 When
is my baby ready to.....? Part 3
As babies still don't come with instructions parents naturally have
zillions of questions born out of curiousity or concern. At babyworld
we know exactly how you feel. In the third part of our series we aim
to answer even more of your questions about babies and make parenting
that little bit easier for you!
When is my baby ready to…
go
to Part 2 for more baby Q&A
swim in the sea?
Providing your baby has had her three doses of immunisations, it will be fine to take her into the sea. Before you go on holiday, you could check that the particular beach you will be visiting is safe. Your travel agent should be able to advise you.
Debbie Honer, Health Visitor
…cut his first tooth?
There is great variation in the age at which teeth erupt. Some babies
are born with a tooth or teeth, whereas in others the first tooth may
not appear until after 12 months of age. The first to erupt tend to be
the lower central incisors (bottom middle teeth) but again this does not
seem to be the case for all babies. There is absolutely no reason to be
worried if a tooth has appeared earlier than expected. Some people worry
that early teeth might interfere with breastfeeding (hurting the mother's
nipple), but this doesn't seem to be the case.Find
out more about teething
Dr Jo Lee
…fly longhaul?
Usually if your baby is born at term and is healthy with no evidence of any respiratory problems, then it is safe to fly long haul when the baby is three months old. (Most specialists would recommend waiting until three months after a caesarean before flying long haul.) It would be worth mentioning your travel plans to the paediatrician who examines your baby after birth and also to your GP. The advice you are given will depend upon any problems that your baby might have, the country you plan to visit and how you plan to get there.
Dr Jo Lee
…use biological washing powder instead of non-bio?
There is no hard and fast rule regarding this matter. Start using it gradually and don't wash everything in it at once, so you can see if there is a reaction to it. If your child is known to have a sensitive skin it may be best to stick with non-biological washing products long term.
Dr John ET Pillinger
…have his teeth brushed with toothpaste?
LA dentist Dr. Kimberly A. Loos, says, "The most important thing is to start brushing as soon as the teeth erupt but using toothpaste on new teeth is not critical until after a child is over a year old. For children younger than one year, brushing without paste is sufficient. If your infant is fussy during brushing time, the taste of an extremely small amount of toothpaste may encourage cooperation."
Dr Kimberly A Loos, Dentist
…be shy around people?
From the age of around seven months children can become very wary of adults, other than their parents. This is because they realise at this age that they can be separated from their parents and they are just beginning to realise that they are individuals.
How a child's parents handle this stage is important. If you recognise your child's shy and therefore try not to introduce her to situations in which she will feel threatened, you will find that this perpetuates the shyness, even though you are protecting her from situations she does not like. The only way to improve her relations with other adults is to increase the contact that she has with them. Try to act in a very light-hearted way about her reaction and make as little fuss as possible. She will eventually, with your help, get over this. She may always be shy, but she will learn to cope with it.
Debbie Honer, Health Visitor
…need his first pair of shoes?
Bob Hardy from Clarks says "Don't feel rushed into buying shoes as your toddler only needs them when her feet need protection against the environment. When the environment is safe, going barefoot is good because she can feel the floor better."
One of the most important things is the correct fit. Get your baby's feet measured by a trained fitter about a month after she starts walking. This gives your child the opportunity to experience walking without the interference of shoes. It also allows the muscles in the feet and the arches to start to develop.
First shoes should be flexible and soft to allow the continued development and strengthening of your baby's feet.
Clarks, shoe manufacturer
…have paracetamol/nurofen?
Paracetamol is not licensed for use in children under 3 months but in practice is safe after 2 months but only under medical supervision, for instance after your baby's first vaccinations.
Ibuprofen suspension such as Nurofen can be given to babies from the age of six months old. (NB: Ibuprofen should not be given to anyone with a history of asthma.)
Dr Rory Symons, babyworld GP
…stop having his overhead cot mobile?
Overhead cot mobiles should always be hung out of baby's reach. They
should be removed from the cot altogether (perhaps suspend from the ceiling)
when your baby is about five months old or pushing himself up onto his
hands and knees.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
…use a spoon?
Most babies don't learn how to use a spoon until well after their first birthday. The food they try to pick up with a spoon sometimes lands on the floor but they are learning and they need practice to become skillful with a spoon.
Try using two spoons, one for your baby and one for you. That way your child still gets fed but enjoys copying you and practising her spoon control. Most importantly, keep it fun. Be prepared for the mess. If your baby sees you getting upset then eating will become an unpleasant experience for her.
Maggie Harrison, Health visitor
Where to next?
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