Learn everything you need to know about your 37 week old baby. Track important developments and milestones such as talking, walking, growth, memory & more.
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.
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:
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.
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:
Boost your baby's physical development by doing baby yoga with her.
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