You’ve spent a long time planning and preparing for your new babies. And now the story begins.
Your babies’ first years are the foundation for the rest of their lives. And research indicates that babies develop best in a stimulating environment. This doesn’t mean that you need to spend lots of money on expensive educational materials to stimulate your babies’ physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Everyday household items and activities can offer your babies all the stimulation they need.
It takes a lot of energy to meet your babies’ needs and help them develop. And taking good care of your babies means you must take good care of yourself, too. Remember to rest as much as possible and eat healthy, nutritious foods.
Your babies depend on you!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed be sure to get help from a friend, relative, or professional counselor. Here are some useful resources.
Healthy Families America (HFA)
200 S. Michigan Avenue, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 663-3520
The National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse (NCPCA) in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities has implemented HFA, an innovative initiative designed to support and educate new parents through the establishment of intensive home visitor services nationwide.
Birth to Three
3875 Kincaid Street, #15, Eugene, OR 97405 (800) 680-7888
This organization is dedicated to strengthening families and preventing child abuse and neglect.
Parents Anonymous (PA)
675 W. Foothill Boulevard, Suite 220, Claremont, CA 91711, (909) 621-6184
PA is a self help program for parents under stress and for abused children. There are no fees and no one is required to reveal his or her name. Group members support each other in searching out positive alternatives to the abusive behavior in their lives. To locate a group in your area, look in the white pages of your telephone directory under Parents Anonymous.
Even great parents need help sometimes. And great parents ask for help when they need it.
Physical Development
During your babies’ first year, they are working hard to develop physically. They learn to roll over, sit up, reach for objects using their hands and fingers, crawl, stand, and maybe even walk. Yes, all this probably will happen by the time they are a year old. But babies are unique. Some may walk before they are a year old, while others may not be interested until they are much older. And when these developmental stages are completed, you won’t be able to tell the babies who crawled and walked early from the babies who took a little longer.
You can help your babies develop physically at the rate best for them.
• Give your babies plenty of room to stretch and move. Play with them on a blanket in a safe place.
• Encourage your babies to use their hands and fingers. Let them reach for bright colored rattles and other safe objects.
• Keep your babies safe. When traveling by car, always have them in a safety seat in the back seat of the car.
Emotional Development
Although your babies’ emotional development may not be as noticeable as their physical development during the first year, it is just as important. The way they see themselves in relation to their surroundings can have a big effect on their future.
You can help your babies develop into confident, loving adults.
• Show your babies that they deserve to be loved and that you love them very much by holding and cuddling them.
• Teach your babies to trust you by paying a lot of attention to them and comforting them when they cry.
• Protect your babies. Keep them safe, and meet their needs.
Even before your babies are born, they know your voice. At birth, they already are familiar with you!
Cognitive Development
Environment plays a big role in your babies’ cognitive development. Expose your babies to a variety of sounds, sights, and textures.
• Help your babies learn by talking to them as you go through the day together. Meals and baths can be good opportunities to talk to them. They’ll enjoy your attention.
• Stimulate your babies with bright colored objects. Let them touch and play with toys. Be creative. Plastic kitchen containers, measuring cups, and mixing bowls can be great toys.
• Read and sing to your babies. They love to hear your voice and they’ll grow up to like books and music.
Babies learn about the world through their senses — watching, listening, touching, smelling, and tasting. You can teach them that their world is a good place.