What can I do with my 13 week old baby?
CandiG asked:
Hiya, I am a mummy pantofolaia with a child of 3 months and I'm just wondering what sort of things I should / I can do with her? Know at this stage are intended to do anything in particular to help his development? Thanks
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:00 am
Tummy time, play with colorful toys even better ones that light up, or toys that play lullabies, not to much to do yet but she’ll get there
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:06 pm
sing/ dance with her… take her to different places around the house… go out for a walk… bring her to the park, lay her on the grass and let her bring her arms and legs up as she stares at the clouds… enjoy!
April 6th, 2009 at 4:00 am
as far as mental development, give her lots of playtime and talk to her. the more words she hears, the bigger her vocabulary will be when she’s older. even if she can’t talk back, you talk about anything. it doesn’t matter what you say just talk and play with her throughout the day.
April 8th, 2009 at 1:31 am
They are never too young to read to….find a children’s book (numbers, letters, etc, with vibrant pictures) and show your baby each picture and read to her. At that age, there really isn’t much but even that little bit will stimulate her little mind each time. Music is good too….
Good luck, and enjoy your time with your baby. She won’t be a baby for long…
April 9th, 2009 at 9:58 am
tummy time is a must!
also singing to her will help her a lot.
and BOOKS!!
beleieve me, start now, she may not be interested at all! but when she gets older she will know to sit down and listen to them.
April 12th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Cool our babies are the same age. I had the same question earlier today, when much to my delight I received these ideas in my email. Have fun!
Fly, Baby, Fly!
* Sit on the floor with your baby facing you. Place your hands firmly under his arms and around his chest to support his body.
* Ask your baby, “Are you ready to fly in the sky?” Then say, “Here we go. One, two, threeee!”
* Roll back until you are lying down and holding your baby above you. Say “fly, baby, fly!”
* Not only will your baby love the sensation of flying, you may love the workout it gives your arms and back muscles!
The Name Game
* Hold your baby in your lap facing you. Touch different features on her face as you name them.
* Try two features to start. Each time say, “This is ______ (your child’s name) nose,” “This is baby’s ear.” Repeat several times.
* Take your baby’s hand and guide her to touch your nose and ear alternately. As you guide her hand, say, “This is Mommy’s nose,” “This is Mommy’s ear.”
* As your baby gets older, you can begin to ask her, “Where’s your nose?” Place her hand on her nose and say, “Here it is!” Repeat this with all features.
What’s Cooking?
* Whenever you are in the kitchen, sit your baby safely in an infant seat or swing.
* As you prepare food, talk about each thing that you do, such as:
“I’m stirring.”
“I’m pouring.”
“I’m washing.”
* Let your baby play with measuring spoons, bowls, and wooden spoons.
* When your baby is old enough, let him help pour, beat, and stir.
* Always name each ingredient as you use it.
Can You Remember?
* Sit on a chair with your baby in your lap and a table in front of you.
* Place your baby’s favorite toy on the table where she can see it.
* Talk to your baby about the toy, then pick her up and turn her to face you.
* If she turns her head back to look for the toy, praise her and give her the toy.
* If your baby is crawling, you can play this game on the floor. Simply lay her on her tummy and put the toy in front of her.
* Move the toy to one side of her and see if she will crawl around to find it.
* Once your baby begins looking for the toy, it’s important to help her
find it quickly. This will help her develop confidence.
April 15th, 2009 at 12:09 am
Wearing her in a sling while you go about your day is great for her development. She can see things from your perspective, while staying close so she can feel safe and secure. Ergo carriers are great, and you can use them till she is about 3 years old! Good luck & congrats!
April 15th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Read to your baby. I’ve read to my baby since she was a newborn. Just because they cannot comprehend the story, they can still benefit from hearing your voice and the bonding is crucial. I read her 2-3 short books everyday, with bright, colorful pictures. She started trying to talk and make sounds at 2 months old! she is 8 months now and her verbal/language skills are advanced. Simply reading to your child everyday will make such a huge impact! start right now!
April 16th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Put her on the floor (back or belly, whichever she prefers), and let her kick and wriggle. Do you have a play mat? We have one that the toys dangle off of, and it was a great place for my daughter to start learing to reach for things. Put toys in your baby’s hand if she isn’t yet grabbing for them. She may or may not realize she’s actually holding them, but she should certainly be able to grasp things. You can start using toys to teach her things feel different to the touch…look for soft things with different textures. Is she holding up her head on her own? You can start letting her sit up supported (and very well-supervised) if you haven’t already, to practice head control. Most importantly, talk, sing, and coo to your baby. Use both adult language and babble, and mimic the sounds your baby makes. Smile and laugh and try to get her to imitate you…you’re the best learning experience available to her right now! Good luck!
April 17th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
This month your baby will begin staying awake for much longer periods of time. Your baby is happier and she does not cry as often as she previously was. There will be many opportunities for learning and sharing throughout the day. Interacting and playing with your baby will encourage her to learn. Your baby enjoys swatting at toys and may be able to grasp them occasionally.
Get ready for lots of laughs and giggles. Your baby still loves when you smile at her and she can now laugh at you. Babbles, coos, smiles and laughs are all part of her developing personality. Let her know just how much you enjoy hearing her laugh by laughing back. When she babbles and coos, do it back.
Some babies enjoy being held and rocked more than others, and that is okay. All babies are different. If you have a cuddly baby, take this time to enjoy it. Rocking and cuddling are good for babies and make them feel secure and comforted. All babies need to be held and soothed, and not just when they are crying. Show him just how much you love him and care about him. Babies like gazing you in the eyes. You can play simple games with your baby now, too. Peek a boo and `This Little Piggy` are favorites for many babies. Read to your baby daily and sing songs with her. If your baby starts to get fussy, it is time to stop.
Babies this age are becoming interested in toys. They do not need to be expensive or even store bought toys. When choosing toys, you need to be careful about what you allow your baby to play with. Do not buy anything that can fit inside of their mouth. Toy should not be made with anything that could break off or splinter. Never give your baby anything with sharp edges or corners. Make sure that older siblings understand that their toys may be dangerous for the baby.
Make your nursery bright and welcoming. You could paint the walls, hang brightly colored pictures and add fun accents to make the room interesting for him. Babies still do not need pillows or blankets. They are suffocation hazards and should be used only for decorative purposes. You can add a mirror on the wall above the changing table, or pictures of family and friends.
Your baby may start trying to hold his bottle at this point. Do not prop the bottle with blankets or anything else. This can cause ear infections. Rather, use this time as bonding time between you and your child. Breastfeeding should be well-established at this point. You can also pump your breastmilk and store it for others to feed the baby. Most babies want to eat every 4 hours and are consuming higher amounts.
If you ever find yourself getting frustrated with your baby, put the baby in her crib and call a friend or family member to help with the baby. Babies do not do things to frustrate you on purpose and it is totally acceptable to need a break once in a while. Make sure you never shake or hit your baby. This can cause severe damage or even death.
Developmental Milestones 3 Months Old
Physical
* Your baby may be able to lift her head while laying on her back and hold it for several minutes
* Some babies can hold their head steady and erect while in a sitting position
* When on his stomach, he will lift his head and chest as to do mini push ups-offer encouragement by sitting in front and dangling a toy
* Babies can now wave their arms and kick their legs
* Kicks are getting stronger
* When being held up, your baby should push down on their legs
* She can bring both hands together and open fingers
* Can roll over one way
* Your baby can focus on very small objects
Intellectual
* Will swat at toys-encourage her by holding a toy in front and see if she will grab it
* Many babies will sleep through the night around this time
* Clear recognition of mom and dad
* Your baby will look directly at you and gurgle when he hears your voice
* Enjoys being read to-read to your baby everyday to develop language skills
* Enjoys bright colored objects
* Has a rapidly developing memory
* Enjoys the feel of different objects-allow your baby to touch a variety of textures
* Your baby may smile at herself when she sees herself in the mirror
* Laughs out loud
* Has more established routines
* Makes sounds like `ah goo`
Emotional
* Is attached to the main caregiver
* Familiar with parents faces and siblings
* Your baby will smile at strangers
* Likes to hear you talk-tell her about everything you do
* Touching, caressing, carrying, rocking and massaging are great ways to relax your baby
* Becoming more animated and social-flashes smiles and gugles and coos
* Turns towards the sounds of familiar noises
Age Appropriate Toys
* Rattles
* Play gyms
* Activity mats
* Mirrors
* Balls
* Books
* Music
* Toys to grasp
* Lighted toys
* Textured items
Hope this helps. Check out the website for more info