It is widely known that the more novel stimulation and personal connection and communication your infant receives, the healthier and more quickly they will develop. There are many ways to increase the amount of stimulation that your infant receives even in a full household with lots of chores to accomplish! Purchasing a baby carrier such as the Baby Bjorn or any other safe infant carrier and using it when walking around the house, doing laundry or vacuuming is a great way to take your baby with you, allowing him to experience all of the tasks that you are doing and see and hear everything. During your baby's wake time, make sure to keep them in a high traffic location in your house or put them where you will be in either a play pen or a jumper, exersaucer or walker as soon as they are capable. If your baby is becoming fussy and bored in the play pen, they are probably ready to be upright in one of these products that will develop their leg and back strength which will prepare them for learning to walk.
An exersaucer provides excellent stimulation with buttons and sounds that teach your baby cause and effect. It also allows them to spin all the way around to see you where ever you may be. The exersaucer is great for when you want them to stay in one location when moving around would be dangerous, such as in the kitchen when you are cooking. It will keep them stimulated, near you and in one place as to not scoot to close to the oven or stove.
The walker that I love, which has allowed me to get so much done around the house is the baby walker. The entertainment center with music, a keyboard and buttons is removable and is perfect for spreading out Cheerios for your child to pick up and eat to practice dexterity and hand-eye coordination. If you leave your child in a walker, make sure they are not near stairs or any uneven flooring areas for safety. It is also important to remember that when your child is new to walker, there are a lot more things that they can reach that you may not have considered before. Electrical outlets are now accessible to them and need to have covers. Cabinets and the dishwasher can be easily opened by your child as they scoot around at this higher level. Make sure your dishwasher is locked shut as babies have been injured by pulling knives and other kitchen utensils out of the dishwasher. Once your child is mobile in a walker, it is also very important to never cook on the front burners of your stove or leave objects on the edge of countertops and shelves that can be reached by your child. Any furniture that may topple on them should be considered a hazard as well.
Developing your child's social skills will occur naturally if they are observing you interact with others and speak to them throughout the day. It is equally as important to look your baby in the eye when talking to them--it does make a difference. Reading to your baby is important starting as early as 3 months old. Finding age appropriate books with animal sounds and colors will draw more interest but reading anything to them will still ensure that they reap the benefits of learning to listen and hear the language.
