Should I let my baby cry?
2nd month, 4th week
You can't spoil a child. Well-meaning people may tell you to
"cry" your baby, but when your baby cries "they're telling you
something - it can be a little hard to figure out what it is!"
How to deal with crying baby:
- First, troubleshoot. Is the child hungry? Wet? Hot? Are you experiencing pain from a diaper that is too tight, a pinch, or thin hair wrapped around your finger or toe?
- If the baby is full, clean, comfortable and has no fever, try to calm him down by swaddling, walking and rocking him, and by turning on a soothing sound, such as a vacuum cleaner or a white noise generator.
- Offer a pacifier or finger to suck on.
While it's not recommended for newborns to "cry" as a sleep
training tactic, if you're about to start crying hysterically, you can put your
baby in a safe place for a few minutes to set yourself up for a pause.
Your baby's development this week
Your baby is almost 3 months old! Every day they gain more control over
their rapidly growing body.
Here are some things your child can do:
- Keep their hands open more often (as opposed to a clenched fist of a newborn) and gently open and close them
- Show some head control when standing, try push-ups on your hands, lift their head, neck and chest when lying on your stomach.
- Communicate more by smiling, gurgling, cooing, and even showing interest in other children.
You may be interested in:
- Loss of reflexes. Many of the
reflexes found in newborns, such as the startle reflex, have now disappeared.
- Crossed eyes. Your child will
follow you and should no longer meet his eyes.
- Rolling over. Some babies roll
back and forth very early. So keep a close eye on them when they are on the
changing table or any elevated surface. Do not leave your child alone on the
bed with pillows to protect him. They can still fall out of bed.
- Playing with toys. By the end of the
third month, most babies can grab and hold objects, but it may take a little
longer before they grab a tempting toy.
Month 2, week 4 tips
- Quickly calming a crying baby and meeting his needs at this age can help him become more confident and less demanding as he gets older. And while they must be patient, remember that they can now see you clearly and you can try to "talk" to them about their needs.
- Find out your child's personality. Some are quiet and reserved. Others are ready for any party.
- If your child is often fussy and sensitive, try to avoid overstimulation and too many daily routine changes.
- Now your baby probably loves to "talk" to you, cooing, gurgling and trying to mimic your expressions. Encourage this with fun "talks."
- Children love repetition, this is how they learn! Help by singing the same favorite songs over and over again and playing the same games like hide and seek.
- Your child may start putting toys in their mouth to chew on them. So don't give them anything small enough to swallow and cause choking!
- Remember that your baby is not yet ready for solid food, and adding cereal to the bottle does not guarantee that he will sleep through the night.