Category: Baby Care

Bringing your newborn home is one of the most exciting milestones for any family. But along with the excitement comes a long checklist of things to prepare—from setting up the nursery to making sure your home is clean, safe, and ready for your baby’s arrival.

Despite reading parenting books and taking advice from family and friends, many new moms and dads quickly discover that caring for a newborn takes far more time and attention than they expected. Balancing baby care with household responsibilities can be challenging, especially during the first few weeks. Therefore, your home must be baby-ready so you can focus all your attention on your family’s newest member.

Here are some handy tips on preparing your home for the baby’s homecoming:

Clean Your House Thoroughly

Infants are highly vulnerable to bacteria and viruses. With their immune system just gearing up for life ahead, it’s important to eliminate the risk of exposing them to pathogens. Disinfect the house before the baby comes home.

If your family is prone to allergies, keep all allergens away. Similarly, do not use harsh chemicals in cleaning the house as they could leave unwanted residue that can harm your baby.

Make sure your baby’s room is ready before your due date. Keep essentials like diapers, wipes, feeding supplies, extra clothes, and blankets within easy reach.

Prepare Your Baby’s Bathing Area

Prepare and disinfect the area where your baby will be bathed. Take note that their umbilical cord stumps are still healing, so make sure that the area where you will wash them is clean to avoid infecting your baby’s wound.

Until the stump naturally falls off, follow your healthcare provider’s instructions on proper cord care and sponge bathing if recommended.

Keep Household Pets at a Safe Distance

Some babies, particularly those with weakened immune systems, may be more sensitive to pet dander or saliva.

Keep pets away from the baby’s room to avoid exposure to animal fur and saliva, which can trigger allergic reactions. Even though pets may be tame enough not to hurt the baby, never leave pets alone in the same room as your baby under any circumstances.

Baby-Proof Your Home Early

Although it’ll still be a few months before your baby starts crawling, start thinking about baby-proofing the house.

Cover all sharp and jagged edges, as well as unused electric outlets. Store all knives, scissors, and other harmful materials safely out of the baby’s reach. Keep them out of the way.

Prepare for Emergencies

Your baby’s first few weeks in the house are critical, as this is when they are most susceptible to all kinds of diseases. Babies who have been to the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit), premature babies, and babies born with complications have a higher rate of re-hospitalization.

Always be prepared for an emergency. Keep a list of emergency numbers in the house and learn the fastest route to the nearest hospital. Make sure that you can reach your baby’s pediatrician for emergencies. Also, keep a packed bag with your baby’s clothes in the room in case you need to stay at the hospital. This way, if an emergency occurs, all you have to do is grab the bag and go to the hospital.

Prepare Easy-to-Heat Meals

First-time parents may find it difficult to adjust to sleepless nights, especially if their baby is colicky. It is advised to keep and refrigerate some quick-to-cook meals a few days in advance, so it would be more convenient for the couple to prepare meals without taking too much time from focusing on their baby.

Get Your Home Ready for Your Baby

Infant care takes more work than most people think. First-time parents soon realize that reading about infant care in books and doing it in real life are miles apart. With their attention focused entirely on taking care of the baby, having everything else prepared and out of the way will surely be of great help in reducing the number of sleepless nights ahead of them.

We hope you found this guide helpful. If you have any questions about our products or need additional assistance, our EQ support team is always ready to help.

Babies are unique and develop at their own pace, so avoid the unnecessary stress of comparing your baby’s developmental milestones with another’s. Yet while a baby might take more time to learn one skill and master another faster, there is a general timeline for baby development that can help parents understand what to expect.

If you think your child is meeting deadlines a little late, don’t worry too much just yet. “Often there’s not even a delay,” says Michelle Bailey, MD, medical director of Duke Health Center at . “Sometimes a parent just isn’t giving the child opportunities. For example, a baby may not sit alone because he’s always being held, rather than having time on the floor.”

Premature birth is also another common explanation for the delay, as Dr. Bailey says, “children who are premature may not have the same rate of muscle strength and development.” This may lead to a delay in motor skills, although this is usually resolved over time.

To determine if your baby is developing normally, here are some milestones and advice on how you can aid their development, as well as red flags to watch out for during your child’s first three years.

First Year Baby Developmental Milestones

1 to 3 months

Your child can/will:

• Take notice of your voice, face, and touch
• Hear fully and is likely to turn towards the sound of your voice
• Focus their sight up to 12 inches
• Lift their head briefly and turn it to the side while on their belly

During this time, have your child spend lots of time on their belly, encouraging them to reach for toys to strengthen their neck and back muscles. Make frequent eye contact when talking or reading to your little one.

See your doctor if you notice that your child:

• Doesn’t suckle well
• Can’t seem to focus on moving objects within sight
• Doesn’t react or respond to bright lights or loud sounds
• Seems especially stiff or limp

3 to 6 months

Your child can/will:

• Smile! They also actively enjoy playtime.
• Imitate your facial expressions as well as the sounds you make
• Support the weight of their head while sitting upright
• Lift their chest along with their head like a mini push-up
• Open and close their hands, smack objects, and shake toys. They can also bring their hands towards their mouths at this point.
• Push their legs down when held in standing position
• Focus on faces and can recognize yours even from across the room

Guide your child’s thumb to their mouth to help your child learn to self-soothe. Continue doing the belly exercise to further develop their muscles and allow them to explore objects with their hands, as this should be a part of their daily routine. Also, engage your child in “conversation” by speaking with your baby, pointing out different objects, and naming them.

See your doctor if you notice that your child:

• Can’t support their head well
• Can’t grip objects
• Can’t focus on moving objects
• Doesn’t smile
• Doesn’t react to loud sounds
• Doesn’t acknowledge new faces
• Gets excessively upset by unfamiliar people or surroundings

4 to 7 months

Your child can/will:

• Smile, laugh, and babble-speak
• Roll to and from their tummy and back
• Sit without assistance, as well as support their own weight with their legs with minor assistance
• Rake in objects, hold them, and move them from hand to hand
• Learn their name, turning to you when you say it
• Eat solid food

Encourage your child’s communication skills by responding to everything they babble at you. Try to integrate as much play into your relationship with your child. Place your child in different positions (such as standing, sitting, or lying on their belly) to familiarize them with these. Keep reading to your child and naming things in the immediate area.

See your doctor if you notice that your child:

• Can’t hold their head steady
• Can’t sit without assistance
• Doesn’t respond to noises or smiles
• Isn’t affectionate with those closest to them
• Shows no interest in reaching for objects

8 to 12 months

 Your child can/will:

• Crawl
• Pull themselves up to a standing position using chairs and low tables and walk the length of that support
• Speak their first word and eventually simple phrases too. For everything else your child wants to communicate, they will make simple gestures. Place things in containers and take them out
• Grab food and place it into their mouths
• Mimic more and more of your actions
• Typically be shy around strangers
• Experience separation anxiety

Keep speaking to your baby. Besides naming objects and conversing, start describing what you’re doing. To help with separation anxiety, give your child time to get used to new caregivers and be sure to always say goodbye before leaving.

See your doctor if you notice that your child:

• Doesn’t crawl
• Drags one side more than the other when crawling
• Can’t stand without support
• Shows no interest in finding objects you’ve hidden in front of them
• Doesn’t say any words
• Doesn’t use gestures (hands, head shaking)

Second Year Baby Developmental Milestones

 Your child can/will:

• Walk without assistance, go up and down stairs, kick a ball, and maybe even run
• Use words in short phrases and sentences
• Follow simple directions
• Identify shapes and can doodle with crayons, play with stacking blocks, and throw balls
• Show interest in using the toilet
• Be more comfortable playing with other children and start to become more independent, even defiant

To develop their verbal skills, talk to your child as often as possible and ask questions. You can have them verbalize what they want instead of pointing at things, give them options, and allow them to make decisions. You can also encourage them to talk by asking them to sort their toys into categories (such as stuffed animals, books, and crayons, among others) when putting them away.

See your doctor if you notice that your child:

• Can’t walk by 18 months
• Doesn’t understand the use of everyday items
• Doesn’t speak at least six words by 18 months or two-word sentences by 24 months
• Doesn’t imitate words and actions
• Can’t follow simple instructions
• Starts to regress

Third Year Baby Developmental Milestones

Your child can/will:

• Live between the world of imagination and reality (for example, have imaginary friends, believe in monsters in the closet or under the bed)
• Use hundreds of words and can follow multi-step instructions
• Jump, pedal a bicycle, and open doors.
• Solve simple puzzles
• Make friends and display certain emotions towards them like empathy and affection.

To foster further development, set play dates for your child. Allow the playmates to resolve any conflict between them, but be ready to step in if things get too difficult. Pretend play is also a great way for them to sort through their emotions and works best if your child directs the play.

See your doctor if you notice that your child:

• Struggles with separation anxiety
• Doesn’t interact with people outside the family nor with other children
• Avoids eye contact
• Can’t throw a ball or jump
• Can’t climb stairs with alternating feet
• Isn’t able to complete a sentence

We hope this guide has answered your questions. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about our products or if you need assistance, feel free to contact our EQ support team.

References:

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/features/is-your-baby-on-track

http://www.babycenter.com/milestone-charts-birth-to-age-3

http://childmind.org/guide/developmental-milestones/

Are you having trouble getting your little one to sleep? Babies are still getting used to everything, so their lives are a constant seesaw of comfort and discomfort, as well as of understanding and confusion. For instance, nighttime and daytime are concepts they are yet to understand, so putting them to bed can be difficult.

The good news is that a calming bedtime routine can help your baby fall asleep faster. Here are simple tips to make bedtime easier for both you and your little one.

7 Tips to Help Your Baby Fall Asleep Faster

1. Set a Consistent Bedtime Routine

While routines vary depending on parent and child, make sure to have one, as a consistent bedtime routine is important for your baby to learn the difference between day and night. Eventually, your little one will learn that nighttime means sleep time.

To have an efficient routine, have your baby play active games during the day as opposed to quieter, calming activities at night. Engage your baby in the same games or activities in the same order, leaving your baby’s favorite nighttime activity for last. This way, your baby will associate the fun with bedtime.

2. Give Your Baby a Warm Bath Before Bedtime

A nice, warm bath at the end of the day can soothe and relax your baby. Avoid using toys when giving them a nighttime bath, and keep your voice low and overall activity calm. The warm water coupled with your gentle strokes will put your baby in an ideal state for sleep.

3. Drowsiness is Your Friend

Know your child’s habits and determine when they get drowsy. When your baby starts to slow down, put them to bed before they’re out cold completely. Once you are able to identify that sweet spot of “drowsy, but awake,” bedtime becomes smoother.

In fact, according to Kim West, a professional sleep consultant and author of Good Night, Sleep Tight, “Babies who drift off on their own are more likely to fall asleep quickly and learn how to soothe themselves to sleep more easily.”

4. Keep the Room Cool and Comfortable

A cool room temperature sets babies up for a more comfortable sleep. The ideal temperature for babies to sleep in is around 18°C (65°F). If you don’t have an air conditioner, keep the windows open and/or use an electric fan.

Also, keep your baby’s room warmer during the day when they’re active. Include this in your routine to help them differentiate the different times of the day, and to regulate their developing circadian rhythm or body clock.

5. Turn Down the Lights

 Manipulation of light can also help regulate your baby’s body clock. Light is a natural, biological wake-up button, while darkness prompts your brain to release melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep.

Consider installing dimmers in your baby’s room. To help your baby fall asleep faster, dim the lights about two hours before bedtime or as the sun goes down. Make sure the room is brightly lit during the day to reinforce their circadian rhythm.

You can have sunlit rooms for naps. However, if your baby has trouble napping during the day, consider getting dark curtains. When it’s time to get up, let the light back in!

6. Be a Baby Masseuse

You can never be too young to benefit from a good massage. According to studies conducted at the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, babies and toddlers who receive bedtime massages fall asleep faster than those who don’t receive them or were just read bedtime stories.

Be sure to use baby-friendly oil, gentle strokes, and mild pressure for optimum results.

7. Avoid Too Much Eye Contact

Finally, babies are very easily stimulated. Something as subtle as a gaze is enough to snap a baby out of their sleepy trance – especially from their mother. So, as cruel as it may sounds, try to avoid eye contact when putting your little one to sleep. By all means, allow them to hear your soothing voice and to feel your loving touch, but don’t overstimulate them with your encouraging eyes.

Helping Your Baby Fall Asleep Faster

Every baby develops sleep habits at their own pace, so don’t worry if it takes time to find a bedtime routine that works. Being consistent with your routine and creating a calm sleeping environment can make it easier for your baby to relax and fall asleep.

Most importantly, be patient. As your baby grows and becomes more familiar with the difference between day and night, bedtime will gradually become smoother for both of you.

That’s all for now, mommies. Sleep tight!

We hope this article has been helpful. For any product inquiries or if you need further assistance, our EQ support team is here to help. Feel free to reach out anytime.

Maybe your maternity leave is over, or your baby is less interested in drinking milk now that they have started eating solid food. Whatever the reason, transitioning from breastfeeding to bottle feeding is not easy for any mother.

More than just mealtime, breastfeeding is also a special bonding moment between a mother and her baby. However, there comes a time when you may need to transition your baby’s feeding routine from breastfeeding to the bottle. While it can be challenging, taking the process one step at a time can make the transition easier for both you and your baby.

5 Tips for Transitioning from Breastfeeding to Bottle Feeding

1. Check Your Baby’s Readiness

The best sign to see if your baby is ready for bottle feeding is to let your baby decide.

At around 6 months of age, babies are usually well into eating solid food. This can be a good time to slowly introduce a bottle since they are beginning to get nutrition from other food sources and may nurse less often.

If you’re not yet ready to introduce your baby to solid food, take a look at how to ease them into it here.

2. Pick the Perfect Time

You cannot switch your baby’s feeding method from breastfeeding to bottle feeding overnight. It has to be done gradually.

Choose a time of day when your baby is usually relaxed and not overly hungry. Avoid offering the bottle during the first morning feed or the last feeding before bedtime, as these are often the times when babies are most attached to breastfeeding. Instead, try introducing the bottle during the afternoon while your baby is calm or engaged in play.

3. Let Someone Else Offer the Bottle

Babies tend to associate feeding with their mother’s breast. This is why it’s hard to convince them to drink from the bottle when the mother’s breasts are nearby.

Ask for help from either your husband or someone else with you to feed them using the bottle. Be sure to stay in another room while they do so that the baby does not see you. That way, your baby can keep their special bond of breastfeeding with you.

4. Find the Right Bottle and Nipple

Your baby may not accept the first feeding bottle you offer, so finding the right one often involves some trial and error.

Choose a bottle nipple with an appropriate flow. Holes that are too large may cause sputtering or gagging, while holes that are too small may make feeding frustrating.

It also helps to choose a nipple that is similar in shape and material to your baby’s pacifier. If they use a latex pacifier, consider using a latex bottle nipple as well. You can even rub a small amount of breast milk on the bottle nipple to help your baby become more familiar with it.

5. Ease Breast Engorgement

Some mothers stop breastfeeding their children regularly once they have successfully transitioned to bottle-feeding. In case you want to stop breastfeeding, your breasts may become painful because it takes a while for them to stop producing milk. You can try these steps to ease the pain:

• Apply a cold compress. Applying a cold, damp cloth reduces the pain. Surprisingly, chilled cabbage leaves work best for this situation too, as they take the shape of your breasts.
• Empty some milk. Pump some milk out of your breasts and refrigerate the breast milk to bottle-feed your baby at a later time. This removes some of the pain. Be careful not to empty them, however, as your brain might think that it needs to produce more.
• Leave your breasts alone. Be sure not to touch them too much. Massaging them sends a signal to your brain to produce more milk.

Be Patient During the Transition

Transitioning from breastfeeding to bottle feeding is not something that can be done overnight. It’s a slow process that involves a lot of patience for the mother. This is why transitioning your baby takes a lot of effort and time from all members of the family. But once your baby has successfully transitioned, it will all be worth it.

With consistency, encouragement, and support from your family, your baby will eventually adapt to their new feeding routine while continuing to grow healthy and strong.

 

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/features/weaningfrombreast

http://www.whattoexpect.com/firstyear/week47/weaning.aspx

http://www.babycenter.com/0_introducing-your-breastfed-baby-to-the-bottle-or-cup_473.bc

Once your baby discovers their hands, a world of wonder awaits them. Although learning to walk is a big milestone in your baby’s development, mastering their fine motor skills is no small achievement. According to Pediatric Occupational Therapist Dr. Rhoda Erhardt, it is through their hands that your baby demonstrates the link between thought and action. Developmental experts also say that manual dexterity is directly tied to cognitive development.

Babies don’t realize they can use their hands until they are about 2 months old. At around 2 to 4 months, they begin reaching for and swatting at objects as they learn how to control their movements. This is a great time to introduce simple activities that help strengthen your baby’s fine motor skills while making playtime more enjoyable.

Below are some activities that help develop your baby’s fine motor skills.

Fine Motor Skills Activities for Babies by Age

1. Hold It Tight (6 months and older)

Objective: This activity helps your baby learn how to develop grip.

Materials:

Any object or toy that fits comfortably in your baby’s hand, such as toy rattles or small stuffed toys. Choose soft toys or toys that won’t hurt your baby if they accidentally drop them.

How to do it:

1. Pick one of your baby’s toys.
2. Gently press the toy to your baby’s palm and help them close their fingers around the toy.
3. Once your baby closes their hand around the toy, let go of it and see if they can hold onto the toy on their own.
4. If your baby is unable to hold on and drop the toy, just pick it up and put it back in their hands for them to try again.
5. Be sure to use a soothing voice and have a lot of patience when teaching your baby. Repeat all the steps until they learn to grip different toys.

2. Texture Box (9 months and older)

Objective: This fine motor skill activity introduces different textures and encourages your baby to explore with their hands.

Materials:

A box filled with objects of various textures, such as velvet and silk cloth swatches, smooth and rough fruits (such as apples and oranges), and other baby-safe household items.

How to do it:

1. Set your baby on the floor.
2. Show your baby how to pick up the different objects inside the box.
3. Try to get your baby to pick them up one by one.

3. Transferring Toys (12 months and above)

Objective: This activity teaches your baby to grip onto an object and how to let go of it.

Materials:

• Two Boxes
• Soft toys of different shapes and sizes (stuffed toys, squeaky toys, plastic balls, etc.)

How to do it:

1. This activity only works if your baby is able to sit up by themselves and crawl around.
2. Place the boxes at least two feet apart and set your baby down between them.
3. Fill one of the boxes with toys of different sizes.
4. Teach your baby how to pick one toy up from that box and put it in the other box. Repeat the process until all the items have been transferred to the other box.
5. Encourage your baby throughout the activity until they finish transferring the toys.

Remember to be patient and celebrate every successful transfer.

4. Play with Clay (18 months and older)

Objective: This activity develops your baby’s finger control, improves hand-eye coordination, and introduces them to colors and shapes.

Materials:

• Modelling clay (different colors)

How to do it:

1. Set your baby on the floor beside you.
2. Take a handful of the modelling clay and mold it into any shape. Make sure to mold simple shapes that your baby can copy, such as triangles, squares, or circles.
3. Encourage your baby to copy the shapes that you made using the same colors that you used to mold the shapes.

5. Cool Colors! (18 months and older)

Objective: This fine motor skill activity strengthens your child’s grip while improving hand-eye coordination and color recognition.

Materials:

• Coloring books
• Crayons (preferably non-toxic and larger in size for an easier grip)

How to do it:

1. Set your baby on the floor with the coloring book propped open.
2. Help them pick out a crayon and let them hold it.
3. Slowly guide their hands in coloring the shapes and pictures in the book with the colors they like.
4. Once they have a strong grip on the crayon, let go of their hands and let them finish coloring the pages by themselves.

Helping Your Baby Develop Fine Motor Skills Through Play

Developing fine motor skills doesn’t have to be complicated. Through simple, age-appropriate activities like these, your baby can strengthen their hand muscles, improve coordination, and build skills they’ll use throughout childhood.

Most importantly, remember that every child develops at their own pace. Enjoy these playful learning moments together and celebrate every milestone, no matter how small.

We hope this guide has answered your questions. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about our products or if you need assistance, feel free to contact our EQ support team.

 

Sources:

http://www.parents.com/baby/development/physical/encouraging-baby-motor-skill-development/

http://www.parents.com/baby/development/physical/fine-motor-milestones/

http://theimaginationtree.com/2014/03/fine-motor-skills-activities-babies.html

First smile, first step, and first solid food—these are just a few “firsts” that every parent looks forward to. Mothers often measure their baby’s growth by the milestones their little one has achieved.

Feeding your baby their first solid food can be a bit overwhelming, especially for first-time parents. There are a lot of things to consider: when to introduce solid food, what foods to offer, and how much your baby should eat. It is important to be mindful of these decisions because how you feed your baby now can help shape their eating habits in the future.

If you think it’s time to start feeding your little one solid food, consider the following.

Signs Your Baby Is Ready for Solid Food

According to experts, babies are ready for their first solid food by the time they are between the ages of four and six months of age. This is the time when they lose the natural reflex of pushing out any food placed into their mouths.

Try answering some of these questions about your baby:

• Can they keep their head and neck up without your support when being spoon-fed?
• Did their birth weight double since then?
• Do they express interest in the food you are eating, or do they open their mouth when food comes their way?
• When you try feeding your baby mashed potatoes or fruits like a banana or an apple, can they keep the food inside instead of dribbling it off their mouth?
• Is the baby ready and willing to chew?
• Do they grab food and put it in their mouth during mealtime?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, your baby may be ready to start eating solid food.

What Foods Can Babies Eat?

Many first-time parents worry about which foods are safe for their babies. A baby’s digestive system is still developing before 4 months of age, but different foods can be introduced as your baby grows.

Age	Recommended Foods
4–6 months	Single-grain cereals such as rice cereal or oatmeal
4–8 months	Pureed vegetables, fruits, and meats
9–12 months	Chopped, ground, or mashed foods such as finely chopped crackers, ground meat, fish, and chicken

Foods to Avoid

On top of these allowable options, there are also certain types of food that babies are not yet allowed to eat. They are:

• Nuts, Popcorn, Raisins, Dried Cranberries, and Peanut Butter – Given that babies are just starting to learn how to properly ingest and swallow food, these can be considered choking hazards.
• Citrus – Some babies may be allergic to certain citrus fruits. It is better to consult with your doctor first to confirm and decrease the risk of an allergic reaction.
• Honey – Honey can cause botulism, especially when introduced to the baby at an early age. Botulism is a serious paralytic illness that is triggered when the infant ingests infected food. If left untreated, botulism can cause paralysis of the respiratory muscles, trunk, arms, and legs.

Items That Make Feeding Easier

Now that your baby is ready to eat their first solid food, it would be nice to have certain items that can help make feeding them easier. Here are some baby-feeding tools you might want to purchase:

• Use non-breakable plates and utensils to keep babies from harming themselves. Take note that at an early age, babies are pickier with the food that they want to eat and might have small tantrums during mealtimes. When your baby throws a tantrum during mealtime, having non-breakable utensils can help ensure that your baby does not harm themself.
• Bibs for easier cleaning in case food falls out of your baby’s mouth.

Watch for Food Allergies

Although introducing a variety of foods is encouraged, some babies may be allergic to certain ingredients. Common food allergens include eggs, shellfish, peanuts, and cow’s milk, among others. Some doctors recommend delaying the introduction of certain allergenic foods until your baby is at least 6 months old, depending on their individual needs.

At the end of the day, the safest way to decide which solid foods to introduce is to consult your pediatrician.

Starting Your Baby’s Solid Food Journey

Introducing your baby to their first solid food can be both exciting and overwhelming. It is an important milestone, not only for parents but also for your baby’s growth and development. With patience, the right foods, and guidance from your pediatrician, you can help your little one develop healthy eating habits that may benefit them for years to come.

We hope you found this guide helpful. If you have any questions about our products or need additional assistance, our EQ support team is always ready to help.

 

 

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/babyfoodnutrition9/startingsolidfood

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/agesstages/baby/feedingnutrition

http://www.parents.com/baby/feeding/solidfoods/startingsolidsguide/

Are you wondering if your baby is developing naturally? Like adults, babies are unique and different, growing and developing at their own pace. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t help your infant develop these skills faster.

During the first few months after your baby’s birth, you notice a slow and steady transition from odd and jerky to stronger, more deliberate movements, as they start to gain control over their fine and gross motor skills.

The Baby Center expounds on the difference: “Fine motor skills are small movements — such as picking up small objects and holding a spoon — that use the small muscles of the fingers, toes, wrists, lips, and tongue. Gross motor skills are the bigger movements — such as rolling over and sitting — that use the large muscles in the arms, legs, torso, and feet.”

Therefore, gross motor skills, which develop before fine motor skills, are the larger movements your baby makes. The development of these skills results in your baby’s ability to sit, balance, crawl, walk, run, and so on.

That said, here are five activities you can do to enhance your baby’s gross motor skills:

1. Place baby in different positions

Your baby won’t be able to do much on their own for the first three months, but one thing you can do is to introduce them to different movements. While on their back, gently flex their legs to mimic bicycle movements. This familiarizes their muscles with the motion and movement.

Another thing you can do is to place your baby in different positions. For example, babies can lift their heads for brief periods of time when on their tummy. Place your baby on their belly regularly to exercise their back and neck muscles. Whether it’s from the crib to the floor or from tummy to back, placing them in different positions stimulates different muscles, causing them to adjust and perform different motions. For instance, babies tend to push-up while on their tummies.

2. Place toys just out of reach

At three to six months, your baby should be able to roll over and sit with support. One way to encourage them to move in a specific direction is to place them on their belly and help them reach a toy that’s just out of reach. This encourages them to move towards something instead of remaining in place.

Also, at six to nine months, once their legs are strong enough, place a toy on a couch, chair, or low table to encourage them to stand to reach for it.

3. Create an obstacle course

At six to nine months, your baby should begin to crawl. Encourage this newfound mobility in a fun way by creating a simple and safe obstacle course using cushions, pillows, and blankets.

A simpler option would be to place interesting objects in and around safe spaces for them to discover. Put these objects at various heights and levels so there’s always something new to see, whether they’re crawling, sitting, or standing.

4. Blow bubbles for them

Bubbles encourage curiosity! You can entice your little one to go after them and reach up on their tippy toes to pop them. This is great for developing leg muscles as well as hand-eye coordination. It’s also a lot of fun for both of you!

5. Play ball

At one to two years, your baby should have enough mobility to pull and push things from a standing position, walk up and down stairs with your aid, and even kick a ball, to name a few things.

You can start by rolling a large, soft ball to them. Initially, they might just slap it, but eventually they’ll learn to pass the ball back in your direction.

Finally, when your baby is up and about, play football with them. This is a great activity as kicking requires babies to support their weight with one foot as the other foot goes for the ball.

Do you have more questions about preparing for pregnancy or caring for your little one? Explore our other blogs for more helpful tips and guides. If you need assistance or have questions about our products, our EQ Support team is always here to help.