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

Almost walking
Your baby is getting closer and closer to full-fledged walking. At this age he can probably crawl up stairs and cruise, moving around upright while holding onto furniture. A few 9-month-olds may even take a couple of steps. Your baby is also learning how to bend his knees and how to sit after standing (which is harder to master than you might think!).

There are ways to help your baby with his walking efforts. Stand or kneel in front of him, and help him walk toward you by holding both his hands. Eventually just hold your hands out to him in encouragement. Some babies enjoy pushing a toddle truck, which provides both support and mobility (look for one that’s stable, with a wide base).

Sitting, crawling, and standing
Now that he’s 8 months old, your baby is probably sitting well without support. He may also be crawling or moving about by bottom shuffling — scooting around on his posterior using a hand behind him and a foot in front of him to propel himself. While holding on to furniture, he may pull himself up to a standing position. In fact, if you stand your baby next to the sofa, he may be able to hold himself up, hanging on for dear life. At this stage some parents put their children in baby walkers, but that’s not a good idea. Walkers are unsafe. Your child can use a walker as a stepladder to reach things he couldn’t normally get to, such as a hot stove or bottle of bleach. What’s more, they discourage the kind of floor play that’s best for your child’s development.