Feeding and Toilet Training.

Culled from parenting.com


Feeding your baby

Your baby is probably able to pick up small objects between her thumb and forefinger now, and still puts them straight into her mouth. While this means that you'll need to take extra care to keep potentially dangerous small objects out of her reach, it also means that mealtime can become easier and more fun for both of you. Offer your baby a selection of enticing food, all cut up into pinchable bits, and let her feed herself. Meals will become a fun learning experience for her and you will have your hands free to feed yourself for the first time in many months. Lightly steamed vegetables, fruit, rice, bits of bread, and pieces of cheese and meat all make interesting and appealing finger foods for older babies. She'll eat until her appetite is satisfied; let her stop when she loses interest.

While mealtime will be messy for the next year or so, try not to worry about table manners just yet. Allowing her to hold and play with a spoon now will teach her to use it, eventually, with neatness and skill. Fill her sippy cup with water so that splashes won't matter so much. Plain water is better than sugary juice in any case.

Toilet training

While friends and relatives may feel that you should get a start on toilet training before your baby's first birthday, researchers in child development suggest otherwise. Rather than pressuring your baby to control her bowels before she is able, wait until her second birthday approaches before introducing her to a potty. Too much pressure before she is ready may result in wetting or withholding, while waiting until she shows an interest in using the potty is far more likely to make the process easy and smooth for both of you.