Noah's birthday ticker

Lilypie 3rd Birthday PicLilypie 3rd Birthday Ticker

May 17, 2007

Noah, the little grabber, is working feverishly at improving his grasp by latching onto anything and everything that he can get his little hands around. Noah will want to touch, hold, turn, shake, and put in his mouth everything within his reach. If one object isn't interesting enough, it's likely to be pitched in favor of another.

Noah may be beginning to display some distinct personality traits - is he quiet or a nonstop babbler? Is he outgoing or shy? He may also start to protest when it's time to put his favorite toys away as he is able to retain the memory of an object even after it's gone.

To encourage Noah to make choices and practice crawling, try placing a toy just out of Noah's reach so he has to move to reach it. He may also start pushing objects out of reach, either because he doesn't like the item, as a game to reach for it again, or so that he can get YOU to pick it up for him.

Although some friends and family may advocate feeding Noah solids early to encourage him to sleep longer at night, you should feel confident if you decide to wait a little longer and continue nursing exclusively. Studies show that introducing solids before six months of age may cause your baby discomfort because his still-immature digestive system isn't quite ready for solid food. The end result is often less sleep, not more. Your little one will not be harmed by your decision to wait, and you'll both enjoy the final weeks of exclusive nursing.