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Birth: Welcome Committee
Liam has finally arrived. According to my doctor he is 2 weeks early. He is much smaller than I thought he would be, only 5lb 2oz. Technically he is preterm and considered a low birthweight infant because he was born before I reached 38 weeks and weighs less than 5lb 8oz (pp 95). My birthing plan was a success and I was able to bond with Liam right away. Bonding is physical and emotional closeness between mommy and baby as soon as they are born (pp 89) -
First hours
). His Apgar score was good (8) and my lactation assistant helped me to take advantage of his reflexes and begin nursing right away. The reflexes that are most beneficial for feeding are sucking reflex, swallowing reflex, and rooting reflex. All three of these are involuntary reactions to stimulation such as a gentle touch near the mouth and help new babies find, swallow and digest food (pp103). -
Gross & Fine Motor Skills
Liam is more active when awake and is sleeping longer at night. He’s almost 4 mo. old and on a much better sleep schedule. We are able to get nearly 6 hours of sleep at night and he takes a morning and afternoon nap (pp 119). In active states, when his eyes are open and he is attentive (pp 119), he rolls over & is able to reach for toys near him (pp 125). These activities are examples of fine and gross motor skills development which become more precise around 4 mo http://youtu.be/slNurYqbkvE -
Almost cruising
Liam is able to sit up on his own now and has begun moving toward toys he likes. He is not crawling yet; crawling usually takes place between 8-10mo (pp124) as gross motor skills continue to develop. The Dynamic Systems theory attributes motor development to the coordination of cognition, muscle movements, motivation and perception (pp125). His motor skills will improve as he interacts with his environment and new challenges (pp125). -
One Year Experiments
Liam seems fascinated with the way his food and toys fall from his highchair and crib. He is interested in the consequence’s that develop during his mini experiments is one of Pigets 6 sub-stages. Sub-stage 5: Tertiary circular reactions, occurs between 12-18 months and consists of infants performing exploratory experiments on things around them. (pp 146). -
Deferred Imitation
Liam has reached substage #6 (18 mo-2yr) Piget’s sub stages of development (pp146-147). He seems to know where to look for wayward toys as he plays. And to our surprise he has begun to imitate some of the daily tasks he observes. When playing with his car, he imitates his daddy driving and at bed time he playfully imitates the snores he hears when daddy is asleep. Piget labeled this deferred imitation, when a child mimics actions performed by a person who is no longer nearby (pp 147). -
Baby Paso Doble
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Bumps and Bruises
Liam has had several accidents lately. I’m glad he is more independent, but will be glad when he has better control over his little body. A visit with the doctor assured me that his bumps, bruises, and busted lips would heal. Preschool age children are more accident prone due to their increased physical activity and lack of judgment (pp204). While Liam is not 3 yet, he seems to be as active and curious as the older children in his preschool. Time to revamp the house with more age appropria -
Bye Bye Baby fat
Liam has enjoyed preschool and brings home his artwork to share with me. His fine & gross motor skills continue to improve. He is able to cut paper, complete easy puzzles and undo his clothes to use the bathroom (pp 212). He has grown taller and lost most of his baby fat. Preschool years are marked by steady changes in height and weight, limbs lengthen and body proportions more closely resemble adult proportions (pp 199) -
Loads of Myelin
Liam has learned to tie his shoes. The increase in myelin in the brain is significant between 6 & 8 years, the additional myelin raises the speed that electrical impulses travel between neurons (pp 283). This allows messages to reach muscles faster and improves muscle control (pp 283).
