When your baby is walking you no longer have to make sure that your house is baby proofed two feet and below, but you need to make sure it is completely baby proofed several feet up. You will want to get all your drawer locks installed and keep items out of reach on your counters so that your baby’s little hands which can now reach do not get into dangerous areas and pull anything down.

Your baby will learn to walk first by learning how to stand. He will probably crawl over to a couch or a table, something he can reach, and either sit down to grab it, or grab it with one hand from his hands and knees. He will then learn to use his arm strength to pull himself up on his feet. This may take a few tries and end in a few tumbles before your baby gets it right. Make sure you are nearby in order to keep him from hitting his head on a hard surface like your table as he falls down.

Once your baby can successful stand he will probably begin “cruising” before he can actually walk. Cruising involves your baby walking around furniture and objects on the ground, holding onto them so that he doesn’t fall. He will start with two hands, eventually holding on with just one hand.

The day will come, probably when you least expect it, that your baby will all of a sudden let go and walk without the use of furniture to hold onto. The first few times that he lets go he might either grab the furniture immediately or sit down on the ground, but he will gain courage eventually. He will probably either walk to you that first time, or possibly to a toy on the ground that he wants that is not in his reach. When your baby is accomplishing these feats, be sure to encourage him, clap and cheer so that he knows he is doing something good. Like anyone, when a baby feels like he is doing something that makes you happy and proud of him, he will keep doing it.

When your baby first learns to walk on his own, he will probably be slow and a bit clumsy. Probably too slow for your liking when you are out and about. Don’t be afraid to still carry your baby some, but when it is possible and your baby wants too, let him try walking outside or in a store for a few seconds. Buy a good pair of supportive shoes for when your baby is outdoors, and indoors let him walk around barefoot or just in his socks in order to strengthen the natural arch in his foot.

After your baby gets the walking down pat, he will eventually get faster and will begin to run. Running is a great exercise for your baby and can be a lot of fun for you. When your baby is running though make sure he is running in a safe place so that when he trips and falls, which he will do, he doesn’t get hurt.

Your baby is so excited. Now they can go get that toy across the room on their own, instead of waiting for you to bring it them. They can also get the little piece of food on the floor, the shoe by the door, or the cords to the computer too if you do not have the house properly baby proofed. Once your baby starts to crawl you need to double check daily that there is nothing around that can harm your baby.

Crawling is a natural step for your baby that comes after your baby can sit up and after they discover that tummy time isn’t such a bad thing. It will either start by your baby moving from a sitting position to being on his hands and knees, or pulling his legs up underneath him while on his tummy pushing himself up with his hands. Your baby may get in the crawling position several times before he ever starts to crawl.

Before your baby starts to crawl he will probably sit there and rock back and forth. Some babies may not realize that they can move at first, while others may be scared of the instability of having one hand off the floor. Eventually though they will learn that by moving one hand and one knee, they can get some where!

Some babies start off with a modified version of crawling call the “army crawl”. This is where they learn to crawl on their elbows before they ever bring their knees up beneath them. While we think this could hurt, for some reason babies don’t get rub burns on their elbows and they are able to get around this way very easily. Some babies are content to crawl like this for months, before ever bring their knees up. This is a case of, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it”.

For some reason some babies find crawling backwards easier than crawling forwards. If this is your baby, don’t be surprised if he never crawls forward before he learns to pull himself up and walk. He is crawling and getting himself where he needs to be, so what is the point in learning it differently!

There is no definite time that your baby will start crawling. It may happen before he is six months old; it may not happen till he is closer to a year. All babies are different and learn things at different rates. If you are afraid your baby is behind, talk to your pediatrician about it at your baby’s next well check.

It’s a biological reality and a tiring facet of new parenthood: babies wake up frequently during the night. Luckily, there are a number of ways that you can help your baby sleep better.

Sleeping Noises
Babies make many noises during the night, and not all of these noises mean they need attention. Some of these are sleeping noises, and though your baby may be grunting or whimpering, he isn’t even fully awake. Often he is transitioning between sleep cycles, and if let alone will return to sleep on his own. If your little one is down the hallway and you’re listening in on the monitor, you may find yourself making many trips to the crib only to find that he’s still asleep, or even worse, you may unknowingly be waking him when you enter his room to check on him.

Consider nestling your baby beside you in a co-sleeping bassinet like the Arm’s Reach patented attachment. You can stay in your own bed while you listen to his noises. When you wake up and hear your baby’s sounds, don’t immediately respond — just wait and listen. He may not need your help to return to quiet sleep. Therefore, when he doesn’t fully awaken, neither do you!

If your baby really is waking up, he may just need your touch and reassurance to go back to sleep — simply reach over, pat him, rub him or gently jiggle him and murmur quiet shushing noises. This may be all he needs to return to sleep.

When a pat and a “shh” isn’t enough, your baby likely needs to be fed. It’s important to allow him to remain in a sleepy state and fall back to sleep quickly. Simply pull him close to you for feeding. Avoid unnecessary diaper changes, don’t turn on any lights and don’t play with him — the goal is to help him fall back to sleep quickly so that he will develop longer night sleep spans.

With a little practice you’ll learn how to tell the difference between your baby’s awake noises and sleepy noises. Handling this appropriately will encourage your baby to sleep through the night much sooner.

The Secret to Your Breastfed Baby’s All-Night Sleep
Many babies develop a very strong association between breastfeeding and sleep. Often babies head toward their first birthday and are still waking Mommy up multiple times in the night to nurse.

If your baby is waking every hour or two to breastfeed, you can try to solve this by moving him over to his Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper Bassinet after he is done actively nursing, but before he is totally asleep — when his rate of sucking changes to an intermittent fluttery pace (which is more for pacifying than nourishment). Once you move him he can fall asleep independently. You can reach over and pat or rub him as he falls asleep if necessary.

A Co-Sleeping Family’s Best Friend
Families who choose the family bed as their infant’s primary sleeping place will find that the Arm’s Reach solves several of the typical problems that arise from exclusive co-sleeping; naptime and making the change to independent sleep when the time is right.

The first benefit of the Arm’s Reach unit is how it can help your baby to have naptime independence. An endless number of co-sleeping mothers must sleep with their babies for nearly every naptime, since their little one cannot sleep alone. This can be frustrating for a mother who doesn’t want to take a daily nap, has other children to tend to, work to complete or who just needs a little time for herself. A baby will welcome the familiar place for naptime. (Just remember to stay nearby or use a baby monitor to keep an ear on your baby.)

Preparing Your Baby for Independent Sleep
The Arm’s Reach Bedside Co-Sleeper Bassinet is a wonderful tool for preparing your baby for independent sleep. Moving your baby from the family bed is best done gradually, and a bedside attachment is a wonderful first step in independent sleep. Your baby is still very close by, can be easily tended in the night, yet experience solitary sleep that can prepare him for the time when he’ll have his own bed.

Vacation with Your Baby
Since the Arm’s Reach unit folds up easily for traveling, you’ll find that it’s a life-saver when you’re taking baby on a vacation. Trips are notorious sleep disrupters, but bringing your baby’s normal sleeping place along with you can provide security and comfort to allow him to sleep easily in an unusual place. Follow your usual bedtime routine, no matter where you are. If you bring along your baby’s regular bedding and crib toys, and add a familiar sound — such as lullabies or a white noise recording — your little one will be sleeping normally just about anywhere!

Courtesy of ARA Content

Copyright Elizabeth Pantley.

About the Author:
Elizabeth Pantley is the author of several books, including Gentle Baby Care : No-cry, No-fuss, No-worry — Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby, The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, Kid Cooperation (with an introduction by William Sears, MD), Perfect Parenting, as well as her latest The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers and is also president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She is a popular speaker on family issues, and her newsletter, Parent Tips, is seen in schools nationwide. She appears as a regular radio show guest, and has been quoted in Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, American Baby, Working Mother, and Woman’s Day magazines. Visit Elizabeth’s web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.