Health GlareEvery human being is the author of his own health or disease

Have you been wondering what an article on “Top 10 Health Tips” doing on a website dedicated to Beauty?

Are you one of those individuals who think “Top 10 Health Tips” and “Top 10 beauty Tips” are two separate concepts and need to be dealt individually? Have you been splurging an aweful lot of money trying to look “good” by getting Spa treatments, visiting Beauty Salons, Buying Designer Labels, Eating Health Foods, and yet every time you look into the mirror, you feel there’s something “lacking?”

If you think that way, you’re not the only one. Whereas most of us spend a whole lot of time, money and effort to make our skin, hair, face, hands and feet look beautiful, we often miss out on the critical role our health and wellness plays in making us look physically and mentally beautiful.

Follow these Top 10 Health Tips in your daily life to stay beautiful on the inside and outside:

1.Follow A Healthy, Balanced Diet: A balanced diet is the first step towards a beautiful, healthy body. Follow a healthy balanced diet that complements your lifestyle. An ideal diet should be high on fiber, low on fat, and must be supplemented with adequate amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. Besides knowing what to eat, it is equally important to know the right proportions, meaning how much or how little to eat. Talk to a fitness expert and find out what’s your daily calorie intake. Make food choices that have high nutritional value but are low in calories.

2.Eat Different Types Of Foods: According to Ayurveda, the Ancient Indian science of healing, rotating your food habits not only strengthens your immune system, it can also protect you from most illnesses. Try to eat vegetables and fruits of different colors each day. Try eating a different food at least thrice a month. Begin your day with an apple a day as the apple pectin cleanses the body’s digestive system by removing toxins and therefore preventing degenerative health problems such as cancer.

3.Don’t Skip Your Breakfast: Are you surprised to see how some people manage to stay so fit, energetic and active the whole time and are able to stabilize their weight while you continue to put on weight and feel exhausted most of the time? Well, chances are, they eat a good breakfast and you don’t! According to nutritionists and health experts, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and skipping your breakfast can lead to serious health problems besides adding those extra pounds as a result of binging on unhealthy snacks later in the day. Besides re-charging your energy levels, eating regular breakfast has several long-term benefits like:

• It results in faster weight loss
• Your body get more nutrients everyday
• Breakfast rich in fiber foods and wholegrain helps keep the heart healthy especially if you suffer from metabolic disorders like fluctuating blood pressure, obesity and cholesterol. It also helps stabilize blood sugar levels
• A good breakfast early in the morning sets your mood right and enables you to handle stress better
• You stay overall healthy! So begin your day with fresh fruits, fruit juices, hard-boiled eggs, wholegrain cereals and breads and stay healthy all day!

4. Drink Lots Of Water: Drinking a minimum of 7 to 8 glasses of water everyday cleanses all the impurities and toxins from your body and helps to get healthy, flawless skin.

In addition, the fluid in your body is responsible for the functioning of your internal organs including the metabolic processes.  So if you’re dehydrated, this whole process gets affected and your body tends to slow down leaving you feeling low and lethargic.

5. Exercise Regularly: Who does not dream of getting those six-pack abs? Besides making you look sexy and popular, regular exercising is also the best natural “anti-aging” recipe because it helps you stay and feel young by raising your energy levels, stabilizing your body weight, and enhancing flexibility, which reduces the wear and tear in your body.

You don’t need to exercise for hours everyday, just take 15-20 minutes off your busy schedule everyday to sweat out that pot-belly or burn those extra-pounds that have been making it difficult for you to get into your favorite outfit! If you can’t, make one of these a part of your routine: take the stairs instead of elevators and escalators to climb; Make it a habit to walk about 15 minutes everyday. If holistic healing is your thing, enroll yourself for yoga classes. If not, go swimming, take aerobics lessons or start shaking a leg or two at the local dance academy-whatever keeps you going, juts do it! If you’re into sports, you can make it part of your fitness routine.

Remember, your external fitness is only a reflection of your inner fitness and a beautiful, healthy body reflects a fit, healthy mind.

6. Quit Smoking: Okay, so you’ve heard this countless times from your doctor, but here it comes again as one of our most important health tip-Quit Smoking! If you’re one of those people who smoke to lose or gain weight, we’d stay think again! While smoking may have been related to an increase in metabolism, it is certainly not a good enough reason to substitute it with the huge risk of dying from lung cancer!

If that doesn’t make you change your mind, this will. Recent studies have proved that smoking is also one of the leading factors that stimulate the process of aging in both men and women. So say no to cigarettes and stay young and healthy for the rest of your life!

7. Say No To Stress: We know what you’re thinking-easier said than done! Agreed, but leading a stressful life can only make matters worse. On the other hand, leading a relaxed, stress-free life will not only reduce the risks of health related disorders, it will also calm you down and let you enjoy your life better.

While planning your day, strike a balance between home and work. If you have trouble remembering things-make a list of all the “things-to-do” before going to bed each night or simply set a “reminder” in your cell phone so you don’t have to run around at the last minute. Staying positive and thinking happy thoughts is one of the most effective stress buster technique you can easily follow in your daily life.

Spend atleast 15 minutes doing something you love and enjoy each day. It could be a simple activity, like cuddling up in bed by yourself and watching a funny movie, enjoying a glass of your favorite wine, socializing with friends, reading, sweating it out at the gym, pampering yourself with a stress-releasing body massage, soaking in a hot tub, taking a stroll on the beach, playing with your dog, listening to your favorite music or simply lazing around and doing nothing!

8. Take Care Of Your Teeth: Remember the phrase “million dollar smile?” Well, your teeth have a lot to do with your smile and they can make or break your looks depending on how much or how little you’ve cared for them over the years! Dental health is an important aspect of your overall heath. One of the best ways to have healthy teeth, prevent gum-related infections and protect your heart is by flossing your teeth every day. Few of us know that gum infections if left untreated can cause inflammatory reactions in the body, which can lead to stroke and heart ailments.

9. Sleep Well: A good 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a must for our body to reboot itself and feel energetic next day. Lack of sleep affects our hormone levels and slows down metabolism often resulting in weight gain. Studies have shown that deep, uninterrupted sleep helps cell growth and cell repair, which can increase the metabolism and help in burning calories. If you suffer from sleeplessness, try some of these simple remedies:

• Avoid alcohol before going to bed
• Stay away from stimulants like coffee, tea and chocolates before going to sleep
• Regularize your sleeping habit
• Keep your bedroom clean and uncluttered; Use decors and furnishing with peaceful and soothing colors
• Avoid taking longer daytime naps
• Follow relaxation techniques (for ex-meditation) to reduce stress

Keep Your Brain Active: Keeping your mind in “good shape” is just as vital as taking care of your physical health, so be sure to indulge your brain on a daily basis. An idle mind is not only the devil’s workshop, often the feeling of “aimlessness” or “nothingness” can cause boredom and can lead to depression and anxiety-related disorders.

One way to keep your brain engaged and busy is to constantly challenge yourself with new ideas and by learning new skills. Studies have shown than an active brain makes new connections between nerve cells that help cells communicate with one another. This allows our brain to store and access information easily, regardless of our age. Try some of these activities to keep your mind active and free from boredom:

• Learn to play a new musical instrument
• Learn a new language
• Indulge in crossword puzzles
• Play scrabble with a friend
• Participate in discussions and forums
• Maintain a blog and update it daily
• Switch careers or make a new beginning
• Read books on unfamiliar topics
• Pursue a new hobby
• Stay aware about what’s going on in the world

Follow these “Top 10 Health Tips” to stay physically and mentally beautiful for the rest of your life. Remember-”Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!”

During these months you will see your baby develop into a real personality. Although there are toys aimed at this age group, he needs and loves, people most of all. When he is awake, talk to your baby about everything you do and praise any sound he makes,  smile and respond to his facial expressions. There is no need for expensive toys.  Toys like rattles, bright picture books or any ordinary, safe objects which stimulate the senses, with colors, texture, sounds and smells serve the purpose just as well.  Position old postcards and photographs or a child’s non glass mirror near him, so he can look at and smile at himself.  A rattle in his hand can keep him engaged for a long time.

While babies may progress at different rates, the following are some of the common milestones your baby may reach in this age group

Feeding
Your baby’s digestive system is incapable of absorbing and digesting solid food until she is at least three months old, so feed her with breast or formula milk until then. By the time your baby grows closer to age 6 months you will find that he is no longer satisfied with the bottle or breast feed alone and may feel hungry very soon after a feed. By 4-5 months you can slowly start introducing solid food.

How to introduce solid food
Always begin with one to two teaspoonfuls of food. Gradually increase the amount of food depending on the baby’s appetite. A small teaspoon of a grain or rice cereal, mixed with milk, purees of fruits or vegetables are good beginners. Do not introduce your baby to too many new flavours at a time. Introduce one food at a time and wait at least 24 hours before adding a new one. This way you can identify any particular likes or dislikes, as well as giving your baby a variety of tastes to try.

Pick a time when baby is hungry, but not starving.  You can either sit him on your lap or put him in a chair facing you. Put the spoon between your baby’s lips so that she can suck the food off.  Her initial reaction may be push the food away with his tongue. She may be surprised at the taste and sensation at first, so be patient and talk to her encouragingly.

She may quickly discover that she enjoys this new experience. If she pushes the food out, scrape it up and put the spoon between her lips again. When she is had about a teaspoonful of food wipe her mouth and chin and go back to her normal feeding. The amount and thickness of the cereal gradually can be increased. After several weeks most babies eat cereal twice a day. Always make sure the baby is sitting up to eat and drink.

Types of Foods
You can either prepare the food yourself or use a commercial brand of baby food. Once the baby has mastered cereals, other new foods can be tried. As a first taste of solid food, purees of fruit or vegetables, or a baby cereal are ideal. Bananas and papayas are easily digested. Do not introduce citrus fruits, orange, tomatoes, fish, berries, egg whites, spinach etc. Never add salt to a baby food as even a small amount of salt can cause dehydration.

Yoghurt is also good for your baby. Mashed potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, corn and peas are all good. Mashed bananas, pears and apples or apple juice are appropriate fruits for the baby. For oils and fats, you can use cooking oil, butter and margarine.

Sleeping

* Begins to sleep longer at night.
* Sleeps lesser in the daytime, naps 2-3 times a day.

Physical Changes of your Baby

Movement

* Can roll over by 5 to 6 months
* Can sit unsupported
* Swings out arms and legs when placed on the abdomen
* If  held in a standing position, begins to support the body with the legs.

Touching and Holding

*Plays with hands and feet
*Moves objects from one hand to the other.
*Looks, reaches, grasps, and mouths objects in a swift and accurate sequence of movements
*Explores 1 object at a time
*Increases his use of fingers to touch, hold and examine objects
*Move arms up and down and side to side: hitting, waving, patting, and shaking
*May hold out arms to be picked up.

Seeing

*Your baby now watches what is going on in all parts of the room, distant vision improves.
*Shows interest in colours
*They enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror.
*Looks at small objects
*As reaching and grasping improve, babies spend more time looking at objects they hold
*Babies enjoy looking at facial expressions and recognises people

Hearing

*Sounds have more meaning for your baby.
*He knows the differences between angry, happy and sad tones of voice.
*Babies hear the differences between one speech sound and another.
*Your baby is getting better at finding where sounds come from.
*He likes to hear himself talk.
*Babies like to be talked to in a special way
*Your baby sometimes ignores you when you talk

Making sounds

*He becomes more expressive and will imitate sounds
*Your baby coos, gurgles when looking at interesting things or when talked to.
*He laughs and squeals
*By 6 months, he can make single syllable sounds such as ma, ba, da etc

Height, Weight and Head circumference:
While all babies may grow at a different rate, the following indicates the average for boys and girls. There is no cause for alarm just because the timing of a child’s development is slightly different. Average weight gain is 0.57 kilograms each month and by 6 months, a baby must have doubled his/her birth weight.  Average growth in height is ½ to 1 inch each month and head circumference, about ½ inch each month.

Your baby’s first birthday, he’s stepping into toddler hood.  This is a good time to reflect how far your baby has come since her birth.

By their second birthdays, most of them are losing that ‘baby’ look and growing taller instead of rounder. Babies this age are developing a real personality and will reward you with a delightful sense of humour, smiling faces, and affectionate hugs. She loves to express affection and delights in being loved.

Sleeping
Generally between the ages of 1 and 2, a toddler requires about 10 to 13 hours of sleep a day. Two to three hours in day time and 9-10 hours at night. From about one year, your toddler will settle down to sleep much more happily if the whole process of going to bed follows a routine. Babies love routine and rituals. Start the routine in the same way every evening, by giving a bath or if she does not care for it much, give a bed time feeding if she still has one or lie close to her and pat her rhythmically so as to relax her. Any time between 7 pm to 9 pm would be suitable. Position your baby’s favourite soft toy next to her while she’s sleeping. Just make sure your toddler is getting enough rest. And remember that every child is different, some need up to two hours more or less sleep than others.

Feeding
By about 1 to 2 year old, your toddler should be moving towards eating the same food at mealtimes that the rest of the family are having. Although she may still be getting half or more of her daily calories from breast milk or formula, regular table food is helping to balance out her diet. Some toddlers may show a decreased appetite about now. In the second year of their life, baby’s growth is slowing down and they may add only about 3-4kgs of weight. Teething also can make your baby lose interest in food. Try to strike the right balance between letting her eat when she’s hungry and letting her pick at her food when she’s not. Don’t force food on her, but maintain control over her nutritious and healthful snacking between meals and breastfeed as often as your child wants and continue until a baby’s second birthday.  Although you can now start to offer foods you’ve been withholding milk, citrus fruits, egg whites, be on the lookout for any allergic reactions. Provide fruit or unsweetened yogurt for dessert at meals. Cheese is excellent too, because it neutralizes the acid that forms in the mouth and attacks tooth enamel. Take care to avoid foods that cause choking such as popcorn, hard candies, chunks of carrots, grapes, raisins and whole nuts. Cut or finely chop such foods, or simply wait until your baby gets older.

Height and Weight
While developmental growth is going full speed ahead, physical growth slows down during this year. After her first birthday, your toddler won’t put weight on steadily. He/ she may gain only 3-4kgs this year.

An average 15-month-old girl weighs about 22 pounds (10kgs) and stands 31 inches tall. Boys tend to be about a pound heavier at 15 months but about the same height. By age 2, both will stand about 34 inches tall and weigh about 27 or 28 pounds (12-13 kgs) on an average. Your toddler’s head size will also more or less remain steady. He’ll probably add about an inch to his head circumference, bringing him closer to his adult head size.

Physical Changes of your baby

Movement
Crawls well, stands alone, sits down. Towards the end of this year, your child may grow confident and skillful enough to go up and down the stairs alone, by holding onto the railing.

Touching and Holding
Likes to push, pull and dump things. Holds crayons. He may scribble,  but with little control. Turns pages in a book. Feeds self with spoon, waves bye-bye and claps hands. Rolls a ball. From about 18 months your child will be able to build a tower of four or even five blocks. Plays alone on floor with toys. Your baby will be fascinated by pictures long before she can talk, and will love looking at books.

Talking and Hearing
Says “hi” or “bye” if reminded. Says 8-20 words you can understand. At about 18 months of age, babies realize that words does have a meaning. When you ask him, he’ll point to objects or pictures and hand them over to you. He even points out his eyes, hands , nose, mouth etc if you teach him. By the age of two he may be able to say two words together such as ‘me go’, ‘wha is’ and will know about 200 words in all.

Social Development
Imitates others, especially by coughing, sneezing, or making animal sounds. At around 18 months of age, he wants to do things by himself and starts to say no and means it. He may imitate you doing chores. Enjoys an audience and appreciation. Becomes upset when separated from his loved ones.

Now your baby is taking a more and more active part in life and has become an established member of the family. During the second half of the first year, the baby develops a great deal physically and mentally. He will sit up unsupported, may crawl, stand, and even walk by his first birthday. Babies at this age are developing a real personality and will reward you with laughter, funny faces, affectionate hugs, gurgling, waving, playing with his toys and yelling for attention. He begins to model speech patterns after the speech of those around him. This is a period of steady progress, though the stages of progress may vary with each child.

One-year-olds are delightful.  Each child is special in his or her own way, and you will be amazed at the new discoveries as your older baby develops. Your baby’s first steps and first words are exciting events.

Feeding
This is the age when he starts putting anything he wants to explore, into the mouth. This is the best time to introduce him to soft finger foods to hold and nibble on. By the time your baby is 8 to 10 months old, he may be ready and interested in eating with the rest of the family. At this age she can hold a spoon and is ready to learn to drink from a cup. Some babies will already be on three meals a day at six or seven months. Others will be on milk feedings only. Solids need not be quite as liquid because she can cope with a slightly thicker consistency now, although foods should still be pureed.  By the time she is having solids three time a day she will probably be taking only two milk feedings. Start your baby on very soft table foods such as mashed, potatoes, bananas or apples; yogurt, rice cereals, boiled and pureed carrots, cauliflower or other vegetables, and soft textured meats. Cows milk, citrus fruits, egg whites etc is best avoided during this time as they may cause allergy. As your baby grows more teeth, the consistency of the foods as well as the foods we offer can  become more varied.

Crawling

Moving around on all fours is a great achievement. A 6 to 7 month old baby starts lifting her chest and bottom, not together but alternatively from the floor supporting her weight on her arms and legs. By 7-8 months she begins to move, sometimes backwards not forward, or wriggles forward on the stomach. She may not use each leg in the same way, a lopsided shuffle with one knee and the other foot is quite normal. Then she’ll figure out how to move forward and backward by pushing off with her knees. Encourage her to practice crawling by placing a colourful thing or toy in front of her just out of reach or sitting a few feet away and calling to her. You must note that many babies never crawl, but may go right ahead with learning to stand and walk. Some may just roll over or push themselves forward in the sitting position to move from one place to another. Between 9 to 12 months, the crawling becomes well coordinated and fast.

Sitting up
Between 6 to 9 months of age your baby will learn to sit up without support. At first when she learns to balance sitting up she will lean forward and spread her legs out wide and straight for support. Then she gets enough confidence to reach her hands to grasp things while sitting. They could turn their whole body while sitting, with out fear of toppling over by 9 months.

Standing and walking
Most babies will pull themselves up to a standing position by holding on to some support, for the first time between 9 and 12 months. But some babies may do that even earlier. Once he gains confidence to pull himself up first and then get back down, he will want to spend more and more time standing. By 12 months most of them take their first walking steps with support more often sideways holding on to something with both hands. Falls are common when they first begin to walk, so take care to protect them. The ages at which they begin to walk unsupported may differ widely with babies. Some may take steps on their own as early as 10 months but others may do so only after their first birthdays in 15 or 16 months.

Height and Weight
The variables affecting growth, especially weight, in this period are many. By 8 months of age, most babies weigh around 6.3 – 8.1kg, although the normal range is wider than that. After the first 12 months of life, most babies will probably have just about tripled their birth weight and will probably stand about 70-80cm (28 to 32 inches) tall.

Physical Changes of your Baby

The Eighth and Ninth Month

*Many babies begin to crawl. If they don’t crawl they start moving from one place to another by whatever method she uses as ‘crawling’.
*Starts to be interested in pulling herself up to a standing position by holding on to some support.
*Leans forward while sitting without toppling over.
*Shouts most effectively to get what they want, to be fed, or to get a toy or to be picked up.
*By the end of the eighth month, he may begin to use different syllables all in the same breath.
*Puts objects inside other things and likes rolling objects.
*Holds two things simultaneously and transfers them from one hand to the other.
*May be frightened of other people outside her immediate family.
*Enjoys watching herself in a mirror. More time is now spent closely examining objects with the eyes and hands.

The Tenth Month

*Can possibly stand up without support for a few minutes and even take a few steps with support.
*Loves to climb stairs
*Baby says “mama”, “baba” or “dada.”
*Recognizes several words
*Starts to be fearful of bath and loud sounds.
*Tries to help you dress her
*Searches for something if you hide it.
*Discovers that she can say ‘no’- and you discover she means it.
*Enjoys sitting in a high chair or push-chair and dropping things over the side for you to pick up so that the game can start again, and infinitum.

The Twelfth Month

*Most of the babies walk without support
*Finds stairs fascinating and goes up and down them.
*Points to things or people.
*Holds small objects between the tips of the thumb and index finger.
*Removes lids

Starts to stay a few clear words.
*Starts to imitate new sounds. for eg. A cat, noise of car.
*Responds to requests or calling his name.
*Recognizes parts of her body.
*He says a few other one-syllable words
*Enjoys looking at books.

During these months you will see your baby develop into a real personality. Although there are toys aimed at this age group, he needs and loves, people most of all. When he is awake, talk to your baby about everything you do and praise any sound he makes,  smile and respond to his facial expressions. There is no need for expensive toys.  Toys like rattles, bright picture books or any ordinary, safe objects which stimulate the senses, with colors, texture, sounds and smells serve the purpose just as well.  Position old postcards and photographs or a child’s non glass mirror near him, so he can look at and smile at himself.  A rattle in his hand can keep him engaged for a long time.

While babies may progress at different rates, the following are some of the common milestones your baby may reach in this age group

Feeding
Your baby’s digestive system is incapable of absorbing and digesting solid food until she is at least three months old, so feed her with breast or formula milk until then. By the time your baby grows closer to age 6 months you will find that he is no longer satisfied with the bottle or breast feed alone and may feel hungry very soon after a feed. By 4-5 months you can slowly start introducing solid food.

How to introduce solid food
Always begin with one to two teaspoonfuls of food. Gradually increase the amount of food depending on the baby’s appetite. A small teaspoon of a grain or rice cereal, mixed with milk, purees of fruits or vegetables are good beginners. Do not introduce your baby to too many new flavours at a time. Introduce one food at a time and wait at least 24 hours before adding a new one. This way you can identify any particular likes or dislikes, as well as giving your baby a variety of tastes to try.

Pick a time when baby is hungry, but not starving.  You can either sit him on your lap or put him in a chair facing you. Put the spoon between your baby’s lips so that she can suck the food off.  Her initial reaction may be push the food away with his tongue. She may be surprised at the taste and sensation at first, so be patient and talk to her encouragingly.

She may quickly discover that she enjoys this new experience. If she pushes the food out, scrape it up and put the spoon between her lips again. When she is had about a teaspoonful of food wipe her mouth and chin and go back to her normal feeding. The amount and thickness of the cereal gradually can be increased. After several weeks most babies eat cereal twice a day. Always make sure the baby is sitting up to eat and drink.

Types of Foods
You can either prepare the food yourself or use a commercial brand of baby food. Once the baby has mastered cereals, other new foods can be tried. As a first taste of solid food, purees of fruit or vegetables, or a baby cereal are ideal. Bananas and papayas are easily digested. Do not introduce citrus fruits, orange, tomatoes, fish, berries, egg whites, spinach etc. Never add salt to a baby food as even a small amount of salt can cause dehydration.

Yoghurt is also good for your baby. Mashed potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, corn and peas are all good. Mashed bananas, pears and apples or apple juice are appropriate fruits for the baby. For oils and fats, you can use cooking oil, butter and margarine.

Sleeping

* Begins to sleep longer at night.
* Sleeps lesser in the daytime, naps 2-3 times a day.

Physical Changes of your Baby

Movement

* Can roll over by 5 to 6 months
* Can sit unsupported
* Swings out arms and legs when placed on the abdomen
* If  held in a standing position, begins to support the body with the legs.

Touching and Holding

*Plays with hands and feet
*Moves objects from one hand to the other.
*Looks, reaches, grasps, and mouths objects in a swift and accurate sequence of movements
*Explores 1 object at a time
*Increases his use of fingers to touch, hold and examine objects
*Move arms up and down and side to side: hitting, waving, patting, and shaking
*May hold out arms to be picked up.

Seeing

*Your baby now watches what is going on in all parts of the room, distant vision improves.
*Shows interest in colours
*They enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror.
*Looks at small objects
*As reaching and grasping improve, babies spend more time looking at objects they hold
*Babies enjoy looking at facial expressions and recognises people

Hearing

*Sounds have more meaning for your baby.
*He knows the differences between angry, happy and sad tones of voice.
*Babies hear the differences between one speech sound and another.
*Your baby is getting better at finding where sounds come from.
*He likes to hear himself talk.
*Babies like to be talked to in a special way
*Your baby sometimes ignores you when you talk

Making sounds

*He becomes more expressive and will imitate sounds
*Your baby coos, gurgles when looking at interesting things or when talked to.
*He laughs and squeals
*By 6 months, he can make single syllable sounds such as ma, ba, da etc

Height, Weight and Head circumference:
While all babies may grow at a different rate, the following indicates the average for boys and girls. There is no cause for alarm just because the timing of a child’s development is slightly different. Average weight gain is 0.57 kilograms each month and by 6 months, a baby must have doubled his/her birth weight.  Average growth in height is ½ to 1 inch each month and head circumference, about ½ inch each month.

Feedings
Feeds every 2-3 hours and may sleep 3-4 hours between nighttime feedings. May spit up after feedings as cardiac sphincter valve at top of stomach does not close tightly until baby is walking.

Sleeping
Begins to sleep for longer periods at night. Still sleeps most of the day, about 15 hours (10 hours at night and about 3 naps during the day)

Physical Changes of your Baby

Hearing
Turns head towards sounds. Knows difference between male and female voices as well as between angry and friendly voices.

Focusing
Focuses better, looking  more than 12 inches from her face. Follows objects by moving head from side to side. Prefers brightly colored objects.

Smiles
Smiles, gurgles and coos, particularly when talked to.

Movement
They can lift their chin off mattress when lying on their stomach. Holds head steady when held upright. Some kids turn over by the end of the third month.

Height and Weight
At 3 months, the typical baby weighs 13 pounds(5.5-6kg) and measures 24 inches. But don’t worry if your baby is smaller or larger. Babies, like adults, vary in size and shape. In fact, the average weight for a 3-month-old can range from 9 to 16 pounds and the average length from 22 to 25 inches.

Feedings

Feeds every 2-3 hours and may sleep 3-4 hours between nighttime feedings. May spit up after feedings as cardiac sphincter valve at top of stomach does not close tightly until baby is walking.

Sleeping

May sleep 5 -7 hours per night. Now she is developing a routine in the sense that she has definite waking hours during the day and she sleeps straight, not curled up with her fists unclenched.

Crying

Babies does not cry as much as before except when are they are uncomfortable.

Pysical Changes of Your Baby

Focuses Eyes Your baby can follow an object with his eyes as it’s passed over her face, looking in an arc about six inches from her face.

Sounds

Cooing sounds may be made in response to people speaking gentle, soothing words.

Smiles

Babies enjoy smiling faces and sometimes smile in return. Now she has a range of facial expressions.

Movement

Babies have more control over their movements now. They start to lift their heads briefly when lying on their stomach and has some control over the neck muscles. They reach for things with their hands and kicks arms and legs up in the air. Compared to the rest of the body, their stomach looks rounded.

Feedings

During the first two or three days after they are born, most babies seem fairly sleepy and do not need frequent feeds. But after the first week they’ll settle into a pattern of feeds every 2-3 hours and may sleep 3-4 hours between nighttime feedings. During this time feeding is the only thing that sooths the baby if she is irritant or crying. She will suck her fingers if not the nipple if her hand comes in contact with her mouth.

Sleeping
Usually sleeps from 17-20 hours per day. Naps about 8 times in 24 hour period. There is usually no regular pattern of eating or sleeping yet. Mostly lies curled up, fists tightly clenched especially in the first weeks just like he/she was in the womb.

Crying
May develop fussy crying at 2-3 weeks old for a few hours in the evening. During this time feeding is the only thing that sooths the baby if she is irritant or crying.

Physical Changes of your Baby

Make sure your child sees, hears and listens

Focuses eyes
During the first months of life, babies can focus on objects 8 to 12 inches away. At the end of the first month, most will be able to briefly focus their attention on objects as far away as three feet.

Listens
If you watch your baby closely you can recognize that she reacts to sound. You can determine if she reacts to sound if she turns her head toward the sound of a voice or reacts when there is sudden noise in the room. A few babies may also begin early squeals and laughter. If you have things to do, she’ll still enjoy hearing. And by the end of the first month, most babies will recognize the sound of a familiar voice.

Smiles
You can see that your baby smile while he is sleeping. But by the end of the first month, you will likely find yourself rewarded with smiles specifically directed at you.

Movements
The baby has little control over her movements now. He/She is wobbly all over, cannot keep her head straight and it keeps rolling to one side when she lies on her back and arms and legs keeps moving here and there.

Weight and Height
After losing some of their birth weight during the first few days of life, most babies will be back to birth weight at three weeks and then continue to grow steadily. By the middle of the first month, weight gain should be about 14-28gm per day. This increases and they will gain weight at a rate of approximately 19 gm  per day and grow about 2.5 – 4cm (1 – 1½ inches) during the first month.