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Pregnancy to 12 months

Did you know being ready for school starts from birth?

The first 1001 days (conception to 2 years) are critical for your child’s brain development. During this time, you (the parent/carer) are crucial in supporting and developing your baby’s brain.

Visit the 1001 days website

Picture of a baby lying on their tummy with their head raised

The developing brain is like a seed, with food, water and lots of love and attention, it will grow and flourish. With little attention or over indulgence the growing plant and similarly, the brain, will find it difficult to thrive. Pruning is healthy for plants and the brain. For a child, this means having rules and boundaries as it helps to make a child feel secure and helps them to deal with different situations confidently. Love, care, attention, fairness, sleep, fresh air and diet supports healthy brain development and life-long skills.

Pregnancy

To help my brain develop well, please talk to me, sing songs, rub your tummy. If you can, get others to help you throughout the day and make sure you feel happy as this helps my brain to grow. Remember to keep your midwife appointments to make sure you and I are well, both physically and emotionally.

The birth

Hi mummy, it’s so good to meet you. Now that I’m here, I still really need that close contact, like when I was in your tummy, so please cuddle me, talk to me, look at my face and smile and make faces and gentle noises, rub my skin and read to me, anything will do.

Visit the Parents website for further information on baby brain development

This helps me to feel safe and relaxed and is good for my brain development. If it can be you or daddy/partner that mainly holds and feeds me, that will make me feel safe. If there are too many people, I may feel unsure and may cry.

If you need any information about feeding, sleeping, what’s in my nappy, my health and your health, please see your Health Visitor. You can find information on caring for a newborn baby and don’t forget my immunisations.

0 to 6 months

Did you know routines are very important to me as they help me to feel safe? As I get to know what is happening throughout the day and during the night, this helps me later on in life, like when I start school. I will learn that days are lighter, noisier, and busier, compared to nights which are darker, calmer, and quieter. Once I get used to this pattern, it will help me learn about routine and help me get a good night’s sleep. If I sleep well, this will help with my learning in later life.

View further information on the Lullaby Trust website and NHS website on helping your baby to sleep.

As I grow and spend more time awake, you are so important to me and you are helping me to grow, learn and develop. Just your presence, voice, attention, and love will help me feel safe and secure and that feels amazing.

NHS Healthy Start scheme image
Healthy Start scheme
You can access vouchers for fresh/frozen fruit and vegetables, milk and vitamins.
Find out how to apply

6 to 12 months

I am now ready to try different family foods at regular times throughout the day. Please see your Health Visitor and read about how to eat well. Eating different textures helps me to develop muscles in my jaw and tongue which will help with my speech later on. I can also try and grab the food as this helps me develop independence in feeding myself and even supports my pre-writing skills! I learn to control my hands as I practise where to put my food; and my eyes and hands work together to develop coordination.

First tooth, first visit

Visit the NHS website for tips for brushing children's teeth and baby teeth.

Further information

For a range of different activities to support my development, visit the play ideas section on the NHS website.

Baby and toddler play ideas

Dummies, bottle teats and children’s speech & language development

Overusing a dummy or bottle teat can affect a child’s speech and language development as well as their teeth.

It can:

  • limit tongue movements which may mean your child talks late
  • change the pattern of tongue movements making speech sounds unclear
  • cause a gap between the upper and lower front
  • teeth which may lead to a lisp
  • make it difficult for a child to swallow and
  • make them become more ‘dribbly’

Try to:

  • use a flat teat rather than a round shape teat as this is likely to cause less damage to the position of the teeth
  • gradually reduce the amount of time your baby has the dummy
  • get rid of the dummy at around 12 months or sooner - if needed after this time, make sure it’s for sleep time only
  • never dip the dummy into anything sugary
  • never use a bottle as a soother
  • remove the dummy when your child is trying to talk - imagine trying to talk yourself with something in your mouth
  • choose the right time for your child to give up their dummy, not when you are under pressure or your child is unwell
  • ‘send’ the dummy to Father Christmas or the Easter Bunny - this can work well
  • praise your child when they give up the dummy
  • and finally: once the dummy has gone, don’t be tempted to give it back

What shall we do today?

Small amounts of time on my tummy helps to make my head, neck and back muscles strong. When lying on my tummy I can look at things around me. As I get a bit older, I like to hold and drop things which helps me to learn about my body. I like to be with my parents and enjoy looking and listening to you, helping me learn how to be social. I really like lots of cuddles and this helps me to feel safe. I don’t mind short periods away from you, but not too long as I feel unsure. I also like to listen to stories and when I hear lots of words, this helps me learn language.

Visit the BBC Tiny Happy People website for further information

 

BBC TIny Happy People logo

Now I am around 6 months

I like lots of floor time to practise rolling and moving and more toys to hold on to, anything will do, spoons, fir cones, soft brushes, sponges. I like songs and different sounds.

Find out Baby and toddler play ideas on the NHS website

Now I am over 6 months

I can get around. I can also pick up small things and like to put them in my mouth. This is because I am finding out about things and use all my senses. Please help me to be safe and remove any small items. Babies will love exploring anything. You can pick up interesting objects in the local bargain shop or in your cupboards at home! Babies will love to grab the items, explore them using their mouths, bang things together, roll, throw and experiment with sounds. The possibilities are endless, and it helps babies to learn about how things ‘work’ using their senses.