As an adult, life is a constant battle between running errands, taking care of your family and finishing whatever work you can before 5 p.m. We like to think that our lives are so busy that no one else can top it, but alas, there are individuals who beg to differ.
Individuals whose schedule must be followed to a tee, so much so that when something is missed, their world falls apart. Who, you ask? The person you perhaps least expect, your baby.
Babies are busy, busy bees. With a schedule set in stone, they’re up earlier than the crack of dawn and go to bed right after you’ve sung them a round or two of “Twinkle, twinkle, little star.”
In fact, here’s a quick and very simplified list of a baby’s things-to-do with tips on how you can help your little one further enjoy his day:
1. Wake up before 6 a.m. and let entire household know I’m hungry.
Nothing beats starting off the day with a hearty breakfast, and babies couldn’t agree more. They feel so strongly about this that they take it upon themselves to inform the entire household that it is time for breakfast.
Tip for mum: Babies like to drink milk a lot, but as soon as they stop sucking, don’t force them to continue. This is especially true for mums who bottle-feed. According to Dr. Jose M. Saavedra, the Chief Medical Officer of Nestlé Nutrition, parents should refrain from doing this as it is a form of overfeeding.
2. Give mum a mini heart attack by putting everything in my mouth.
Contrary to what many parents believe, babies don’t put a myriad of objects in their mouths for the sake of giving parents mini heart attacks. They do so in order to explore the world around them. Oral exploration is a key developmental stage that allows your baby to discover the different textures and tastes of objects.
Tip for mum: If you find that your baby is mouthing objects more than usual and is drooling a lot, then this may be a sign that your baby’s first tooth is about to make an appearance.
3. Pass gas every so often. A burp here. A fart there.
When your baby passes gas once, it’s funny. When he passes gas twice, you still manage to crack a smile. But when he passes gas on a regular basis, you start to worry.
Mums, if your baby is passing gas but does so with a smile or doesn’t seem to be in any pain, then don’t worry. Passing gas is a good way for your little one to release the air from his tummy.
Tip for mum: If you see your baby struggling to release gas, thebump.com recommends that you “lay him down and gently bicycle his legs forward and backward, and try pushing his knees to his chest, repeating several times.”
4. Crawl backwards, much to mum’s delight.
With so much to do, with so little time until your baby’s nap time, your little one will do what he can to discover the world around him. If this means crawling backwards to accomplish this, then you can bet he’ll do it!
Crawling backwards isn’t something to be alarmed about. All it means is that your baby feels that his arms are stronger than his legs, therefore it’s easier for him to push himself backwards with his arms than it is for him to push forward with his legs.
Tip for mum: If you would like to encourage your baby to crawl forward, put his favourite toy in front of him just a little out of arm’s reach. Coax him gently to crawl forward, but if he refuses, do not push it. Forcing him to do something that he is not ready for may do more harm than good.
5. Play “catch” with mum during mealtime – she gives me solid food, I spit it out.
Since the only thing that your baby has been exposed to is the smooth texture of breast milk or formula milk, textured or lumpy food may trigger your baby’s gag reflex causing him to spit out his food more often than you’d like.
Tip for mum: According to babycenter.com, “If your baby is sensitive to the texture of finger foods, let him experience different textures in other ways – give him feathers, a bumpy ball, or cooked noodles to play with. Teething toys that have bumps can help too. Getting used to new sensations at playtime might make him more open to unfamiliar food textures.”
6. I need to rest and sleep so that I have energy to repeat steps 1 to 5 the next day.
Without a doubt, adequate sleep is one of the most important things that your baby needs for healthy development. Children up to three years old need up to 14 hours of sleep per day.
Tip for mum: To ensure that your baby gets the sleep that he needs, establish a routine that signals that it is time for your baby to wind down for bed. Be it a warm relaxing bath or story time, make sure that you slowly prepare your baby for shut eye rather than force it upon him.
Given that sleep is essential for children’s physical growth and brain development, it is of utmost importance that you do whatever you can to let your baby sleep as soundly as possible.
Mums the world over know that the best way for babies to sleep soundly is to ensure that they stay dry during the night. This means being selective about the diaper that you use.
Ideally, babies should wear a diaper that will quickly absorb liquid away from their skin, such as Pampers Baby Dry, which has an extra layer for up to 12 hours of dry skin overnight protection.
A good night’s sleep will give your little one happier mornings and all the energy he needs to power through his day.
Another reason why Pampers Baby Dry is perfect for your baby is because the added sleep layer isn’t just for sleep, it’s for when your baby is awake too!
Diaper rash is one of the reasons why babies get cranky and find it difficult to move about. So, a protective diaper that promotes skin dryness, such as Pampers Baby Dry, is essential.
Allow your little one to go through his hilarious daily to-do-list without disruptions. He can crawl while exploring his surroundings, giggle during tummy time with mum and enjoy meal time with the family without having to get up to get his diaper changed.
Pampers guarantees that its added sleep layer will give your baby 12 hours of dryness throughout the day so your baby won’t get fussy over a heavy diaper or irritating rashes.
And isn’t this what mums want for their baby? Apart from a good night’s sleep, mums want to spend as much uninterrupted time as possible with their happy baby.
Thanks to Pampers Baby Dry, mum and baby can enjoy just that: A good night’s sleep and more uninterrupted happy times together. No wonder Pampers Baby Dry is the #1 Diaper brand globally.