Nutrition

Dealing with picky eaters
Our little girl would only eat pasta and orange foods: carrots, sweet potatoes, and so on. Rather than turn each meal into a battle, we always included one of the foods she liked in her meals, but also made other foods available, even if she didn't eat them. Gradually, she began to expand the foods she would eat.

When will my baby start getting her teeth?

The vast majority of babies sprout their first teeth when they're between 4 and 7 months of age. An early developer may get her first white cap as early as 3 months, while a late bloomer may have to wait until she's a year or more. (In rare cases, a baby's first tooth is already visible at birth.)

Teething patterns are hereditary, so if you got your teeth early, chances are your child will, too. The arrival of the first tooth is a big milestone celebrate it by taking lots of pictures, and note its arrival date in your child's baby book.

Teeth actually start developing while your baby's in the womb, when tooth buds form in the gums. They sprout one at a time over a period of months, and often but not always in this order: First the bottom front teeth, then the top two middle ones, then the ones along the sides going back. They may not all come in straight, but don't worry they usually straighten out over time. The last teeth to appear (the second molars, which are the furthest back in the mouth) are usually all in place by your baby's second birthday. By age 3, your child should have a full set of 20 baby teeth, which shouldn't fall out until her permanent teeth are ready to come in, sometime around age 6.

My baby always seems to have a lot of symptoms right before she gets a new tooth. Is this normal?

For a few fortunate babies, teething is fairly painless. But most babies are cranky and drool a lot for weeks or months before the first pearly white makes it to the surface. Why is teething usually so painful? As your baby's teeth push their way out, they irritate the gums, swelling and inflaming them. (This is why your baby may temporarily reject your breast or a bottle. Sucking rushes more blood to the swollen areas, making them especially sensitive. Try rubbing her gums before a feeding to temporarily numb the pain. Your baby will probably start to gnaw on things starting around 3 months, though her first tooth may still be a long way off.)

Though many parents say their babies become feverish or have loose stools or runny noses just before a new tooth arrives, experts are divided over whether teething is to blame for these symptoms. William Sears, a pediatrician and author of The Baby Book, believes that teething will frequently cause diarrhea and a mild diaper rash because your baby's excessive saliva ends up in her gut and loosens her stools. Inflammation in the gums, he thinks, may be the cause of a low fever (under 101 degrees Fahrenheit).

On the other hand, child development experts such as Penelope Leach say teething cannot cause fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or loss of appetite and that these are signs of illness that should be checked out. Noted pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton says it's likely that such symptoms are due to an infection unrelated to teething, but that the stress associated with teething could make your child more vulnerable to infection right before a new tooth appears.

The one thing all experts agree on is that you should call your pediatrician if your baby has a fever over 101 degrees F (or over 100.4 degrees F for babies younger than 3 months). If your baby has loose stools but not diarrhea don't worry. The condition will clear up on its own.

Your baby may get a red rash on his chin and lower lip from all the drooling. The wetness can irritate his skin, particularly at night when he rubs his face against his crib sheet. Wipe, but don't rub, the drool off with a soft cotton cloth. You can also smooth Vaseline on his chin before a nap or bedtime to protect the skin from further irritation.

Seven reasons babies cry and how to soothe them

I'm hungry:
Once you learn to recognize the signs that your baby wants to eat she'll fuss, make noises, and root around for your breast if you pick her up you'll get pretty good at feeding her before she starts to really cry. But when she is crying, check first to see if she's hungry. Food might not stop her crying right away, but let her keep eating if she wants to. Sometimes a baby will continue to cry even after you start feeding her; keep going, she'll stop once her stomach is full.

Change my diaper:
Some babies will let you know right away when they need to be changed; others don't mind when their diapers are soiled it's warm and comfortable to them. (Parents are often surprised when they pick up their infant and find they've been sitting around in a dirty diaper and never made a sound.) Either way, this one is easy to check and simple to remedy.

I'm too cold or hot:
Newborns like to be bundled up and kept warm. (As a rule, they need to be wearing one more layer than you need to be comfortable.) So when your baby feels cold, like when you strip her naked to change her, she'll let you know that she's not happy by crying. You'll learn how to quickly change a diaper and wrap your baby back up to calm her until the crying stops. Watch out that you don't overdress her, since she's less likely to complain about being too warm than about being too cold and won't cry about it as vigorously.

I want to be held:
Babies need a lot of cuddling. They like to see their parents' faces, hear their voices, listen to their hearts, and can even detect their unique smell (especially Mom's milk). After being fed, burped, and changed, many babies simply want to be held. You may wonder if you'll "spoil" your child by holding her so much, but during the first few months of life there's no such thing. Infants will vary a lot in how much they want to be held. Some demand a lot of attention, while others can spend long periods of time sitting calmly by themselves. If your baby likes the attention, pick her up or keep her next to you.

I can't take it anymore:
While newborns seem to thrive on a lot of attention, they can easily become overstimulated and have a "melt-down." You may find that your baby cries longer than usual after spending a holiday with many adoring family members or has periods at the end of each day when she seems to cry for no reason. Newborns have difficulty filtering out all the stimulation they receive the lights, the noise, being passed from hand to hand and can become overwhelmed by too much activity. Crying is their way of saying "I've had enough." This usually happens when your baby is tired. Take her somewhere calm and quiet and let her vent for a while, and then see if you can get her to sleep.

I don't feel good:
If you've just fed your baby and checked that she's comfortable (it can be something as subtle as a hair wrapped around her toe or a clothing tag that's poking her), but she's still crying, consider checking her temperature to make sure she isn't ill. The cry of a sick baby tends to be distinct from the hunger or frustration cry, and you'll soon learn when your baby "just doesn't sound right" and needs to be taken to the doctor.

None of the above:
Sometimes you might not be able to figure out what's wrong. Many newborns develop periods of fussiness when they're not easily soothed. These periods of fussiness can range from a few minutes of hard-to-console crying to full-blown colic. Colic is defined as inconsolable crying for at least three hours per day, at least three days per week. Even if your baby is not crying for three hours, these episodes may be difficult for you. When all else fails, try the tips below.

NOTHING'S WORKING -- WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Wrap her up and hold her close:
Newborns like to feel as warm and secure as they did in the womb, so try swaddling your baby in a blanket or holding her up against your shoulder. But be aware that some babies find swaddling or cuddling too constrictive and will respond better to other forms of comfort such as sucking a pacifier or rhythmic movement.

Let her hear the rhythm:
Babies are used to the sound of your heartbeat; that's another reason they love to be held close. But you can also try playing soft music, singing a lullaby, or even just putting her close to the steady rhythm of an electric fan or the white noise of a vacuum cleaner.

Put her in motion:
Sometimes just the motion of carrying your baby around will be enough to calm her. Other times, it may help to rock her gently in a rocking chair or swing at the same rate as your heart (around 60 to 100 beats per minute), set her on top of the dryer while it's on, or take her for a ride in the car.

Rub her tummy:
Rubbing your baby's back or belly is one of the most soothing things you can do for her, especially if she's having gas pains, which is often the problem with colicky babies.

Let her suck on something:
Even when she's not hungry, sucking can steady an infant's heart rate, relax her stomach, and calm her flailing limbs. Give her a pacifier or a finger to clamp onto and let her go to town.

Take care of yourself:
No baby ever cried herself to death, but a crying baby can be very stressful for new parents. You're chronically sleep-deprived and may already be unsure about how to care for this baby. Mom's emotions are all over the place due to the hormonal changes she's going through. Dad may not be sure what role he should play in caring for the newborn or whether he'll ever get mom's attention again. Add a crying baby to this scenario and many parents can become overwhelmed with feelings of incompetence. If you know your baby's needs have been met and you've tried to calm her but she's still crying, it's time to take care of yourself so you don't get too frustrated:

Put your baby down and let her cry for a while.
Call a friend or relative and ask for advice.
Give yourself a break and let someone else take over.
Put on some quiet music to distract yourself.
Take deep breaths.
Remind yourself that nothing is wrong with your baby and crying won't hurt her she may just be having a good cry about something and can't tell you what it is.
Repeat to yourself, "She will outgrow this phase."

Fortunately, babies (and their parents) are resilient and somehow manage to get through even the most difficult crying episodes. Take heart that by the time your baby is 6 to 8 weeks old, she'll be better able to soothe herself and much of the crying will stop.