4 - Explore Developmental Advice for Premature Babies

By now your baby is beginning to explore the world around them.

The following ideas will help your baby develop.

Encourage your baby to:

• Play on the floor.
• Place toys around them
  (This will allow them to reach out and move into different positions.)
• Roll over to their tummy.
• Spend time on their tummy.
  (It is important that they learn how to get from one position to another without being placed into that position.)

Baby walkers and baby jumpers are not recommended. They do not help your baby to learn to walk and may cause your baby to walk on his toes. Your physiotherapist can explain this further.

• Place toys at different heights to encourage movement.
• Your baby will now learn to stand by pulling themselves up using the furniture such as the sofa.
• Spend time talking, singing and playing with your baby each day, when the room is quiet (no TV or music).
• Turn the TV & music off so you can hear each other.
• Use short simple sentences when talking to your baby.
• When your baby makes sounds, copy the sounds.
• Your baby will enjoy noisy toys, pop-up toys, colourful toys, simple picture books and toys that feel different.
• Let your baby play with food. It’s good to get messy and they are more likely to try new textures at meal times if they are allowed to do so.
• If your baby looks at and reaches for something, say what it is and talk about it.
• Don’t overcrowd your baby with toys; one or two are enough to play with at a time.

Have fun together!

If you need this information in another language or format, please e-mail:

Translation.Services@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk