The ExerSaucer: A New Parent's Best Friend

Artikel ini dipetik dari sini. Guess that I'm looking for one, jenuh gak mencari, tapi belum ada rezeki...

Few links yang ada used ExerSaucer yang selalu aku keep track ialah Tinystars and My Baby World.

Once your little one has left the land of the bobbleheads and can get some neck control, an infant exercise saucer (commonly called an ExerSaucer®, after the Evenflo brand of saucers) will become your best friend. (No seriously, no exaggerations here. We mean your best friend.)

What's that? You already have a best friend? Well, while that best friend might like to share pitchers of sangria with you and loves to go shoe shopping, this best friend will:

Entertain your baby with a host of built-in toys.

Keep baby safe and stationary. (Many parents and safety experts prefer infant exercise saucers over baby walkers since they don't let your baby move around, putting her in danger of falling down the stairs, among other risks).

Allow you to get some stuff done around the house, while keeping an eye on the baby nearby.

Help your baby practice standing and kicking.
Ask around to find out which infant exercise saucers your friends and family used and loved. Then check eBay, thrift stores or friend's basements for a used model of the one you're looking for. This is one of those products that is highly coveted by parents of babies, but, it turns out, only used for a few brief months, so you can usually find a secondhand one in good condition.

Just be sure the model you do end up getting hasn't been recalled and that it comes with all the parts. Because an ExerSaucer with a missing spring ain't worth a thing.

And you thought you loved the bouncy seat!

Baby's Development - 5 Month (Week 1)

Rollin', rollin', rollin'

Your baby's stronger neck and arm muscles allow him to practice rolling over toward one side, a milestone that will probably awe and amuse you. Your baby might adopt rolling as his primary mode of ground transportation for a while, or he may skip it altogether and move on to sitting, lunging, and crawling. As long as your baby continues to gain new skills and shows interest in getting around and exploring his environment, don't worry.

Rolling over can be fun for your baby, but it can also be nerve-racking for you. Keep a hand on your baby during diaper changes, and never leave him unattended on a bed or any other elevated surface.

Your little social butterfly

At this age your baby not only tolerates attention from others, he'll often initiate it. Though you may soon notice the beginnings of stranger anxiety, your baby will probably still be fairly indiscriminate: Chances are anyone who approaches him with welcoming eyes or a grin delights him and becomes an instant friend. But don't worry — he still needs and craves lots of love and attention from you.

Your baby is also learning that his behaviors, both the ones you like and the ones you don't, engage you, so starting now (and for years to come) he'll do just about anything to get your attention. Right now almost everything he does is endearing, but as he gets older, he's more likely to get into mischief to provoke a reaction from you. Just don't forget to give him positive feedback when he's being good. It's a great way to start teaching right from wrong.

One thing will become clear: Your baby is beginning to expand his attention-getting repertoire to include more than crying. You may notice him wriggling, making noises, blowing "raspberries," and so on. Over the next three months, he'll develop a uniquely personal way of letting you know what he thinks, wants, and needs.

Dressed for success

As your baby starts becoming more active, he'll appreciate wearing comfy clothes. Opt for soft fabrics that won't chafe him as he's moving around. Loose, stretchy, and breathable clothing is also smart as it provides your energetic little one plenty of wiggle room.

Avoid clothes with rough or scratchy seams; long ties, buttons, or bows (could be a choking hazard); and anything else that gets in the way of your baby's sleeping, crawling, playing, or other regular activities.

In your baby's diaper

Don't be surprised if your baby's stools change color and odor as soon as he starts eating even tiny amounts of solids. This is normal. If his stools seem too firm, switch to other fruits and vegetables and oatmeal or barley cereal. (Rice cereal, bananas, and applesauce may be constipating.)

Remember, your baby is an individual

All babies are unique and meet milestones at their own pace. Developmental guidelines simply show what your baby has the potential to accomplish — if not right now, then soon. If your baby was premature, keep in mind that kids born early usually need a bit more time to meet their milestones. If you have any questions at all about your baby's development, ask your healthcare provider.

Encouraging Baby Development - 4 Months (Week 4)

  Ready, Steady, Go
Though your baby is probably still a few months away from sitting up or crawling, there are activities you can do now that help prepare him for those achievements down the line.
Appropriate for: 4 to 7 months
Skills developed: Motor, balance
What you'll need: No equipment necessary

Even before your baby learns to sit on his own or crawl, he'll show an interest in getting around. You can help him start to develop the skills he'll need to move with a few easy exercises. For sitting, improve his stability by propping him upright with his knees out and his heels near his bottom, so that his legs form a diamond. Expect him to tip, especially at first, but encourage his efforts to hone his balance. For crawling, place him on his tummy and press the palms of your hands against the soles of his feet. As he pushes against your hands (perhaps by accident at first), he'll move forward – more and more, as he learns the consequences of his actions. If he's already up on all fours and rocking back and forth, encourage him to crawl by holding or placing favorite objects just beyond his reach.


  Ups and Downs
Your baby probably won't learn to sit up for several more months, but as her back and neck grow stronger, she's ready to practice. (As you may have noticed, she's also eager to see the world from a more upright angle.)
Appropriate for: 3 to 6 months
Skills developed: Gross motor coordination
What you'll need: No equipment necessary

Lay your baby on her back, propped up slightly on a pillow. Sit facing her and grasp her hands firmly. Gently pull her to a sitting position, letting her head follow her shoulders, and enjoy her expression as she sees the world from this new angle. Gently lower her and repeat as long as she's having fun. As your baby gets used to this game, keep her sitting up a little longer and sing a chorus of "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore" or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," alternately pulling each of her arms in a rowing motion before lowering her back onto the pillow.

Baby's Development - 4 Month (Week 4)

Sitting pretty

By now, your baby's physical developments are coming fast and furious. When lying on her back, she'll lift her head and shoulders as you reach to pull her up. If you place her on her stomach, she'll extend her arms and legs and arch her back. This is good exercise for strengthening her neck muscles, and it will help her develop the head control necessary for sitting up.

When you pulled your baby into a sitting position a few weeks back, her head lagged behind her arms and shoulders. Now, she can anticipate the direction you're pulling her, and her head will follow right along with the rest of her body. What's more, her spine is straightening, allowing her to sit unsupported, which frees her hands for exploring, and she can pivot to reach a desired object.

Once her back and neck muscles are strong enough to hold her upright and she's figured out where to put her legs so she won't topple over, it's just a matter of time until she moves on to proper crawling, standing, and walking. Until she can get into a sitting position without your help, you can prop her in the corner of your sofa or on your legs to steady her.

Ba ba ba ba ba ba . . .

Your baby is adding new sounds to her language repertoire, and she may sound like a broken record. Babies this age often become so enthralled by a newfound ability that they get stuck on it for a while. This is normal — babies tend to master one skill before moving to the next.

Hearing the same sound over and over can get annoying, but practicing patience now will prepare you for the endless string of "nos" and "whys" you'll be hearing from your child soon enough.

Your baby may also watch your mouth intently when you speak and try to imitate inflections and utter consonant sounds such as "m" and "b."

Peaceful goodnights

Following a well-established nighttime routine, which might include a bath or a bedtime story, for example, may help settle your baby to sleep. It's a good idea to consistently "sequence" your baby toward slumber: Feed her, give her a bath, put her in her pajamas, play a game, read her a book, sing songs or play some music, then put her down.

A beloved routine gives you and your baby plenty of time to connect and wind down. You may decide to alternate going-to-bed activities with your partner (you do the bath, he reads the story, and so on). Or, to give both of you a regular break, try taking turns, with one person responsible for putting your baby to bed each night.

Baby's Development - 4 Month (Week 3)

A barrel of laughs

Even though crying is still your baby's strongest form of communication, he's also developing his sense of humor during his fifth month. He may start to laugh at pleasant surprises such as your face appearing from underneath a blanket or a toy popping out of a box, provided it isn't too loud or startling.

Encourage your baby's laughs, giggles, and smiles with funny faces and lots of general silliness. Babies enjoy hearing a variety of sounds and you don't need special toys or instruments to provide them. Simply click your tongue, whistle, or make animal noises — your baby will love it!

Exploring objects

Encourage your baby to experiment and play with a variety of objects. Something as simple as a clean cloth diaper might occupy him for several minutes. Watch him suck on it, hold it, and discover what happens when he scrunches it up.

Give him a light rattle and see him delight in the sound it makes when he shakes it. An activity center or crib gym is a good choice for this stage, as your baby begins to explore the cause and effect of moving a lever and hearing a bell ring, for instance.

Appreciation for a full range of colors

Babies see color from birth, but they have difficulty distinguishing similar tones, such as red and orange. (Babies can tell the difference between very different colors such as red, green, and yellow.) As a result, younger babies often prefer black and white or high-contrast patterns.

At your baby's age, color differences become clearer, and your baby has started to distinguish between similar shades. Present him with a variety of colors in books, toys, and clothing.

Encouraging Baby Development - 4 Months (Week 3)

  Pass the Hat

At this age, your baby is thrilled to be able to hold things in her hand. A game of pass the hat – or rather, grab the hat (or the nose) – will send her into smiles of surprised delight.
Appropriate for: 4 months to 1 year
Skills developed: Sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: A hat with a brim
With your baby on your lap facing you, place a hat on your head, then lean in close. Let your baby reach up to the hat and grab it off your head. She may even manage to put it back on your head (with a bit of help from you). You can switch to another brimmed hat, but don't do it too often, which can confuse your baby. When she's done playing with the hat, give her nose a gentle pinch, then wrinkle your own nose and lean as close as you can. Once she reaches for your nose, she may be surprised to find that she can't remove it!


  Tickle a Funnybone
Games involving body parts are even more fun now that your baby can move his arms and legs whenever he wants. With this one, you can help him associate an arm, leg, or belly button with a name.
Appropriate for: 4 months to 1 year
Skills developed: Verbal, fine motor
What you'll need: A plastic puff such as those that come with shower gel

With your baby seated in a bath seat or in the tub itself (with you right there), saturate the puff with water, then approach your baby with the puff submerged under the water. Say, "I'm going to tickle your toes," and tickle them lightly with the puff, pulling it out of reach by the string if he makes a grab for it. Approach from different directions, saying, "I'm going to tickle your knees, I'm going to tickle your back, I'm going to tickle your bottom," each time pulling the puff away through the water when he tries to grab it. When he's older, you can let him hold the puff and show him how to tickle his own knees with it, or put your hand down into the water and let him take a turn tickling your fingers.
Note: Never leave a baby unattended in the water, even for a moment.

Baby's Development - 4 Month (Week 2)

Eating less frequently

Your baby has a bigger tummy now, so she won't need to fill up as often. Four or five times a day will often do it, in fact, unless she's exclusively breastfed, in which case she'll still want to eat six to eight times a day.

Your baby may have doubled her birth weight by now, and she's still gaining, of course, despite her more mature eating schedule. (The content of your breast milk has also changed, with more fat and minerals to match your baby's nutritional needs.)

Don't expect maturity in her eating habits though: Your baby is easily distracted now, and feedings can become frustrating as she stops to watch a sibling or respond to an outside noise. You might try to minimize distractions by feeding her in a quiet, dimmed room.

Playing solo

By now, your baby can play with her hands and feet for a few minutes at a time. She's quite fond of doing one action over and over again until she's sure of the result. Then, she'll switch things up just a bit to see if the result is different.

Suddenly you realize it's strangely quiet in the bedroom and look in, only to discover that your baby, who so far has needed your attention for most of every waking moment, is amusing herself in her crib. You might be able to start reading the paper again — well, maybe just the headlines.

Baby's Development - 4 Month (Week 1)

Beginning to understand the role of language

Researchers believe that your baby can now understand all the basic sounds that make up his native language. Between this time and 6 months of age, your baby will develop the ability to make some vocal sounds, which means you may hear the words you've been dreaming about, namely "ma-ma" or "da-da." While child development experts say it's too early for your baby to connect those sounds with you and your partner, that won't make hearing them any less exciting.

You can encourage your baby's attempts at communication by mirroring or imitating his expressions and sounds. He may try to imitate you now, too. Say "baa" and he may try to say it back.

Reacting when your baby makes noises or tries to say something will help your baby learn the importance of language. It'll also help him better understand cause and effect. It's great for his self-esteem, too. He'll begin to realize that what he says makes a difference.

Expand on what your baby says and try to give it meaning. For example, you can say, "Yes, that is a ball!" Soon, his "ba" will become "ball."

Time for solid food?

For the first four to six months of life, your baby gets all the nutrients he needs from breast milk or formula. Still, parents are often eager to start their babies on solid food.

It's true that your baby's digestive tract is more developed now and his tongue-thrust reflex is starting to fade, so it seems a logical time to start feeding him some solids, such as pureed baby food or cereal. But there are good reasons to wait, too.

Starting solids later may cut down on possible allergic reactions, and ensures that breast milk or formula won't get crowded out of your baby's diet. And if you're hoping that eating solids will help your baby sleep through the night, studies have shown that you can't count on that happening.

The debate over when to start solids continues. If you're unsure about when to introduce them to your baby, talk to his doctor.

Encouraging Baby Development - 4 Months (Week 2)

  Can You Top This?

Here's a madcap way to celebrate your little one's growing delight with unexpected events.
Appropriate for: 4 to 10 months
Skills developed: Visual, sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: A wide-ranging selection of odd items to put on your head

In the classic children's book Jenny's Hat, a little girl who's disappointed in the hat she receives as a gift tries on all sorts of odd things (a lamp shade, a flowerpot, an old-fashioned TV antenna) to see if they make better headgear.
Taking inspiration from Jenny's experiments, pretend your house is a hat store and round up a number of possible toppers. Nothing cracks a baby up like the sight of you wearing a tea cozy on your head. A cardboard box, a plastic bowl, a pair of shorts or leggings, or a wicker basket can also do the trick. As you put each object on your head, make a perplexed face at your baby and ask (à la Dr. Seuss), "Do you like my hat?" For a real capper, sit your older baby in front of a mirror and put the silly hats on her head.


  Go Fish
Following bright and colorful objects is becoming a favorite pastime now that your baby has a well-developed ability to focus up close. And nothing is more mesmerizing than the iridescent hues of fish in nonstop motion, making this an ideal strategy to help you catch your breath while on the go – stopping in for a break from errands at your local pet store, at the house of a friend who happens to have a fish tank, even while waiting to be served in a seafood restaurant.
Appropriate for: 4 months to 1 year
Skills developed: Visual
What you'll need: Access to a fish tank or aquarium

Hold your baby right up to the fish tank, so the fish are at her eye level. Follow the different-colored fish with your finger as they swim back and forth, helping her track them with her eyes. Describe the fish to her, highlighting their differences: "See the big gold one? Watch that one going around in circles. See the tiny rainbow-colored ones? Don't they swim fast!" Choose one easily identifiable fish, perhaps the biggest or brightest, and help your baby track it around the tank. Explore her budding sense of "object permanence" (the concept that something still exists even when it disappears from view, which firms up at about 9 months), noting when a fish is out of sight and then pointing out when it reappears.

Encouraging Baby Development - 4 Months (Week 1)

  Tummy Bubbles

Your baby's hands seem to be everywhere now; he grabs because it's so exciting for him to see something, reach for it, and actually touch it. His hands are learning to do what his brain tells them to do!
Appropriate for: 4 months to 1 year
Skills developed: Hand-eye coordination
What you'll need: Bubbles for blowing (store-bought, or you can search online for recipes to make at home)

Get your baby settled in a bath seat set on a plastic mat, bathroom rug, or towel, then break out the bubbles. Start by blowing a few gently in his direction, letting him reach out to them as they float by (and taking care not to get the soapy bubble formula in his eyes). Though he won't be able to catch the bubbles yet, he'll enjoy grabbing for them. Then start aiming bubbles at his legs, arms, hands, tummy, and so on, naming each body part as you go. ("There's a bubble on your tummy!" "There's a bubble on your hand!") If his skin is a little damp, the bubble may land without popping.

  Bend Over Butterfly
As your baby becomes fascinated with animals and insects, pretending to be one together is a great way to pique that interest.
Appropriate for: 4 months to 1 year
Skills developed: Verbal, motor
What you'll need: No equipment needed

Sit cross-legged on the floor or ground with your baby sitting in your lap facing forward (away from you). Bend from the waist with your arms stretched forward, making a roof over your baby with your body, so you become a "cocoon" enveloping her. Speaking softly and slowly, say, "Okay caterpillar, you're waking up now." Gradually lift your arms over your head as you say, "You're coming out of your cocoon now, you're becoming a butterfly." Then sit up and reach your baby's arms up, too. Move your arms out to the sides and flap them, saying, "Now you're spreading your wings – you're a butterfly!" As you play this game over and over, your baby will eventually learn to flap her arms to "be a butterfly," too.

Variation: Once your baby starts walking, she can crawl into your lap as the caterpillar ready to make a cocoon, then stand up and "fly" out of your lap when she's a butterfly, continuing to wave her arms as she moves around the room.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

My Lil Muhammad

His name : Muhammad Amirul Al-Raziq
His birth date : 6 March 2010, 20 Rabiul Awal 1431H
His weight upon birth : 3.03kg (to date is 5.95kg)
His height upon birth : 50cm (to date is 62cm)
His head circumference upon birth : 38cm (to date is 40cm)
Mode of delivery : Vacuum

I am a proud mother of him!

@14 weeks

 @20 weeks