Q:

Hey, Kathy – a departure from our recent topic. My baby isn’t enjoying blanket time, and he spends about 50% of the time crying and sobbing and trying to crawl off.  Today was especially traumatic; I think he played about 8 minutes (out of 20) and spent the rest hysterical, sopping with tears and sobbing for me constantly. He didn’t respond if I tried to show him his toys or get him interested in playing.

This is unusual because he rarely cries at all, except in those cases of exceptional hunger or the occasional sleep problems. But the last time we had blanket time he did the same thing. He was fine before this (and last time was fine when I took him off the blanket).  Blanket time is so helpful because the rest of every waking moment he wants me to hold his hands and walk, walk, walk forever!  He doesn’t care about toys anymore, just about walking…

Help! He’s still crying now.

A:

• Are you doing blanket time at the same time every day?  I recommend either that or at the same point in the routine every day, such as right after breakfast or something.

• You can also try going where he can’t see you while he gets used to it.

• Micah used to sob like that , too!!!!  Now the others aren’t so bad.  It’s okay.  He needs to realize that he can’t have you every second.

• It’s also okay to tell him sometimes, hey, I can’t walk with you right now, and I can’t pick you up, and you are going to survive!  :O)  All babies forget about toys once they learn about walking, etc.  I think.

• You can also try to teach him to cruise, which means walk while holding on to furniture…

God bless you, and remember that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world!  Maybe he will lead many to Christ someday, find cures for diseases, comfort many wounded hearts.  Your efforts are WORTH IT!!

Q:

At our normal checkup for my baby, the nurses said to start my baby on solids.  The only thing is that they told me specifically was to start him on three vegetables. They told me not to start with fruit because then babies only prefer sweet things.  I don’t know about rice cereal. The nurses didn’t recommend it.
I also thought about separating the vegetables in case of allergy.

A:

1. One thing is that I would start him/her out on one food at a time.  I made Beth allergic to potatoes because I didn’t do that with her.  Look for little dots around his mouth after a food, and if he has that, switch to another food.
2. Bethany still has skin problems related to the eczema she had as a baby.  I didn’t take fish oil when I was pregnant, and I was very liberal about which foods I started her with, etc.
3. Possible Schedule (Only an idea):                                                                                                                                                                                                             1st week:  rice cereal  VERY diluted and mixed with formula or Mom’s milk.  (One of my babies had blood in her stool because I mixed it too thick).  You can very gradually get it thicker and thicker.  Mix it like it says on the box for the baby’s first feeding.

• 2nd few days:  squash or carrots.                                                                                                                                                                                 3rd few days:  green beans                                                                                                                                                                                           4th few days:  peas

• Don’t give your baby fruits or meats yet.  Especially don’t give honey, wheat, milk products, and egg!