Health Care for Children

“I’m starving!”
 
Your baby just ate an hour ago, so you’re sure it’s not time for another meal. Or is it? If she’s going through a growth spurt, her tears might mean, “Waitress, I’d like another course.” These spurts typically occur at 2, 3, and 6 weeks, and at 3 and 6 months, and they last about two days, says Melissa Nagin, a lactation consultant in New York City. Still, babies don’t tend to check their calendar, so one might happen at any time.

The fix: Is your baby really hungry? The best test is to put her in the stroller or a sling and go for a walk. If she falls asleep or calms down quickly, she doesn’t need food. But if she screams her way around the block, offer her a breast or a bottle. “Don’t worry — it’s really not possible to overfeed a breastfed baby,” says Nagin.

“This wall I’m staring at is getting a little old.”
 
Spending an hour in the same chair in the same corner of the same room is the baby equivalent of being confined to an office cubicle all day: not a lot of fun. Although some infants have a higher tolerance than others for staying in one place, all babies get bored and appreciate a change of scenery.

The fix: Encourage your child’s natural love of exploration by moving him to another room, taking him to the park, or running some errands together. Don’t have time to wander? Simply talking and interacting with him is a great antidote for boredom. “Babies are very social,” says Prachi Shah, MD, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician at Texas Children’s Hospital, in Houston. “They love being around you, listening to you, and learning from you.”