By the time your baby reaches their first birthday, they may start to:

• raise their hands to be picked up

• turn their head in response to hearing their name

• point to objects of interest

• become interested in interaction with others (peek-a-boo)

• maintain eye contact with people during play interactions 

This is the sign for share– this sign takes a little more dexterity to learn and use but it does represent a concept that becomes important as they become toddlers. Sharing isn’t a word we use when they are both wanting a toy, more often it is helping them find a duplicate, but they are beginning to understand that other children might also want to play with the same toys they are interested in so they can both play with them at the same time.

Teething is not always the best time for babies, but it is inevitable that it will occur and there are strategies that can help to ease some of the discomfort. Freezing a clean wash rag and giving it to them to chew on can help decrease the swollen gums, and the parent can also try rubbing it on their gums as well. If your baby is eating solid foods, giving them cold foods to eat is a good way to help with their inflamed gums. Applesauce and yogurt are two examples that might help. Finally, giving them cold teething rings and toys to chew on can provide some relief as well and they are generally easy for them to grasp and hold onto. Teething can last for awhile and can come and go, so finding ways to help them, can be beneficial to both the child and the parents.