Keiki ' Hawai'i

SAFETY & YOUR BABY YOUR BABY IS SPECIAL YOUR BABY’S HEALTH A PARENT ASKS TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Using commercial Your baby learns about himself through Use of fluoride Q -I think my son is teething. Allow time each day for relaxation baby food the way people react to him. Words are The military bases in Hawai‘i He wants to chew on everything. and exercise—you’ve earned it! These important, but your actions, facial He is cranky and drools a lot. exercises only take a few minutes and Check the “circle of safety” on the baby have fluoridated water. However, water expressions, and tone of voice also give What can I do to make him feel will make you feel refreshed again: food jar lid to be certain the vacuum elsewhere may be low in fluoride. It is KEIKI ‘ HAWAI‘I your child messages about himself. more comfortable? • Lie flat on your back with knees VOLUME 3 seal has not been broken. Listen for a important to provide supplemental Here are some non-verbal ways to slightly bent. Take a deep breath. “pop” sound when you open the jar. fluoride to help develop permanent tell your baby you love him and that he A - As teeth push through the gums, Now breathe out slowly. Repeat five Carefully check the ingredient label to teeth that are resistant to decay. Some is important to you. your baby may feel some soreness and times. be certain you know what you are feed- prescription vitamin preparations

•Touch is the most important love become cranky and irritable. If you put • Raise your shoulders up to your ears. THS ing your baby. contain fluoride, but others do not. message! Hold your baby in a gentle, an ice cube in a clean cloth and rub it Hold while counting to four; then •Don’t feed your baby directly from If your baby is not receiving fluoride, Dear Parent, secure way, giving tender caresses and over his gums for a few minutes, it will drop shoulders back to their normal a jar of commercial food until he check with your doctor. affectionate hugs. Tell him you love ease the soreness. Letting him chew on position. Rotate your shoulders back, is finishing the entire jar at a single Keiki ‘O Hawai‘i is for fathers him by letting your body express all a teething ring that has been chilled in down, and around, first one way, then meal. Saliva can spoil baby food the love you feel for him. Hearing the refrigerator also may help. the other. Repeat a few times. quickly even when refrigerated. as well as mothers. Today, with •Use your eyes to tell your baby you The first teeth usually appear at six • Lie on the floor with your feet up on •Use opened jars of baby food within Is your baby babbling more mothers working, fathers are love him. Look at him eye-to-eye months. Some babies get them much a chair. Place a cool washcloth on three days. or responding to your voice? and smile. If not, check with your doctor. earlier and others don’t get any teeth your face and think of the most becoming more involved in the care •Hum, whistle, or play music to your until they are a year or older. When peaceful scene you can imagine. of their babies. In some families, GUIDANCE baby. If the sound is soft, gentle, teeth do come in, your baby may feel Stay there for at least five minutes. soothing, and full of joy and love, miserable. His drooling is normal. the father is the main caretaker he will feel it. Don’t blame fever, vomiting, diarrhea, for his child. Meal times are • Rock your baby. Find a rocking chair or other signs of illness on teething. If important and use it while you’re giving the your baby shows any of these signs, have There’s no question that fathers, Arrange your schedule so your baby’s “love messages” mentioned above. him checked by your doctor. as well as mothers, can form close meal can be a time for loving and learn- • Parents and babies learn ing as well as eating. Talk or sing to - 5 MON together. relationships with their babies. your baby as you feed him. What your Watch your diet. baby eats is your responsibility, but how What you eat • Parents’ needs are important. Fathers can love, guide, teach, and • Your baby relies on you. much he will eat is something he can does make a difference nurture their babies. How much best determine. You can rely on others. in how you feel. should fathers be a part of their If breast-feeding, enjoy this time of • Guide your baby with love closeness. If bottle-feeding, it’s tempting and limits. babies’ lives? As much as they can be. to tuck him in bed, prop his bottle, and go about your chores while he drops off to sleep. This propping deprives your bottle-fed infant of the cuddling that makes meal time so special. It could also cause ear infections.

For more information about Keiki ‘O Hawai‘i and its contents or to receive additional copies call The Parent Line at 526-1222 or 1-800-816-1222 toll free.

Keiki ‘O Hawai‘i describes a typical child at each age. These descriptions are based on the study of many babies. Professionals are not always in agreement Because your child is unique, he may do things somewhat earlier or later than is indicated. on specific child-rearing and feeding If you have any question about your child’s development, call your doctor or The Hawai‘i Keiki Information Service System (H-KISS). recommendations. Consult your doctor if you H-KISS is a statewide information and referral phone line for families with children ages 0-5. receive conflicting information. H-KISS helps parents who have concerns about their child’s development and/or have children with special needs. 4 MONTHS HAWAI‘I DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH KEIKI O‘ HAWAI‘I • 5 KEIKI O‘ HAWAI‘I • 6 4 MONTHS OLD 5 MONTHS OLD FEEDING YOUR BABY

HOW I HOW I HOW I HOW I Introducing solid foods Making baby’s food HOW I GROW HOW I TALK RESPOND UNDERSTAND HOW I FEEL HOW I GROW HOW I TALK RESPOND UNDERSTAND HOW I FEEL Between five and six months, Commercial baby foods I turn my head I babble and I love to see myself I’m starting to be I get excited when I rock, roll, and I watch your While I am in child I recognize my I cling to you most infants are able to sit up alone and are nutritious, safe and convenient. when held upright. imitate sounds in the mirror. able to judge how I’m having fun— twist my body. mouth and try to care, I may never get name. when you hold have developed control of their neck However, they may cost more than like coughing and far away a toy or everything is a imitate you when too excited or too me. muscles. Being able to do this indicates home-prepared food. You can prepare I lift my head clicking my tongue I like some people person is from me. game to me. I kick my feet and you talk to me. interested. But when I can tell the a readiness to eat from a spoon, and your own baby food using a blender, when I’m on my for long periods of and am shy or suck on my toes. you come to pick me difference between I may stop crying solids can be introduced. This is an food processor, or baby food grinder. back and grab my scared of others. I show my interest I may cry when I like to play with myself and others time. up, I may burst into when you talk to important time for you to talk with For soft foods, mashing with a fork may feet with my hands. in things and you stop paying I keep my head sounds. I make in the mirror. tears and make a fuss. me. your doctor about his or her ideas on be all that you need to do. Sanitation is I coo, grin, or I’m still fascinated people by looking attention to me or and back straight sounds like “ee”, I prefer sitting to by my hands. when I sit. I still It’s hard to believe I like to drop and infant feeding. particularly important for baby foods squeal with joy at them and my take a toy away. “ah”, and “ooh.” that I spent the day I show joy, lying down—it’s when you talk facial expression may need a little throw things. I Consider these suggestions when no matter how they are prepared. more interesting. help from you. I babble to myself, sleeping and waking look for something fear, anger, your baby is ready for solids: To make your baby’s food: to me. gives you clues quietly. I’m saving my and pleasure. to my toys, and to if I drop it. •Begin with a little iron-fortified infant •Remove peels and seeds from fruits I stretch my legs about what I’m I stand up (if you energy for you. I’ll people. rice cereal or poi diluted with formula and vegetables. out straight when thinking. hold me under my quiet down, then be I explore by or breast milk. • Cook most vegetables in just a little I’m on by back or I may get bored arms), jump up alert and ready to pay touching your face, •Gradually add other cereals, then water or steam them. my stomach. by the same and down, and attention to you. Save pulling your hair stamp my feet. some energy for me— or beard, and vegetables and fruits. Introduce new •Don’t add seasonings—not even sugar I put most every- pictures or shapes smile at me and ask poking at your foods one at a time, at least one week or salt. thing I can reach on my mobile or I have fairly good me about my day and eyes and mouth. apart. •Remove all fat, gristle and skin from in my mouth. wall, but if you aim when I grab at •Babies have a keen sense of taste tell me about yours. •Watch for signs of allergy, such as meat or poultry. change them just something. I look around and some show very definite, but I splash and kick rash, diarrhea or vomiting. If you are •If you prepare food for more than a little bit, I will I may cry when I see a lot; it is my changeable, food preferences. with my hands and starting only one food at a time, you one day, immediately freeze the rest become fascinated strangers. way of gathering Present each food with a positive feet when I’m in again. information. will know which is to blame. attitude. If your baby rejects some- in ice cube trays. Then put the frozen the bathtub. I smile at familiar Temporarily discontinue that food if thing you’ve prepared, don’t force it cubes in labeled plastic bags to keep faces and voices. I like to try to any of these signs appear. or take it personally. Serve it again a for up to a month. reach out to toys I look around when I •Do not give your baby honey, even on few weeks later, and he may like it. on my own. It hear sounds. a pacifier, until he is at least a year Relax—give your baby experiences always takes me a old. Honey may contain botulism with many nourishing, simply- I make sounds lot of tries before I spores that are dangerous to infants. prepared foods and let him develop finally get the toy and interrupt your •Use a baby spoon to feed solid foods. his food preferences. into my hand. conversations because To make swallowing easier, place food I love your attention. well inside your baby’s mouth. If you I want to touch, hold, place food in the front of the mouth turn, shake, and taste his tongue will push it out before he everything. can swallow it. HOW YOU HELP ME LEARN •At first, babies will usually eat only a I put a lot of energy •Encourage me in play activities that use both eyes and both sides of my body. into everything I do. small amount of new food. •Play with me in front of a mirror. •Encourage my babbling. Repeat my sounds but don’t try to “correct” the sounds. •If I have figured out how to click my tongue, click your tongue back; I think that’s a great game. HOW YOU HELP ME LEARN •Place a blanket, washable stuffed animal, or soft doll next to me when I go to sleep. Always use the same item. • Look at a picture book with me. It may become very special to me and I can hold it to help me calm down. •Talk to me in complete sentences about what you are doing. •If I can sit up by myself, I’m too old for mobiles and crib gyms. I might pull them down. Read me a book as •Face me so I can watch your lips when you talk. I will try to imitate you. part of my bedtime routine. •Play “peek-a-boo” games with me. • Let me listen to music. Allow me quiet times too. WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

We give equal time and space to both sexes in Keiki ‘O Hawai‘i! That’s why we take turns referring to babies as “he” or “she”. (In this issue, we use “he.”) When we refer to “he” or “she,” we are talking about all babies.

KEIKI O‘ HAWAI‘I • 2 KEIKI O‘ HAWAI‘I • 3 VOL 3 KEIKI O‘ HAWAI‘I • 4 4 MONTHS OLD 5 MONTHS OLD FEEDING YOUR BABY

KEIKI O‘ HAWAI‘I • 2 KEIKI O‘ HAWAI‘I • 3 VOL 3 KEIKI O‘ HAWAI‘I • 4 SAFETY & YOUR BABY YOUR BABY IS SPECIAL YOUR BABY’S HEALTH A PARENT ASKS TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

For more information about Keiki ‘O Hawai‘i and its contents or to receive additional copies call The Parent Line at 526-1222 or 1-800-816-1222 toll free.