You survived the pregnancy and birth. The nursery is complete, and the baby is now home. You did it, Mom!

Now, in those quiet moments between feedings and changings, you may wonder, “What toys do we need?” or “What activities should I do to help my baby develop properly?”

Before addressing how to boost your baby’s brain and body development, give yourself some credit. You are asking the correct questions and want to do what’s best. Great job!

While providing loving attention and meeting your child’s needs is your main duty, offering play opportunities that boost their brain and body development is also essential. So, what should you be doing with your baby?

10 Ways to Boost Your Baby’s Development

Before we address what you should do, let’s address how you can harm your child’s development. Things such as daily excessive screen time, inadequate attention, or absent emotional attachment. Most mothers do not realize how easy it is to do the wrong things each day and how simple the right activities are. Let’s help your baby excel by doing my top ten things to boost your child’s development.

Do tummy timeTalk to your baby a lotMake direct eye contact frequentlyTouch and move your babyMinimize the use of baby holding equipmentMinimize the use of electronic screens, including TVRead and explore physical booksPlay with a purposeStructure regular daily routinesTrack your baby’s milestones

While these activities may seem too simple, they have been proven to be the best ways to help your child meet the first-year milestones.

Common Causes of Developmental Delays

Having evaluated hundreds of babies and toddlers, some of the common causes of developmental delays are the result of environmental deprivation, poor emotional attachment between mother and child, and conditions associated with delays, such as Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy (CP), etc. While we can’t prevent or cure Down Syndrome, CP, or other such conditions, changing the child’s home environment is doable.

What is environmental deprivation? It occurs when the child’s home environment lacks attentive parents, age-appropriate toys, good books, predictable daily routines, and safe outdoor play environments. In other words, the home environment deprives the child of the necessary ingredients for healthy development. Often, it is associated with poor families who lack resources. But not always. Some well-to-do families lack emotional attachment, attentive parents, and regular healthy routines. So, financial status is not the cause.

What You Should Do

Children need parents who pay attention to them, talk frequently using loving language, take time to explore picture books, follow predictable feeding and sleeping routines, and offer daily outdoor play time. Without these foundational components, a child’s development is often delayed, and milestones are not met.

To learn more, download my FREE resource, 10 Ways to Boost Your Baby’s Development. And also, sign up for my quarterly newsletter to receive even more information to help you and your baby succeed during these vital early years.

Don’t wait, get started today!

 

(Photo credit:  Canva)