Helen “Wells” Richardson, daughter of Mandy Richardson, advertising director of Little Rock Soirée.

Great news! Your little one is growing so big and finally starting to interact with the world. But beware: Those new interactions should be closely watched.

2 Months

Baby’s first: smiles & coos

Baby should:

  • follow object from one side to the other
  • lift chest when lying on stomach
  • bat at toys
  • clearly see 12 inches

Tummy Time

Babies should always be put to sleep on their backs, but during waking hours Tummy Time helps babies:

  • Strengthen neck and shoulder muscles to prepare for sitting, crawling and walking
  • Improve motor skills (using muscles to move and complete an action)
  • Prevent flat spots on the back of the head

Babies benefit from 2-3 Tummy Time sessions each day. Start with 3-5 minutes when they first come home from the hospital and lengthen the time as Baby gets older. Parents can use the time to bond with Baby; spread a blanket on the floor and sit in front of your baby. Put toys within Baby’s reach, so that she will try to play and interact.

Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; read more at NICHD.NIH.gov.

Buckling in Baby

Correct and consistent use of car seats can reduce the risk of death by 71 percent for infants, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Here are five steps to infant passenger safety:

  • Babies should ride rear-facing until they are 2 years old, or until they reach the upper weight and height limit of their car seat. Some seats can stay rear-facing for up to 35 pounds; then, children should ride in a forward-facing seat with a harness until it is outgrown (around 4 years or 40 pounds).
  • Check that harness straps are in slots at or below baby’s shoulders to hold child down in seat.
  • Do the harness straps fit snugly?
  • Place the harness clip at armpit level.
  • Have your car seat checked by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, who can provide a one-on-one educational safety check. The technician can help parents feel confident in re-securing the car seat in a vehicle and re-buckling the child on their own.

4 years: The typical age a child outgrows his forward-facing car seat
Children should ride in the back seat of the vehicle until they are 13 years old—and always wear a seat belt!

Visit CarSeatsAr.org to find a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician in your area and to learn about local car seat safety events. Or, call the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Center at 364-3400 if you need to have your car seat checked.

Source: www.ARChildrens.org and CarSeatsAR.org.

4 Months

Baby should:

  • turn face to voice
  • roll front to back
  • hold head/body up when held in a sitting position
  • like mirrors

Early Childhood Education

By now, your maternity leave is likely coming to an end. If you’re returning to work and you do not have family to help babysit, your little one needs a quality childcare facility that fosters early learning. Brilliant Beginnings, an annual special section from Little Rock Family, profiles early childhood education programs in central Arkansas to help parents in their search. Read more at www.LittleRockFamily.com.

Another helpful resource is Better Beginnings, Arkansas’ quality rating improvement system for childcare, early education and school-age programs. Visit ARBetterBeginnings.com for tools that help families recognize and find quality child care in their area.

Ruby Faye Gordy, daughter of Leslie Gordy, ABPG events manager

6 Months

Baby’s first: teeth

Baby should:

  • babble
  • recognize name
  • move objects from one hand
  • to the other
  • sit alone
  • move from sitting to up on all fours (crawling position)

Teething Troubles

The slobbering is in full force. Your wee one gums anything and everything within his grasp including your hair. Yep! He’s getting teeth. Such a fun and adorable phase of development, but those pearly whites require a little extra attention beyond your admiring gaze.

  • Sometimes babies are born with teeth. Typically, teeth are seen around five to six months though.
  • Breastfeeding can be impacted by teething.
  • Signs of teething can include drooling, face rash from saliva, biting, gum pain and inflammation, irritability and wakefulness.
  • Wipe early teeth with a clean damp gauze pad, washcloth or very soft, tiny (no more than 3 rows of bristles) toothbrush. No toothpaste is necessary.
  • Clean teeth after meals and never let your baby go to bed with a bottle.
  • Be a good dental care example.
  • Maintain good nutrition and begin dental check-ups when they are around two to three years old.

Developmental timeline compiled with help from Dr. Carrie Brown, a pediatrician at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. For more baby tips and topics, visit LittleRockFamily.com/Baby.