Infants
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfm32_q
BEQM
Infant Development
Physical Growth
Holding an Infant
Feeding an Infant
Infants
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From the time a child is born until it turns
one year old, it is considered an infant
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During the first month of its life, a baby is
referred to as a newborn
Holding a Baby
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When babies are born, they do not have
the muscle strength required to hold their
own heads up
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jNShGmf8NY
Holding a Baby
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You hold a baby across your chest,
supporting his/her head and neck with your
wrist and arm.
Practice now holding your baby and
supporting the baby’s head and neck
Holding a Baby
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You should hold your baby firmly but not
tightly
Babies want to feel secure and cuddled,
but not smothered.
You should keep all clothing and blankets
away from the babies face.
Be mindful of any jewelry or scented lotions
you may have on.
Holding a Baby
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Babies startle easily to quick movements,
so when picking up a baby you should
move slowly and quietly.
Baby Startling
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9oxmR
T2YWw
Erik Erikson
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German born psychologist who developed
the psychosocial development theories for
infants thru adolescents
Developed the psychosocial stage of Trust
vs. Mistrust in infants
Developmental
Psychosocial
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Psycho
+
Social
Trust vs. Mistrust
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Infants will learn a basic trust for the world during
the first 2 years of life
The development of this trust depends on the
consistency of the caregiver during this time period
Success in this stage (learning a basic trust for the
world) will lead to a sense of hope
Trust vs. Mistrust
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Consistently taking care of a child’s needs will lead to a
sense of trust
 Ex. Picking up a baby and feeding or soothing as it cries
Consistently ignoring a child’s needs will lead to a sense of
mistrust
 Ex. Consistently NOT picking up a crying infant
http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html
Activity
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Find a group of 3
Begin to use the resource babycenter.com
to answer the 12 top reasons babies cry
and appropriate responses as a caregiver.
Remember to sign out your computers
Feeding
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Infants eat exclusively liquids for the first 6
months of life
Infants will drink either breast milk or
synthetic breast milk called formula.
Baby’s CANNOT have cow’s milk
Feeding
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There are many health benefits to a baby
who is breastfed
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Breastfed babies receive antibodies from the
mother’s body and build up a stronger immune
system
Breast milk is naturally antibacterial
Breast milk is naturally high in healthy fats that
help in brain development
Feeding
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For mother’s who choose to formula feed,
they must make each bottle by mixing the
formula powder with water
Breast milk can be frozen or refrigerated
after it has been used, but formula may not.
Feeding
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Infants begin eating solid food at 6 months
The first food an infant will eat is rice cereal
Infants can then begin eating fruits and
vegetables that have been steamed and
pureed
Feeding
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New foods should be introduced once a
week to avoid allergic reactions
Foods known to cause food allergies
should be avoided until the baby is at least
one year old.
High Allergy Foods
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Nuts- especially peanuts
Dairy (milk protein)
Strawberries
Citrus Fruits like oranges
Shellfish
Infants should not have any of these items until
after the first year of life
Feeding
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In addition, infants should not have honey
until after the first year of life for fear of
botulism exposure
Feeding
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When warming a bottle or baby food, you
should NEVER use the microwave
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Microwaves create hot spots that can burn an
infant’s mouth.
Feeding
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When giving an infant a bottle, you should
sit them in a reclining position if you still
need to support the neck
After giving a bottle, you will need to burp
the baby to get rid of any excess air that
was swallowed.
Choking
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Infant heimlich maneuver
Top foods for choking hazards
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Whole grapes
Popcorn
Sliced hotdogs
Introducing finger foods
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You can introduce finger foods as soon as
an infant has learned the pincher grasp
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Pinching the items between the index and thumb
This skills is usually learned around 7-8 months
Feeding Activity
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feat
ure=fvwp&v=_FvTVWjLiHM
Reflexes
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Infants have certain reflexes when born
Reflexes are reactions that happen
automatically
Breathing Reflex
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Infants have a reflex to inhale and exhale
Infants do not have to be reminded or
taught to breathe
Sucking Reflex
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Infants have a reflex to suck anything that
touches their lips
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A newborn’s reflex to suck is very strong
If you put your finger into a newborn’s mouth, the
sucking reflex is so strong it may actually be a bit
painful
Rooting Reflex
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Infants have the reflex to “root” for a food
source
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Rooting means that the infant will turn
toward anything that brushes its cheek in
an attempt to find a food source
Physical Growth
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Newborns are born and need to adjust to
living outside of the womb
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Newborns have a very short range of distance
where they are able to see clearly
Newborns are startled by loud noises or quick
movements
Newborns are sensitive to lights and
temperatures
Physical Growth
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Infants will one and a half in length and
triple in weight from birth to the first year
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Ex. A baby who is born 8 lbs. and 20” long will
weigh 24 lbs. at a year and measure 30”
Most of the weight gain is due to muscle and
organ growth
One month
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At one month, infants can hold their heads
up for a few seconds at a time
They can also turn their heads side to side
when lying on their stomachs
3 months
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At 3 months, infants can control the
movement of their arms and legs
They may be able to push up off their
chests and hold up their heads
They can grasp objects in their hands and
drop them
Six months
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Infants 6-7 months can sit up without help
or support
They may begin to crawl or creep on their
knees
They may be able to pull themselves up to
a standing position
They develop the “pincher grasp”
Around 10 months
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At around 10 months infants begin to
creep, cruise, or walk
They may also scoot on their bottoms, bear
walk, or roll over to get where they want to
be
Physical Growth
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All babies will grow and develop at their
own pace.
Babies are put on a scale from 0-100% to
give a general idea of how their size ranks
Gross and fine motor skills may develop
differently in each child
Activity
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Please complete the physical growth
activity for your child