STARTING SOLIDS AND THE TODDLER YEARS

SILENCE IS GOLDEN. UNLESS YOU HAVE A TODDLER, AND THEN IT’S SUSPICIOUS.

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When you’re a new parent, life comes at you fast. The age-old saying about babies goes, “The only thing you can count on is change.” Just when you’ve mastered one routine or skill, they hit a growth spurt or learn something new and you’re trying to figure out how to adjust your approach to...well, everything from sleep to feeding. And we know you probably don’t want to think about potty training, but it’ll be here before you know it! Read on for expert advice on all things toddler.

INTRODUCING SOLIDS

Offering solids for the first time might be intimidating, especially with all of the variances between children and the different feeding options available. Babies don’t necessarily hit milestones at the exact same time as their peers, and some might not take to solids as eagerly as others. Not to worry, Moms and Dads—we’re here to support and guide you every step of the way.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN MY BABY IS READY FOR SOLIDS?

Health Canada currently recommends waiting until your baby is around six months old before introducing solid food (this includes purees). That said, some infants are ready earlier than others, with physical and behavioural indicators happening as early as four months old. Here are some signs to look for before offering those first bites.

Your baby can hold their head up and sit up in a high chair supported by the chair’s straps.

Your baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex (they don’t instinctively push solid foods out of their mouth with their tongue).

Your baby is putting things in their mouth and attempting to chew on them.

Your baby has figured out how to pick things up with a raking or pincer grasp (this helps enable self-feeding efforts).

Your baby seems interested in food and may try to grab what other family members are eating. If you aren’t sure whether or not your baby is ready for solids, ask your paediatrician or family doctor for advice.

Breastmilk, formula and solid foods aren’t the only nutritional element to be thinking about in that first year or two. Many doctors recommend a daily dose of vitamin D (the recommendation is 400 IU per day up to one year and 600 IU after one year).

HOW DO I START FEEDING SOLID FOODS TO MY BABY?

Back in the day, it was normal to start with a homemade or store-bought puree that you spoon-fed to your child. You know those adorable photos of babies trying peas or carrots for the first time? That was the standard for decades, and it’s still a perfectly acceptable method for feeding your baby.

Another option is baby-led weaning. With this approach, parents offer small amounts of solid food that have been ripped up or cut into appropriate-sized pieces. This might mean slicing blueberries in half, shredding meat, scrambling some egg yolks or offering them a steamed piece of broccoli they can gnaw on. Both puree feeding and baby-led weaning methods have benefits, so it’s really just a matter of preference. You can also try a combination of both feeding types and see what sticks!

WHAT ARE THE FIRST FOODS I SHOULD FEED MY BABY?

According to Canadian medical recommendations, it’s good to start with ironrich foods such as meat, meat alternatives (eggs, tofu, legumes) and/or ironfortified cereals (though there are many iron-rich fruit and veggie options, too). The next step is to expand the list of fruits and vegetables in your baby’s diet. You can offer your baby a slice of ripe pear or avocado, some apple sauce, a steamed slice of carrot or pureed squash—there are plenty of great options!

Milk to drink is typically not recommended until nine months of age or older, and some babies won’t take well to cow’s milk until closer to one year of age (it can be hard on their still-developing gut and lead to gastrointestinal symptoms). If you start your baby on cow’s milk, use 3% (homogenized) as they need the higher fat content to keep up with their speedy growth and development. That said, yogurt or cheese can be offered earlier.

Juice is not recommended for babies due to the high sugar content. Many babies will continue to breastfeed or bottle feed while enjoying solid foods. This is normal and a great way to ensure a healthy, wellrounded diet.

Worried About Food Allergies? If they run in the family or your child has been diagnosed with eczema or asthma, you can ask your doctor about specific strategies for introducing potential allergens. As general advice, you can offer foods containing common allergens (nuts, dairy, wheat, egg, shellfish, etc) as soon as your baby is successfully eating solid foods. In fact, early introduction to these foods may reduce the risk of an allergic reaction. If your child starts to show signs of distress, such as a rash, vomiting, skin discolouration, coughing or wheezing, swelling of the mouth or weakness, call 911. This is a medical emergency.

HOW TO PREPARE BABY’S FIRST FOODS

Making a homemade puree is fairly straightforward if you have the time, the energy and the right tools. However, there are also plenty of wonderful store-bought options to choose from. Do whatever works best for your family. There’s no need for added pressure or guilt! When buying premade baby food from a store, read the label and look for whole ingredients. Avoid anything with salt, added sugars (including maple syrup and honey) or artificial preservatives. If you can’t pronounce it or don’t know what it is, you probably don’t want to feed it to your baby. If you’re going the homemade route, simply cook and blend your fruit or vegetable of choice. Steaming, roasting and boiling are all good options, and a handheld immersion blender works just as well as a large one. If you’re aiming for a thicker puree with some texture (this works well with older babies who are transitioning from puree to firmer solid foods), you can even use a fork or a potato masher. Once your baby has gotten used to different flavours and demonstrated no allergic reaction to certain foods, you can start to create blends. (Allergic reactions are sometimes delayed, so to be extra safe, you can wait two or three days between new foods to monitor your baby’s reaction.) Just stick with pure fruit and veggies in those early months—there’s no need for any added salt or sugar. Later on, it may be fun to add subtle flavours to appeal to your baby’s tastebuds.

HOW TO INTRODUCE NEW FOODS TO YOUR BABY

Your baby might not react with delight when they try new foods—and that’s okay! It’s perfectly normal for them to make faces or even spit it out. Not only are the flavours new, but compared to breast milk or formula, the textures are a whole new world. Don’t be discouraged— keep offering small, manageable bites. If they only eat a mouthful or get a small taste, that’s totally fine.

When first introducing solids, consider nursing your baby or feeding them a bottle before offering any additional food. This way, your baby won’t be hangry and get frustrated if the solids aren’t exactly what they were after. Let them fill up a bit first in order to enjoy solids at their own pace. You won’t need to do this forever—just until they start eating an adequate amount of solids at mealtimes.

You’ll want to keep mealtime positive and productive, so avoid tricks like “landing the spoon airplane” in your baby’s mouth if your

baby isn’t receptive. This could have the opposite effect and create a negative association. Instead, pay attention to your baby’s cues and end mealtime when they become uninterested, displeased with a new food or frustrated. Keep it low pressure, take it day by day and enjoy.

WALKING

Most babies will walk between nine and 18 months of age, but babies don’t just wake up one morning knowing how to put one foot in front of the other. It’s a process. They will likely begin by pulling themselves to standing, and then they will start “cruising” along furniture, with their hand on something solid to steady them. (This is when baby-proofing becomes especially important—any item your little one could pull on for support needs to be tip-proof or safely secured to the wall.) From cruising, your babe will begin to take tentative steps between pieces of furniture, before progressing to independent steps.

It’s common for toddlers to take a few weeks to master one skill in the walking process before moving on to the next one, so don’t be surprised if your baby cruises for a while (it will feel like forever as you watch with bated breath for those first steps!).

Tips for Encouraging Walking

• CARRY THEM A LITTLE LESS. If they never have any motivation to walk, because you’re handling all the travel from point A to point B for them, they will be less inclined to try standing and cruising.

• LET THEM ROAM FREE (WITH SUPERVISION!). We’ve all been there, when you just need to prep dinner or answer an email, and the activity saucer is right there. But giving kiddos time to roam means encouraging curiosity and a desire to be on the move. • TRY A PUSH TOY. Baby walkers are now illegal in Canada (so many injuries, plus there is evidence that they actually hinder walking progress) but a push toy is a great way for your babe to feel like they have support while navigating an open area. • SKIP THE SHOES TO START. Babies use their toes to work out the mechanics of their movements in the early days of cruising and walking. Bare feet will allow them to figure out their balance a little better.

Worried About Your Late Walker? Kids move at their own pace—in all things, forever—so the best thing you can do is be patient, especially if they are showing introductory signs of mobility, such as crawling or pulling themselves to standing. Some kids reach this milestone later than others. If you’re anxious about it, however, mention your concern to your child’s doctor.

TALKING

Much like taking those first steps, kids will say their first words in their own time. That first sweet, intelligible word will likely show up between nine and 12 months, with a few more words to follow in the months after. By 18 months, most kids have 15 to 20 words, and will put together twoword sentences by age two.

While babies will utter that first “Mama,” “Dada” or “no” (a toddler favourite!) when they’re ready, there are easy, everyday ways to encourage speech: • Talk to them! It might seem like a no-brainer, but it really is a gamechanger for motivating kids to speak. From Day One, talk to them, with eye contact, and respond to their reactions. Reacting to a smile or giggle will actually encourage further communication. • Talk to other people in front of them. Your child will pick up communication cues from watching you speak to other people. • Read to your child as often as possible. Stop on each page to describe the pictures. • Name objects, body parts and things you see in nature as often as you can by pointing to the item and saying the word out loud. This repetitive habit will eventually pay off.

When a Late Talker is Cause for Concern Consult your doctor if your toddler doesn’t say any words by 18 months, does not follow commands by 18 months, does not link words for short statements and sentences by 24 months, if speech is too unclear to understand or if there is no understanding or interest in what you say.

POTTY TRAINING

It’s a milestone parents both look forward to and dread in equal measure. On one hand, no more diapers! On the other hand, teaching a tiny human to know their body’s cues and make it to the toilet in time is a daunting task (especially if kindergarten looms large!). Here’s the lowdown.

Most toddlers are able to learn to their bladder by age two to three and control their bowels by age three to four.

Night bladder control varies, but most children are completely dry all night by age four or five.

HOW TO START POTTY TRAINING

For some kids, their toilet routine interest will be piqued early—often by observing parents or older siblings using the bathroom. For others, it may be a struggle to get them motivated to try the potty.

But first things first:

• Involve your child in choosing the potty. Whether you’re going to use a standalone potty or an attachment for the toilet, have your child go to the store with you to pick. You can also allow them to choose their own underwear, with a favourite character or a cute pattern, to encourage potty use. (You may want to use potty training diapers to start, but the new undies may provide much-needed motivation.) • Have your child sit on the potty whenever they show an interest. Don’t pressure them to actually try to urinate or have a bowel movement at first. They can even sit on the potty clothed or in a diaper, as it is just to help them get used to the experience. • When you feel they are ready, establish a routine where you take your child to try to use the potty a few times a day. Time these bathroom visits with when you know they may have to go—first thing in the morning, before nap, before bed. • Applaud all attempts to use the bathroom, even if they don’t actually do anything. Kids get a kick out of big reactions from their parents and family members! • When your child has a bowel movement in their diaper, take them to the bathroom and empty the contents of the diaper into the toilet.

This signals your little one to know where poop should go. As your child gets the hang of toileting—don’t be surprised if they master either peeing or pooping in the potty first, but still have trouble with the other—develop a reward system to show how proud you are of their progress. Some experts recommend against using food as a reward, suggesting parents opt for stickers or other small items instead. Often, families have a special song or book that corresponds with potty success.

Do not tease or scold your potty training toddler—even when you’re frustrated. This can give kids anxiety about using the toilet and halt progress. In the same vein, expect regressions. Changes in routine— starting or changing daycares, holidays, road trips and vacations—can set kids back and may require a little retraining.

Toilet training may take longer than you expected, so be patient. There will be accidents even after the toddler seems to have full control. Don’t hesitate to discuss the progress with your physician.

THE “TERRIBLE TWOS” AND THE “THREENAGE YEARS”

The fabled “terrible twos” have been the stuff of parenting folklore since...we’re guessing the beginning of time. Toddlers begin to assert their independence, which can lead to moments of frustration for

both children and parents. This is due in large part to the fact that small children are learning self-regulation while also figuring out that they have some autonomy and can make decisions about where they go and what they do. Queue tantrums and other shows of displeasure when they either can’t manage their emotions or are exerting their new-found ability to refuse.

For some kids, the “terrible twos” never really materialize only for this behaviour to make an appearance when the child turns three. Either way, it can be a difficult time to parent.

Tips for Handling the “Terrible Twos” or the “Threenage” Years:

• BE CONSISTENT WITH THE SCHEDULE AND ROUTINE. When a toddler knows what to expect, transitions between activities are that much easier.

When you have to go off-schedule, be sure to give your child lots of advance warning when you need them to change activities or leave a location. • KEEP THE NAP. It can be tempting to drop the afternoon nap, or to just assume they will nap in the car en route to a relative’s house or the grocery store, but overtired kids are that much harder to handle (all logic and reasoning go out the window!). • STICK TO RULES AND DISCIPLINE. Gently reminding of rules and issuing the age-appropriate disciplinary action for misbehaviour will send the message to your child that their behaviour will not be tolerated. • LEARN THE ART OF REDIRECTION. Sometimes your child won’t know that their behaviour is out of line, and they aren’t old enough to sit through a long explanation or lecture. Quickly and efficiently correct the behaviour but also redirect their attention to focus on something else.

Temper Tantrum Basics It can be extremely frustrating to try and defuse a child in the throes of a temper tantrum—especially if you’re in public. But guess what? You don’t have to. Sitting or standing near by, you can allow your child to have their temper tantrum without reacting. Believe it or not, chances are the tantrum will be resolved more quickly than if you try to force the tantrum to end. Then, you can scoop your child up to offer some comfort before you address why the tantrum wasn’t acceptable. Trying to scold a tantruming child is fruitless and doesn’t help to avoid the behaviour in the future.