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Just got off the phone with a good friend who is babysitting her grandson. He is seven months old, and crawling and standing. He is eating some solid food. The question is as put to me by my friend is.........The mom says she doesn't want him standing too much because it might snap his bones. Then she doesn't want him playing with his food. She says to MIL do not let him play with his food..Is this something new out there? All babies play with their food. Isn't this part of discovery? As for the snapping of the bones...........I have no idea where she is coming from.
I don't know the "appropriate" age for walking unsupported, but there is a precedence for the idea that there is a "too young." The bones of infants are not that sturdy, or able to withstand much weight. They won't necessarily snap (I've never heard that, actually) but they can grow bowed if the child is walking around before his legs can handle it. He could also grow up with a more accute curve to his spine than is normal (called accute lordosis). That in itself doesn't always mean problems down the line, but it's a risk you probably wouldn't want to take, if it could be avoided.
As for the food, well it depends on the food, and how he's playing with it, no? If he's flinging hot spagetti and sauce at his mom's face, then yeah it's a good idea to not let him do that. If he's just poking his fingers in the mashed potatoes and dripping juice down his chin, then he's just being an infant and people should lighten up and laugh at the antics.
My son started grabbing our fingers and pulling himself to a stand at about 8 weeks old. He'd cry if you laid him down on something, stopped wanting to be in his bouncer - so we got him an Exersaucer. By 5 months old, he was 'cruising' the furniture. He took his first step at 10 months old, but didn't actually start walking unassisted until he was about 16 months old.
Everyone warned us about 'bowed legs'. When his walking was delayed, I got a lot of 'told you so's'.
He's 11 now and walks fine - no bowed legs, no abnormal spine curvature. People are such alarmists. They also freaked when I began him on cereal at 2 weeks, baby food a couple weeks later... "He's going to have food allergies". Nope. He does have hayfever, but I doubt it's related.
My nephew, two years younger, was breastfed and raised 'by the book' (and in daycares- 10 to 12 hours a day - so he wouldn't become 'too dependent' on his mother), is allergic to 5-6 different foods, gets skin rashes and is afraid of his own shadow.
If the child is healthy and not overweight, he will only stand as long as he can support himself comfortably.
As to the food... maybe mom doesn't want to clean up the mess, or is afraid baby will choke on bigger items of food? Not sure- I agree with you though that playing with food is a normal part of development. It's why we rarely gave babyfood and started with finger food- less mess :P
SAounds like mom means well, but is a bit over protective. First time mom syndrome, I suspect I am kinda glad I had twins first time around, as I think I would have been a hovering, overprotective mom if I had a singleton. With twins, I didn't have time.
If the child is healthy and not overweight, he will only stand as long as he can support himself comfortably.
As to the food... maybe mom doesn't want to clean up the mess, or is afraid baby will choke on bigger items of food? Not sure- I agree with you though that playing with food is a normal part of development. It's why we rarely gave babyfood and started with finger food- less mess :P
SAounds like mom means well, but is a bit over protective. First time mom syndrome, I suspect I am kinda glad I had twins first time around, as I think I would have been a hovering, overprotective mom if I had a singleton. With twins, I didn't have time.
She is first time mom....There was another incident with a scratch on his face probably from a fingernail. She went bonkers on that also. I will see my friend today and try to assure her.
She does sound like an opinionated new mom. I'm pretty sure my MIL and others thought I was insane too the first time around .
If the baby likes standing and is initiating this behavior, then he is probably ready for it developmentally. Playing with food is normal, but again, every mom has her quirks.
Tell her to relax...her concerns are unfounded, enjoy her baby....there is no set time for a baby to walk, and I don't know of ANY babies that don't play with the food set in front of them.
My son walked early (9mths) and did have bowed legs for a little while. The pediatrician assured me that they would grow straight as he grew taller and at 4yrs old, there isn't any evidence of bowing at all.
As for playing with your food, the baby needs to practice his pincher grasp and start learning to feed himself small pieces of food. Call me crazy but the last time I put a spoon in a baby's mouth is on their first birthday...so by then in this house you should be pretty good at feeding yourself
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I am kinda glad I had twins first time around, as I think I would have been a hovering, overprotective mom if I had a singleton. With twins, I didn't have time.
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