Stimulai, routine and the crying baby:

Especially as she gets older, your baby will need distractions to keep her entertained. As she starts to spend less time sleeping, she has more opportunity to grow bored.

For this reason, you should make sure that she has a plentiful supply of stimuli, such as toys, books, music, and things to see and do. Bright, cheerful colors are stimulating to a baby and she’ll love playing with colorful baby toys, watching pretty mobiles turning above her head, or hearing music or stories. These things are important for her educational development as they encourage her to have an interest in the outside world. Taking your baby out on trips, whether it’s a walk in the park, going to the store to buy groceries, or a day at a farm, will be both entertaining and educational.

Your baby is fascinated by other babies and children, but the most interesting human around, in her eyes, is her mom! After the age of six months, it’s likely that your baby will go through a phase of separation anxiety, which means she’ll become very upset if you go out of her sight. It can be slightly exasperating that you can’t leave the room for a few seconds without initiating a bout of tears but try to remember that this is just a phase and your baby will, in time, realize that you’ll always return to her. The best way to deal with this is to reassure her that you’re coming back and ensure you’re leaving her with familiar people. Try to build up the time that you spend away from her, so it’s not too much of a shock when you need to be away for a longer period of time.

Additionally, having a good routine in place for your baby – one that ensures she’s fed, bathed, changed, comforted and played with at predictable times – will mean your baby has little time to get bored or upset.

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The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.