One of a baby’s favorite things to grab is long hair. We are not sure why a baby always seems to take a hold of it and yank, but they do! Sometimes it will be difficult to get them to let go as well. If your baby feels like he is falling or knows that you are about to lay him down, he may grab your hair and hold onto it so that you can come too. If you have long hair or a sensitive head, this can hurt and become a problem. 

The same it true if you are wearing a chain or a necklace. This is an item that is easy for your baby to grab a hold of so it is something you should be careful with. The same is true for dangling earrings. There have been situations where a baby has grabbed mom’s earring and ripped it out of mom’s ear.

Mom isn’t the only one to suffer from her baby’s new trick. Dad can get in on the game too! A tie is a nice, long object that is fun for baby to get his hands around. For men who don’t have long hair or wear jewelry, sometimes a tie is the only thing on them that a baby can grab. The way a baby sees it, all is fair in love and war!

There are steps you can take to protect your body and your clothing however. If you have long hair, try to keep it back in a ponytail or in a bun, out of your baby’s reach. If he can’t reach it, he can’t pull it. For jewelry, try to keep it tucked under your clothes when the baby is up, and keep earrings to studs instead of loops or ones that dangle. When dad gets home from work, he can remove his tie before holding the baby, or if out, put his tie over his shoulder. If your baby doesn’t see it there, he probably won’t go looking for it to pull.

You can also try giving your baby something else to hold onto. His favorite toy, a blanket or a rattle will normally do the trick and give him something to grasp. Keep these things with you when you are out, in your diaper bag, to offer to your baby before you pick him up to change him, so that you don’t wind up with your head down, getting a big whiff of his diaper while getting your hair pulled out of your head.

Don’t worry, like all the other stages your baby will go through, this one too shall pass…

Napping a Newborn
When your baby is first born, getting him to take “naps” will seem like a piece of cake. Your baby will mostly sleep anyway, so getting him to rest shouldn’t be a battle. Most babies will fall asleep during feedings wake just in time for the next feeding and a diaper change. This is the time of your baby’s life that you will think your baby is “so easy” and perfect. As they get older naptime might become a little more difficult.

Napping a Three Month Old
By the time your baby’s three month birthday has come around, he will be awake more and possibly trying to put himself on a schedule. During this time you may find naptime becoming increasingly more frustrating as your baby is napping at different times of the day and for different durations. One day you may get a four hour nap out of him which starts at 9am, and the next day he may only doze a few times for 10 minutes at a time until three in the afternoon when he naps for three hours. This flexible nap schedule your baby could be on can get frustrating for you and can make it hard to get things done during the day.

Napping a Six Month Old
Not only has your baby hit a ton of milestones by six months, he is probably on a regular nap schedule throughout the day. Most babies will be waking up and going to bed at night about the same time, and taking a couple of naps a day for a couple of hours each. These will normally be in the morning and afternoon. At this point it becomes much easier for mom and dad to plan outings as well as meals in the house, because they know when their baby will be awake, and when he will be asleep.

Napping a One Year Old
Most one year olds are still taking a couple of naps a day at this point; however the naps may not be lasting as long. Your baby is probably up walking, running, and very interested in the world around him. It may be hard to get your baby to actually settle down and take a nap, when there is so much else that they would love to do. Enjoy the down time you do have however, because it may not last much longer.

Napping an 18 Month Old
By the time your baby is 18 months old he probably would have cut out one of his naps. Instead of a mid-morning and mid-afternoon nap, he will probably just be taking his afternoon nap, although it may have moved closer to noon or right after lunch. It also may have gotten longer. Where your baby may have only been sleeping an hour to an hour and a half in the afternoon, he could possibly be sleeping 3 hours now. Make the most of this time during your day and get stuff done.

Napping a Two to Three Year Old
Sometime during your baby’s second and third birthday it is highly likely that he will no longer be taking naps. There is entirely too much going on in his world and too much to see and do. You will put him in his crib or toddler bed and he may sit and play for the two hours he is there instead of napping. Your peace and quiet may be coming to an end. The good news is that since your child still needs at least 12 hours of sleep a day, it might be possible to put him to bed early, around six in the evening and have him sleep all night. This will give you that free time in the evenings to get done things that you were not able to get done during the day.

Toys do more than just keep babies entertained – they’re extremely important for their mental, physical, intellectual and social development. They are the tools that teach baby about their world and their place in it. They add excitement to learning about life, how things work and how to get along with others. Good toys will give your little one the motivation to play and develop basic skills.

This article provides suggestions on choosing age appropriate toys and activities during baby’s first year. Following these guidelines will help you be continually expanding baby’s horizons and encouraging healthy development.

During the First 3 Months
For the first few months babies do little more than sleep and eat. In fact some sleep as much as 20 hours a day! Make the most of the time they’re awake by choosing toys and nursery accessories that stimulate them and encourage them to use their developing senses.

When playing with a newborn, remember that they see best when objects are about eight inches away from their face. Make sure they can see you by leaning in when talking to them and holding toys close.

At this stage introduce…