Jasmine is fascinated with mobiles, watching them closely and showing excitement by jerky body movements. She responds to anything that dangles and all tactile experiences, clearly showing pleasure at satin ribbons being stroked across her cheeks, her mouth rooting for them as they pass.
When supine, Jasmine has discovered how to bang her feet up and down, which amuses her greatly. She chuckles and coos, conversationally with familiar adults, smiling at anyone who gives her attention, including the family pets.
As she reached four months she was introduced to solid food. This first consisted purely of baby rice made with expressed breast milk, but was followed in a few days by potato mixed with gluten-free gravy and stewed apple (without sugar). Jasmine seemed to enjoy the sensation of solids and soon managed to co-ordinate her tongue and mouth actions for the spoon. Her mother offered her cooled boiled water in a feeder cup, but she was unsure how to suck from it. She will not accept a bottle at all.
Questions
1 Why are solid foods introduced from around four months of age?
2 Why is it recommended that babies are given gluten-free foods for the first six months?
3 What precautions should be taken regarding pets when there is a baby around?
Answers to part four questions: (16 August)
1 It is standard practice to refer a baby to a GP or a paediatrician if weight continues to cause concern, and they are automatically referred if their weight crosses two centile lines in either direction.
2 Massage is a tactile experience that plays an important part in the bonding process of many parent/child relationships as they are focusing fully on each other and making eye contact.
3 The triple immunisation protects against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus. Hib protects against one particular strain of meningitis.
