37 Week Old Baby Development
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Learn everything you need to know about your 37 week old baby. Track important developments and milestones such as talking, walking, growth, memory & more.
Your Growing Baby
Almost Walking
Can't keep up with your baby these days? If she's been crawling for a while, chances are she's jetting all over the place now -- going forward and backward, turning, even attempting to scale the stairs. If your baby's not crawling (which is also totally normal), she's probably getting mobile in other ways -- scooting, creeping, or pulling herself up to a stand. All of this is prep for her first solo steps, which could come as early as a couple of weeks from now, or as late as 15 months or beyond.
Babyproofing for Your Little Mover
With all this crawling and cruising and climbing, baby-proofing is absolutely crucial now. While you don't need to buy every safety product on the market, there are a few basics that are worth the money and that you should make sure to install now:
- Wall-mounted gates for the top and bottom of staircases. They're sturdier than pressure-mounted gates, and they'll keep Baby from both climbing up and falling down.
- A no-slip mat for the bathtub. Also, turn the water heater temperature down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, so even if she manages to turn the tub knobs, she won't get burned.
- Screens or covers for radiators and other heat sources.
- Safety latches for drawers and cabinets. But don't rely on latches to protect your baby from toxins such as bleach or detergent; move them to high shelves or places she can't reach, just to be sure.
- Outlet covers. Also, make sure to wind up or hide long, loose electrical cords, so Baby won't chew or yank on them.
- Smoke detectors on every floor. Add a carbon monoxide detector and a fire extinguisher to the mix as well.
Healthy & Safety Info
Ear Infection Blues
If your baby hasn't had an ear infection yet, odds are she will sometime soon. About 75 percent of children get at least one ear infection before age 3, mainly because their developing immune systems make them susceptible to the colds and respiratory infections that often lead to ear infections, and because the small size of their eustachian tubes makes them a handy trap for fluid and bacteria. Symptoms to watch for include ear pain (your baby might tug on her ears or cry if you touch them), ear drainage or discharge other than wax, fever, fussiness, loss of appetite, and trouble swallowing.
If you suspect an ear infection, call your pediatrician; she'll want to check your baby out to make sure. If it is an infection, she'll either prescribe antibiotics or recommend that you wait it out, since many ear infections will clear up on their own within a few days. In the meantime, she might recommend you give your baby acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve pain and bring down fever.
If your poor baby gets ear infection after ear infection, she might be a candidate to have tubes surgically inserted into her eardrums. The procedure sounds scary, but it's fairly simple, and the ventilation tubes keep infection-causing fluid and bacteria from building up -- they're lifesavers for infection-prone babies and their moms. Plus, the procedure can help your little one hear better.
Must-Knows
Time for Playdates
Your baby's still too young to hang out with a best friend, or even do anything more than play side-by-side with kids her age. Still, your baby's rudimentary social skills don't mean you should abandon the thought of regular playdates till next year. In fact, getting together with other mom pals is as important for your sanity as it is for your baby's social blossoming. Here's how to organize a successful playdate:
- Invite moms whose babies are within a three- or four-month age range of yours. More than that and the babies' vastly different developmental levels could lead to conflict and confusion
- Offer snacks. Some Cheerios and milk for babies and muffins and juice for moms keep everyone happy and let the fun last longer.
- Referee playtime. Nine-month-olds haven't mastered the rules of sharing just yet, so you might have to step in when infants clamor over the must-have toy or book. Rather than arbitrate between babies, distract them each with a new toy, or move them to separate corners of the room so they'll have to crawl back to square one. Put toys that kids continue to fight over in a temporary time-out. And continue to practice sharing at home with your baby by rolling a ball back and forth or offering her a small toy, then asking her to hand it back to you.
- Start gabbing. Sharing notes, hilarious stories, and crazy questions with your friends is the best reason to have other moms over. So let the babies play, and enjoy yourself.
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