Clueless about what to expect for baby milestones, I’ve caught up with many blogs or websites that have been a saviour in desperate times. Whilst many said it’s best to stick to professional advices, I suppose it’s reasonable to learn from mix of advices and experiences when it comes to anticipating baby milestones. Knowing more is better than knowing less. Trusting own instinct as a mother on what’s best as well as learning what’s out there could provide a peace of mind and make motherhood journey more fun. What are the tricks in encouraging a baby to turn over? When is the best time to start potty training? Is it normal for a baby to sit sleeping? Am I the only one encountering this? What are the proven remedies to solve sleep regression? You’ll be surprised that sometimes simple advices work like magic!
Sit Unsupported
Interestingly, on the 4th-month milestone, I was anxious if my baby would sit unsupported any sooner. Worried she might fall and hurt herself, I was constantly on the back-up, watching over her from toppling over and creating a safe environment for her to fall back on. Paranoid, would these give her the wrong idea that ‘falling is comfortable‘? Googled over the internet, ie: Baby Centre addresses many points about sit unsupported, Just like other sites, they suggest that a baby would eventually learn to sit unsupported with gradual encouragement. Then, one fine afternoon I said to my health visitor: “She has strong arms and neck to support her head, I just don’t know when she would eventually sit on her own.” Casually, the health visitor said: “All you need to do is to let go. She might seems wobbly at first but just let go and she will learn to find her balance. Make sure the surface is safe in case she topples over.” I tried it on the same day and just like that, she was sitting unsupported the next day!
Potty Training
Environmentally conscious, I am always in two minds about frequent diaper change to avoid diaper rash. In general, Baby Centre recommends potty training to start within 18 months to 3 years old when children are more emotionally and physically ready. Pampers suggests that potty training can be easier when children are at least 2 years old. The way I see it, there is no specific to this. Riding on predictable daily poo timing, I decided to put my baby on a potty at 6 months old. Not sure if I was doing the right thing. I googled many articles and came across elimination communication and reusable nappy as part of potty training methods. I tried both methods and concluded that elimination communication syncs with my determination. Surprisingly, the act of sitting on a potty at the time when she needed to eliminate formed a cue almost immediately within the first week of training – it was a success. Despite time and effort consuming, ie sitting side by side and communicating cues with my baby up to 4 times a day, the outcome is well worth it. Today at 7 months old, my baby uses an average of 3 nappies a day, almost half of what it used to be!
“You don’t understand anything until you learn it more than one way.”
– Marvin Minsky
There are many blogs or websites out there that are worth learning from. Of course, learn and explore using your senses. In particular, I thank all the mommy bloggers out there for sharing their thoughts and experiences. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be bothered or courageous enough in trying any new tricks.
