them (really? yes.) caress their little bodies, tell them how much you love them, tell them about their birth (possibly leave out some of the less awesome details), and stare at their little faces. As you fall more in love with your baby your baby will in turn feel more secure and loved.
Another way to help your baby learn about love and security is to include your spouse! According to "Brain Rules for Baby" the number one way to help your child become intelligent is to love your spouse. Going back to the hierarchy of needs, this totally makes sense. I realize hormones are basically forcing you to focus on your baby and nothing else, but you must force yourself to remember your spouse and love them too. Again, I know its a lot. I remember hearing about this while I was pregnant and swearing that it wouldn't happen to me. Well, for the first couple of weeks I didn't really care about my husband. I had tunnel vision for my baby and my baby only. Knowing about these motherly hormones though, I made a choice to involve my husband as much as I could and made sure to ask him how he was. Yes it was sometimes rough and overwhelming to make sure my family felt my love but in the long run it made things a lot easier. Plus, like most of these things your baby is learning, why not show them what a great marriage looks like from day 1 (or 8).
Touch Sensitivity
Babies learn through their senses (don't we all?) so teach them about different textures using their tiny hands. They are probably getting good at grabbing so use that to your advantage as you give them different textures of fabrics. You can do this with their blankets, clothes, burp cloths, diapers, and your clothes as well. Describe the fabrics and how they feel. Who knows, you might even learn that they prefer a specific feel of fabric and can use that later to help them self-soothe.
Singing
Singing to your little one can help calm them down and can help you calm down when all you hear is their cries. There is awesome music by Rockabye Baby that turns everyday hits into lullabies. You can sing your favorite tunes to your baby and they will seem sweet and peaceful no matter what song it is. Plus, they are on Spotify!
My husband discovered this while we were pregnant and one day I was going through The Beatles albums (of course). I listened to "Dear Prudence" and had never felt such a reaction come from John. It was awesome!
"Dear Prudence"
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day The sun is up, the sky is blue It's beautiful and so are you Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?
Dear Prudence, open up your eyes Dear Prudence, see the sunny skies The wind is low, the birds will sing That you are part of everything Dear Prudence, won't you open up your eyes?
Look around round Look around round round Look around
Dear Prudence, let me see you smile Dear Prudence, like a little child The clouds will be a daisy chain So let me see you smile again Dear Prudence, won't you let me see you smile?
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day The sun is up, the sky is blue It's beautiful and so are you Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?
I meant to do this in my first post but a post just describing the name seems okay too. I like names. I like describing names and why I picked them. A name is part of your identity so I didn't take it too lightly when figuring out what to name this blog. I decided on Bouncing Baby Brains because 1. it's a play on "bouncing baby boys" 2. when I think of bouncing I think of happy (especially with babies). and 3. learning should be fun, and happy babies learn better, hence the "brains" part of it. So, there you have it. A blog dedicated to helping babies learn and be happy while doing it (because learning can be so much fun!!).
Your baby is one week old and learning so much already! Think about it, they have been developing at an insane rate in the womb and just when they were getting comfy (even though you weren't) their entire world changes. The day after John was born I found myself crying when he was crying because I felt so bad that he had so much change to get used to. I also cried because I was hormonal, but think about how much you would have to learn if you were transferred to a different country as quick as a finger snap. Well I guess you kind of know how it feels because you just had a human and you are responsible for them for the next 18 years (only legally). Anyway, what is your baby learning about already?
Eye muscles
Eye muscles are being strengthened and you can help them! Now of course your baby's eye muscles will be strengthened but wouldn't it be awesome to take part in that learning with them? Isn't even more awesome if their eye muscles are strengthened even faster because you help them? Plus, you just had a baby and he/she came with fun things to figure out. I felt like it was Christmas and I was just given a new toy; I got to figure out all the tips and tricks and learn about my new toy. A baby is much more amazing than a toy but hopefully you understand the excitement. To help with eye muscles you can move your face from side to side about 8-10 inches away from theirs. They will look at your face anyway because its the most amazing thing they have ever seen and learn to track it with their eyes.
Face imitations
Another fun thing to do when you are looking at your newborn (as you will catch yourself doing instead of getting those important Zs) is to make facial movements like sticking out your tongue, opening and closing your mouth, and raising your eyebrows. This only works when they are awake (which isn't very often with a newborn) but they will start to imitate your movements. Again, babies love looking at faces and this is a great way to start practicing those funny faces.
Neck muscles
Babies' heads are huge. It's not a little known fact. Their heads are huge compared to their bodies and their little neck is the only thing able to hold up their noggin. A great way to strengthen the neck is with tummy time. ***Ask your pediatrician when the best time is to start tummy time. I have seen many different starting times on the internet and my pediatrician told us a different one too. When you do start tummy time though a fun and easy way to strengthen those neck muscles are to put the baby on your tummy. Since they love looking at faces they will want to look at yours and the only way to do that is to hold up their head. You can also put a book or black and white picture (apparently they like black and white pictures) in front of them to look at too but make sure you are also in front of them or else they will look at you at the side and lay their sleepy little heads down.
Important people
Babies come out of the womb being able to recognize the voices that were around them while in the womb. Isn't that amazing?! Your baby is learning who those important people are; the ones who will give them love, food, and comfort. A baby learns the best when there is peace and comfort in the home. If there is continuous fighting in the home, the baby knows and it can hurt their developing brain. It comes down to the hierarchy of needs.
So, talk to your baby, tell them about their clothes when you are dressing them. Use full sentences and talk about the colors, animals, and prints on their clothes. When feeding them tell them how you and your spouse met, what you like to do for fun, silly or embarrassing things that happened in the past. They will eventually know all this anyway and even though I felt weird talking to my one week old son I figured if I felt weird right now and didn't get over it, then how weird would I feel when I was trying to give him the birds and the bees talk, or about drugs and alcohol. If you start now then it won't feel too weird when they need it.
Balancing
My son loves to be swaddled. When I open the blanket after a nap he usually stretches but sometimes he puts out his hands and kind of tilts from side to side. Apparently this is them getting back their equilibrium. They are also learning how to control all those appendages (4 of them at one time!) so let them be free to kick and wiggle every once in a while so they can learn about their body.
Talking
Yep, language acquisition starts on day one. Talking with your baby (in full sentences and in adult voices) now will help them learn how to talk later. Just because a baby isn't developed enough to start talking doesn't mean they can't learn about it. I mean, those building blocks have to start somewhere. One of my nieces started talking an incredible age and rate and we all said it was because her mom wouldn't stop talking. I believe it's true and now that niece (who is almost 4) is starting to talk her way out of consequences (with very compelling arguments too). Tell your baby about your family, about your day, what you are going to have for dinner, things you are scared about, things you are excited about, really anything you want to tell them! One piece of advice though is to never complain about your spouse to them. They might not be able to understand what you are saying now, but one day they will and if that habit is already formed then they will be hearing things about their parents that they just don't want to/need to hear. Plus, that can be damaging to their development as well.
Nursery Rhymes/Singing
I love to sing to my baby and at one week old they can't tell if you are a good singer or a bad singer so don't let that get in the way if you have always wanted to sing to your baby. Here is a song I looked forward to singing to my baby:
"Good Night"
Now it's time to say good night Good night, sleep tight Now the sun turns out his light Good night, sleep tight Dream sweet dreams for me (Dream sweet) Dream sweet dreams for you
Close your eyes and I'll close mine Good night, sleep tight Now the moon begins to shine Good night, sleep tight Dream sweet dreams for me (Dream sweet) Dream sweet dreams for you
Mmmmmm Mmmmmm Mmmmmmmmmm
Close your eyes and I'll close mine Good night, sleep tight Now the sun turns out his light Good night, sleep tight Dream sweet dreams for me (Dream sweet) Dream sweet dreams for you
Good night, good night, everybody Everybody everywhere Good night
P.S. I hope to include a nursery rhyme or song every week that you can enjoy and learn with your baby!
Oh and congrats on having a baby! You did it!!
Here are a few of the resources I am using to learn about my baby week by week:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_your-1-week-olds-development_1477163.bc
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/s1001638/1-week-old
http://www.everydayfamily.com/baby-week-1-activities/
"Brain Rules for Babies" by John Medina
Hi, I'm Erin. I just had my first child, John, in April. On top of being a mom I am also a teacher. I have a bachelors degree in Special Education (mild/moderate) from BYU and therefore I know everything about child development. Kidding. Actually the exact opposite, which is one of the reasons I wanted to start this blog.
When I first had John I was surprised to find out there were many things he was learning about. I knew learning started from the beginning but I thought babies took a little while to get used to their surroundings before unlocking the key to time travel. This is what I mostly thought about babies' learning. See, because I'm an adult and am working on learning difficult (for me) tasks like teaching, cooking, how to be a better me and time travel (joke) I didn't think about the fact that my baby is learning about his senses, who his mom and dad are, and how to work all those appendages. Those are all things I know how to do and forgot what it was like to learn them. I want to find out what my baby is learning, week by week, and share what I have learned as well as fun and easy ways to develop what they are learning.
Another reason I wanted to start this blog is a big part of one of my soap boxes. In my years of being a special educator I have seen many students who come to me with a "learning disability". I don't want to offend or sound rude in any way so let me assure you I know there are students with legitimate learning disabilities and other disabilities. I have also seen students who weren't read to when they were a child, who didn't get help with their homework from their parents, and some who were barely in conversations before coming to school. Yes, they might have talked, but not had conversations. I would even be willing to bet that a large portion of the students placed in special education with mild/moderate disabilities (nation wide) are actually the result of little brain stimulation before they came to school. One of the reasons I think this happens is because people don't know what they can do with their child and don't know what their child is learning at different stages. Raising a child doesn't come naturally that's why there are tons of books about child development and child learning. Okay, I'll hop off now.
So, why me? I am a teacher who wants to see more students reading, having respectful conversations, and going to college. Why now? I just had a baby myself and am curious as to what he is learning and how I can ensure he learns what he needs to.
