Early Motherhood

Rice is easily digested and has low allergen aspects, so it is commonly recommended as the first food you introduce to your baby. Many of the recipes for making baby cereals are time consuming, but with the use of the freezer and a blender, homemade rice cereal is simple and convenient.

This recipe is perfect for infants, but by adding a few “extras” it will tempt the taste buds of kids and adults.

Baby Cereal Ingredients:

• 3 cups of brown rice, cooked according to package directions
• 12 ounces breast milk, water, or infant formula

Baby Cereal Directions:

A child’s first year of life is filled with so many developmental changes. In their first months, babies explore with their eyes, ears, hands, feet, and mouth. At about seven months, babies begin sitting alone — freeing up their hands for more active and exciting exploration. Look out — pretty soon they’ll begin crawling.

Who’s calling me?

Infants love to look at human faces and eyes, bright primary colors, and simple designs. In their first few months, babies develop enough muscle control to lift their heads. A baby will hold his head higher and keep his eyes moving (or at least try to) when you do the following activities together.

Irritant Diaper Rash

Although frustrating for parents, most children get at least one diaper rash, and many get them over and over. If your child gets frequent diaper rashes you might change the type of diaper you are using (cloth vs. disposable diapers), change brands of disposable diapers and/or baby wipes, apply a barrier cream after each diaper change, like Aquaphor or a cream with zinc oxide, and keep a symptom diary to see if you can link the rash to something that your child is eating or drinking.Other things that parents do to prevent diaper rashes include:

• frequent diaper changes

Exploring with his hands
By the time he’s about 6 months old (though sometimes it takes a little longer), your baby’s hand control is developed enough that he can rake an object toward him. Once he’s learned to grab a toy, he’ll start to practice moving objects from one hand to the other. He may also discover that letting go of something is as much fun as picking it up. Once he understands the concept of cause and effect, your baby’s world will become more interesting — and yours a good deal messier.

Sitting pretty
By now, your baby’s physical developments are coming fast and furiously. When lying on his back, he’ll lift his head and shoulders. If you place him on his stomach, he’ll extend his arms and legs and arch his back. This is good exercise for strengthening his neck muscles, and it will help him develop the head control necessary for sitting up. Once he can sit, stay nearby for support, even if you provide pillows to cushion a possible fall. Support him under his arms and he’ll bounce up and down as he stands on your thighs. He’s likely to explore everything he picks up with his mouth, so be sure it’s too big for him to swallow or choke on.