I have been told to place my newborn baby on her tummy on a daily basis. Why do I need to do this, as she does not seem to enjoy it? I keep being told I should give my 6 week old son some time on his tummy each day. Why is this and how will it help him? When I tried this with him he looked really uncomfortable. I thought babies were always supposed to be on their backs. With the current recommendations to let babies sleep on their backs, doctors and health professionals have begun to notice slight developmental delays in rolling, sitting and crawling in a lot…

How do I get my baby of almost six months to sit on her own without toppling? How can I get my baby to sit alone safely? Even with cushions on the floor, I am afraid she will topple and hurt her head. Do I wait until she is ready? A baby’s muscles are developing from birth. Control starts with the head and moves down the trunk until the body is strong enough to be supported in the sitting position. To help your daughter sit unaided, she needs plenty of practice and encouragement from you. Spending lots of time on her tummy will help her lift her neck and strengthen…

My son of 3.5 mths seems unable to hold a toy in his hand yet. Should I be concerned? Matthew, who is three and a half months old, seems unable to hold anything in his hands yet. He has plenty of rattles and toys, but drops them soon after we have put them into his hand. Nor does he look for a toy once it has fallen to the floor. Is this normal? When will he be able to play with toys by himself? At birth, Matthew had an innate grasping reflex. You will probably recall how he held on to your little finger with an intense grip. At that…

When can I expect my 5 week old baby to smile at us? When can I expect my 5 week old baby to smile at us? I am sure he does smile but my mother dismisses it as wind. At times I feel he does look at me knowing who I am but no smile shows so maybe he is not really sure who we are yet. You are probably right in thinking that he does already look at you with recognition in his eyes, as many babies do this before they learn how to control their facial muscles to form a smile. The kind of smiles your mother dismisses…