Crying

Crying is normal for your baby. It is your baby's way of communicating with you. Your baby may cry because they:

• Are hungry or thirsty
• Have a dirty diaper
• Feel tired
• Are too hot or too cold
• Are in discomfort or pain
• Are over stimulated
• Need to be held, cuddled, rocked

To make your baby feel better, you can try some of the following:

• Feed your baby
• Burp your baby
• Change their diaper
• Hold your baby close, try skin-to-skin contact
• Rock or sway your baby gently
• Walk, talk and sing to your baby
• Getting out and going for a walk with your baby
• Turn on some white noise (including a vacuum or dryer)

Period of Purple Crying

It may feel like your baby cries more often but:

• 2-week-old babies start to cry more often each week
• Babies usually cry more during their second month than any other time
• Crying begins to decrease after two months of age

This is known as the Period of Purple Crying and there is an end in sight!

For More Information

• Government of Canada – Caring for your Baby  
• Canadian Paediatric Society - Colic and Crying 

Creating a Safe Sleep Environment

Sleep is very important for your baby's growth and development. Creating a safe sleep environment for your baby lowers the risk of injury and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). A safe sleep environment includes: 

• Where your baby sleeps
• Your baby's sleeping position
• The type of crib, cradle or bassinet your baby sleeps in
• The type of mattress used
• Environment factors including smoke exposure

For new parents it may be difficult to know how often and how long your newborn should sleep. The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years recommends:

Age	Recommended Number of Hours of Sleep
0-3 Months	14 to 17 hours of sleep each day, including naps.
4-11 Months	12 to 16 hours of sleep each day, including naps.
1-2 Years	11 to 14 hours of sleep each day, including naps, with regular bedtimes and wake-up times.
3 years	10 to 13 hours of good sleep each day, including naps, with regular bedtimes and wake-up times.

You can help your baby sleep by recognizing signs that your baby is getting sleepy. These signs include: 

• Rubbing eyes, pulling on ears or twirling their hair 
• Yawning 
• Looking away or zoning out 
• Being cranky or irritable 

Every sleep wake cycle will vary among newborns. Hang in there! Keep in mind there is no day/night pattern in the first few weeks. 

For More Information:

• Public Health Agency of Canada – A Baby’s Safe Sleep Environment 
• Health Canada – Safe Sleep for Your Baby 
• Canadian Paediatric Society - Healthy Sleep for Your Baby and Child 

Why is Tummy Time Important?

Supervised tummy time is crucial. It should be included in your baby's daily routine. It helps prevent baby flathead and tight neck muscles. It also helps your baby grow and develop. 

How Much Tummy Time?

Research recommends giving your baby one hour of tummy time each day, while they are awake and being watched.  

How to Include Tummy Time in Your Routine

• Start slowly. Begin with just a few minutes each day from birth. Then, gradually increase to a full hour by the time your baby is 3 months old. 
• Get down face-to-face with your baby. 
• Give your baby a mirror, book or toys to look at while on their tummy. 
• Cuddle chest to chest, in a semi-reclined position. 
• Put a rolled-up blanket under your baby's chest at armpit level to help support them. 
• Place toys or mobiles on different sides to encourage your baby to turn their head in both directions during tummy time. 
• Roll your baby onto their tummy for a minute or two after each diaper change. 

For More Information:

• Canadian Paediatric Society - Preventing flat heads in babies who sleep on their backs 

Introducing Solids

For the first six months the only food your baby needs is breastmilk to grow and be healthy.

When your baby is around six months of age, and is showing signs of readiness, begin to offer solid foods to meet their nutritional needs. As you introduce solids, continue to breastfeed.

You'll know your baby is ready for solid foods when they can:

• Hold their head up on their own
• Sit up and lean forward
• Open their mouth wide when you offer solids
• Try to pick food up and put it in their mouth
• Keep food in their mouth without pushing it out with their tongue right away
• Turn their head away when full or if they don't want food
• Show interest in food when others are eating

For more information about signs of readiness read Feeding your Baby in the First Year.

First Foods

When your baby is showing signs of readiness for solid foods, start with iron-rich foods such as:

• Beef
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Lamb
• Pork
• Fish
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Legumes (Beans, Lentils, Chickpeas)
• Iron-Fortified Infant Cereals (Oat, Wheat, Barley or Rice)

The traditional approach to starting your baby on solid foods is to offer a variety of textures (such as pureed, mashed or ground foods) from a spoon and gradually progress to lumpier textures and finger foods.

Other Foods

Once your baby is eating a variety of iron-rich foods at least twice a day, you can start to offer other foods such as:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Grain Products
• Milk Products

Avoid giving your baby:

• Honey (pasteurized or unpasteurized until they are 12 months of to prevent infant botulism (a rare form of food poisoning)
• Cow's milk to replace breastmilk or infant formula until they are nine to 12 months old. You can offer milk in foods and cheese before nine months.
• Processed foods high in sodium
• Sugary drinks and food

For more safe feeding tips, visit Health Canada’s Infant Nutrition page. 

Baby-Led Weaning

The best way to ensure your baby has a healthy relationship with food is to let your baby set the pace from the start. Baby-led weaning is a different approach that allows your baby to feed themself soft-cooked cut up finger foods. Your baby makes the decision on which foods to eat (from what is offered) and how much to eat.

Baby-Led Weaning:

• Allows babies to explore food themselves, helping them to gain independence
• Exposes your baby to a variety of food and textures
• Baby-led weaning allows you to offer your baby the same foods that the rest of the family is eating
• Helps your baby learn to listen to their hunger and fullness cues

There is not enough evidence to recommend one feeding style for starting solid foods over another. Whether spoon feeding, or using the baby led weaning approach, there are important things to know about each method. If you would like to try baby-led weaning, don't feel like you need to feed everything in this way. You can use a combination of both (spoon feeding and baby-led weaning) methods in a way that feels comfortable for both of you.

For More Information:

• Health Canada – Infant Nutrition 
• Dietitians of Canada – Sample Meal Plans for Feeding your Baby  

Temper Tantrums

Temper tantrums are common as your child gets older - between the ages of 2 and 4. For more information on how to support your child during a temper tantrum, visit the Canadian Paediatric Society - Positive discipline for young children page.

Screen Time

TVs, computers, and cell phones are a large part of our lives. However, we know that too much screen time can have a negative effect on families. To help your child develop healthy habits: 

• Introduce good television and technology habits. 
• Limit screen time. The Canadian Paediatric Society says children under two should not have any screen time at all. For older children, limit daily screen time to no more than two hours per day. 
• Set a good example by limiting your own screen time. 
• Stay with your kids while they watch TV or use the computer. This way, you can make sure the content is right for their age. 
• Take a break from technology to do fun things with your family, like reading, being active, or playing games together. 
• Turn off the TV and other devices during playtime and meals. Eating together helps kids learn to talk to others, strengthen family bonds, and improve their language skills. 

For More Information:

• Canadian Paediatric Society - Screen Time and Young Children 

Safety

Keeping your child safe and reducing injuries is one of the largest roles of parents and caregivers. Injuries are the leading cause of death for children and youth, and most child-related injuries are predictable and preventable. The good news is there are steps that can be taken to avoid these injuries and protect our children.

Car Seat Safety

Using the right car seat or booster seat is one of the best ways to keep your child safe in the car. It can really help lower the chance of your child getting hurt or killed in a crash. 

Our local car seat safety expert can help make sure your seat is installed the right way. Safety checks are by appointment only, in partnership with The Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada 

To book an appointment, email: cpst.tamara@hotmail.com or text: 519-401-4007. 

Please note: The CK Public Health Unit no longer holds car seat clinics. 

For More Information:

• Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada (CPSAC)  
• Transport Canada - Child Car Seat Safety  
• Parachute – Car Seats  

Sun Safety

Your child will likely spend a lot of time outdoors. But too much sun can be harmful. Even just one bad sunburn in childhood can double the risk of getting skin cancer (melanoma) later in life. The good news is that sunburns can be prevented! For helpful tips on how to protect babies, children, and teens from the sun, visit Health Canada's Sun Safety Tips for Parents page.  

Toy Safety

Play is a big part of how children grow and learn. It’s also a great way to build a strong bond with your child. To help keep playtime safe, here are some helpful tips from Health Canada: 

• Choose toys that match your child’s age. 
• Pick toys that are strong and well-made. 
• Throw away all packaging right away, like plastic bags and wrapping. 
• Check toys often for sharp edges, broken parts, or loose pieces. Make sure things like plastic eyes and noses are tightly attached. 
• Avoid toys with long cords that could wrap around a child’s neck.  

 For More Information: 

• Health Canada – Toy Safety Tips 

Child Milestones

Your child’s early years are very important for healthy growth and development. During this time, your child’s brain and body grow very quickly. Research shows that these early years help shape the rest of your child’s life. 

You can use growth and development milestones to understand what to expect as your child grows. These milestones are grouped into five main areas: 

1. Physical – how your child moves and uses their body 
2. Social – how your child gets along with others 
3. Emotional – how your child understands and shows feelings 
4. Language – how your child talks, listens, and understands 
5. Thinking (Cognitive) – how your child learns, solves problems, and explores 

You can use developmental milestones to help track how your child is growing at 6, 9, 12, and 18 months. 

To learn more, visit the Government of Ontario’s Early Child Development page 

Ontario's Enhanced 18-Month Well-Baby Visit

It’s important to make sure your child is growing and developing in a healthy way. The 18-month well-baby visit is a key time to check that your child is on track. 

At this visit, your health care provider will: 

• Monitor your child’s growth 
• Look at your child’s development using the Looksee Checklist 
• Talk about safety and healthy eating 
• Answer your questions about parenting 
• Give the 18-month immunization 

Parents are no longer advised to “wait and see” if there are concerns. Linking children to specialized services early helps them stay on course. This approach allows them to grow and achieve their full potential. 

Getting Your Child School Ready

Starting school is a big and exciting step for you and your child. Getting ready for school starts early - even from birth! It’s never too early to start. The booklet Learning to Play and Playing to Learn: What Families Can Do is a great resource for parents. It has tips and checklists to help you with your child's growth, health, eating habits, routines, as well as help for you.