August 23, 2016Stullster

All Things Month 10

Information is for month ten of baby’s life.  I am in no way a doctor, medical professional, or even experienced in child care.  This is just information that I have gathered from books, websites, my pediatrician, and hearsay.  The time schedules and suggestion of eat/wake/sleep cycles are from Babywise.  The progression of development is from What to Expect the First Year.  Feeding amounts are the recommendations from my doctor.  Everything else is from various websites and friends.

Feeding/wake/sleeping:

  • Majority of baby’s nutrition should be coming from food (baby food and finger foods), not formula.
  • If baby will drink from a sippy cup, you can replace formula with whole milk.
  • The first and last feeding of the day are the two strategic feedings.
    • It doesn’t matter what schedule your baby is on, all other feed-wake-sleep cycles will fall within those two “fixed” feeding times.
    • Need to remain consistent
  • Between 28 and 40 weeks, the 4 feeding cycles will merge into 3
    • The afternoon nap (third nap) is dropped
    • Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a liquid feeding at bedtime
    • Below is an example schedule

28-40

  • Between 46 and 52 weeks, the 3 cycles are reduced to only 2
    • When baby no longer receives a liquid feeding before bedtime
    • Below is an example schedule

46-52

By the end of month ten, baby may be able to:

Activities you can do with baby:

  • Read!  Leave books at a low level to encourage baby to explore them.  Board books are more durable for self-exploration.
  • Make colored ice cubes using food coloring.  Place them on a metal baking sheet and let baby chase the cubes around with hands.
  • This is the time to start introducing simple puzzles.  Ellie doesn’t quite get them yet…

  • Save old baby food lids and wash them up.  Then allow baby to place the lids into an empty wipe container or a tissue holder.
  • Two-Handed Clacking
  • Put a little food coloring into some whipped cream.  Place baby into an empty inflated baby pool, outside, or in a tub to minimize mess.  Put blobs of colored whipped cream onto a plastic lid, tray, or baking sheet and allow baby to explore.  You can hide little plastic toys inside the foam to encourage baby to dig in.  WARNING: Don’t use too much food coloring or it will stain EVERYTHING!
  • Carry baby around the house with you and along the way talk about what you are doing.  Point to different items and tell baby about them.  For example, feel the purple curtain, isn’t it silky soft?
  • Really Big Buttons
  • Imitate motions and sounds that your baby makes.  Baby will start to notice and love being played with at her level.  Also encourage baby to imitate you and show excitement when he does.
  • Place pit balls in baby’s pack and play and let baby roam around.  Soon baby will be kicking balls, rolling balls, and throwing balls out of the pack and play.
  • Play with nesting blocks.  You can make your own if you have enough boxes!
  • Climb Every Cushion
  • The age-old classic of holding onto baby’s hands and walking him around.  Vary the speed and weight dependency.
  • Talk to baby in a high, low, happy, or sad voice.  Switch it up and wait for a response from baby.  Baby should be learning that conversation is a two-way street.  To help baby, you can pretend you have an imaginary ball.  Catch the ball when you are talking, and toss the ball when it is baby’s turn.
  • Cruise Control
  • Hide three different toys under three different blankets.  Ask baby to find each one.  Clap or praise when baby gets it right!

img_4837

  • Ask baby a question about surrounding or what she is experiencing and pause.  At first, baby will likely not respond.  If she does, use what she said as a response and expand on it.  For example, if the response is, “dadada,” you can expand by saying, “Yes, Dada’s game is noisy!”  Using their babble noise helps baby to learn conversation.
  • Supper Sorting
  • Lay out a strip of bubble wrap for baby to crawl on.
  • Fill a big bowl with rice and let baby explore!
  • Fill a jar with little plastic toys and encourage baby to take out the toys and put them back in the jar.  This in and out concept can usually keep baby entertained.
  • Bubble Surprise
  • Tape toilet paper tubes and paper towel tubes vertically on a wall or the refrigerator.  Give baby a large pom-pom or other item that will fit through the tube (make sure baby is supervised so they don’t eat and choke on the item chosen).  Encourage baby to drop the pom-pom through the tubes.

  • Place tennis balls in a muffin tin.  Show baby how to remove the ball and place them in another spot.
  • Flying Seesaw
  • Use painter’s tape to tape various items to the floor (to discourage eating) and allow baby to explore.  Some examples are plastic bag, paper bag, foil, ziplock, wax paper, tissue paper.
  • Place a piece of cardboard on an incline.  Let baby roll toy cars down the ramp.  You may have to demonstrate at first, but baby will eventually catch on.  Can also roll balls down the ramp.
  • Pour It On
  • Place baby into an empty inflated baby pool with pillows and stuffed animals in it to serve as a safe place for baby to climb over obstacles, practice pulling up to stand, and play.
  • Place strips of tape with the sticky side out on a play surface and tape down the edges (I used a low height bin and taped to the top).  Place plastic pit balls on the surface.  Baby will soon discover the balls don’t roll as they usually do, but they make a new fun noise.  Baby will also explore the sticky tape with hands (this might not be baby’s favorite part).
  • Month 9 Activities
  • Month 8 Activities
  • Month 7 Activities

2 comments

Leave a comment