Archive for December, 2008

It is safe to say that infants are the most confusing children when it comes to babysitting. Since they cannot walk or talk (or if they can, they cannot do it well), they cannot communicate their needs to you. It can be quite tiring because they need a lot more care than older children. Most likely you will not be asked to babysit a child who is younger than three months old, so this article will encompass babies who are between three and twelve months of age. I will discuss their abilities and how you should take care of them.

Three Month old Babies

Three-month-old babies are able to smile and they enjoy doing it. Some of them are able to hold up their heads, but others cannot, so when you pick them up, be very careful. Since their hearing, language, and smell are developing, you should talk to the baby. They like the sound of the human voice. Do not feel silly because you think they do not understand you. I have found that babies are less likely to cry if you talk to them. Usually they must eat every 3-4 hours. The parents will let you know when the baby should be fed.

Four Month Old Babies

Babies who are 4 months old are not eating as often any more. Since they like to watch other people, if you are doing something with older children, put the baby in a location where it can see you. Although they can normally sit up by themselves for one or two seconds, stay right beside them. Do not walk away and leave them sitting up. They will fall and then, of course, they will cry. Most babies make many sounds at this stage, so you will have to learn to recognize happy sounds as well as those that indicate that the baby is unhappy.