Molly Antoniolli (NorthShore)
Hi Alison, Great question! Always start your newborn out on his back on a hard flat mattress/surface for sleep with nothing extra in the crib/bassinet. If he rolls onto his side on his own, that is fine!! Do not worry or risk waking him by putting him on his back. And do not put anything in the crib/bassinet to prevent him from rolling. When he is a few months old and starts fully rolling over, again put him down on his back but even if he rolls onto his belly himself, that is ok! Once he is making significant signs he is rolling, I would make sure his arms are not swaddled. Hope this helps!

Molly Antoniolli (NorthShore)
Hi Nidhi! Good question! As far as gross motor skills at 8 months, babies should be sitting up relatively well on their own (without support), rolling both ways, and bearing some weight on their legs. It sounds like she is doing all of these things! Crawling is not an "official milestone" and some babies skip it all together. Walkers are actually not recommended as we often see falls down stairs, or burns because babies get at things they are not supposed to. Additionally, some studies suggest that babies who use walkers often walk a bit later. So I would skip the walker for now. Sounds like your baby is developing normally, and your pediatrician should also review her development at her 9 month check up!

Molly Antoniolli (NorthShore)
Hi Smruti! Some babies like to be held more than others and as long as he or she is otherwise developing/growing normally, it is not a concern. I would make an effort to do floor activities with your baby so that he or she can work on gross motor skills- sitting, rolling, bearing weight, head control, etc. As long as he or she is working on those skills, I would not worry too much about holding your baby too often! Sometimes baby carriers/wraps can be very useful for this reason. If you are worried about your baby's development or your baby is constantly fussy, I would check in with your pediatrician, but if all else is going well, try to enjoy the snuggles (although I know it can be exhausting!!). Hope that helps!

Molly Antoniolli (NorthShore)
Hi Molly! This is completely normal! Your sweet girl has new teeth and is trying to test them out :) Additionally, babies in general like to put everything in their mouth. Although it is not abnormal, it is okay to give her a firm "no" and pull her away if needed. I then would replace the bitten body part with a teething toy. At this age she will not understand a "time out" or significant punishment, but redirecting her attention should be more effective. If you make a huge deal about the biting, she may be more apt to do it again to get that attention (negative attention is still attention!). I also found that putting a wet wash cloth in the freezer and then giving it to my girls was soothing for any teething pain. the orajels and teething tablets are not recommended. Hope this helps and good luck!

Molly Antoniolli (NorthShore)
Good for you for making your own baby food! That is great! If you are exclusively breastfeeding/giving breast milk, breast milk is low in iron and vitamin D. Breast fed babies should be on a vitamin D supplement as long as he is exclusively getting breast milk (D-vi sol or Carlsons vitamin D baby drops are examples of over the counter vitamin D supplements). He may also need additional iron if you are not making baby food that has a high iron content. The rice cereal/oatmeal bought in the store are fortified with iron and is a good source of iron. You can double check with your ped if he needs additional iron. If he is getting a significant amount of formula, that in itself is fortified with iron and vitamin D and so the baby food you are making yourself and the formula should be giving him everything he needs!

Molly Antoniolli (NorthShore)
Hi Heather! Thumb sucking is hard because you can't exactly take his thumb away ;) This is his comfort/soothing mechanism and that is ok!! Do not stress about this. The only time it might cause concern is if it affects the shape of his mouth or teeth, or goes on beyond five years of age (because it then will affect his teeth). To help stop the habit, different techniques work for different children. Some kids will respond to rewards (yours is too young for that), or sometimes remidning kids that thumb sucking is only for bedtime in an attempt to limit the amount of time they do it works. Often times it happens when kids become more self conscious and do not want other kids to know they suck their thumb. Check in with your ped and dentist (when he gets one) about it at well visits, but it is not something I worry too much about :)

Molly Antoniolli (NorthShore)
Hi Ginger. Thanks for the question! This is tough for all involved! You could probably use a break and would like to hand him over to Dad at times, and Dad's feelings may be hurt that your son only wants you! Reassure Dad that this is normal. This phase is different for every child and sometimes they will switch which parent they prefer. I would try to allow Dad to have some special time with your son alone (either they leave the house or you do), because as long as you are in the vicinity, it will be hard to separate him from you. It should get better if they are able to spend quality alone time together. Good luck!!

Molly Antoniolli (NorthShore)
Hi Christie! "Stranger anxiety" is totally normal for infants and typically peaks around 9 months but can certainly start earlier (4-5 months) and last longer. I would try to start in smaller groups/gatherings and see how it goes. Remind your family/friends that it is normal for babies to get nervous around new people so that their feelings are not hurt if she refuses to go to them. You can also spend time with her at the park where there are groups of people and just let her observe. The more you spend time with family/groups, the more comfortable she will get. Good luck!

Molly Antoniolli (NorthShore)
Hi Carrie! Sleep training is a much debated question and often a lot of different factors play into the best method of sleep training. I would try to put your baby down sleepy but awake - try not to let her/him fall asleep with the bottle/breast or with rocking. It is okay to let them fuss for a few minutes. At 3 months he/she still may need to eat 1 time overnight, and so I would not let them "cry it out" per se. If they wake up overnight, I would give it a few minutes before going to them. If they are really upset, I would try to soothe them without necessarily picking them up and do not turn the lights on/make lots of noise. I typically talk to families about more formal sleep training or crying it out at 4 months at the earliest as long as baby is growing well. Hope this helps!