19 weeks - www.kidspot.com.au baby’s first year update

Baby's First Year Kidspot Welcome to week 19! This Week Your Baby Is: Playing on her own It's 7am and you haven't heard a peep from the nursery. Could it be that she has finally slept in? No, but the news is almost as good - she's awake and playing happily in her cot on her own. At this age, your baby will begin to be able to entertain herself for short periods of time - although if she catches sight of you, chances are that she'll quickly abandon her play in preference to your company. Being able to entertain herself, even for a few minutes, is a great skill for your baby to develop - later on this will help her learn to be self-reliant and an independent thinker. To give your baby the best chance to learn to play on her own and enjoy her own company, try to avoid the temptation of interrupting her (or getting in her line of sight) when she is deep in play. Find other ways your baby enjoys to play. Hot Topic: Car Seats At some time in the next month or so, you're going to have to move your baby from his capsule or rear-facing car seat to a child restraint that he'll use until he's about four years old. Your baby must be either 8 kg or 70 cm long before he can move into a child restraint (check our car seat safety guide ) - and if you have a long baby you may find yourself having to make the transition before he is sitting comfortably unassisted. Whatever brand you choose, check that your car seat can recline into a position that'll allow your baby to be safe and comfortable, that it has adjustable straps, and that the cover is removable and machine-washable (there'll many years of banana-eating for your car seat to survive!) Find out about hiring and buying child car seats Kidspot Tip: Car travel with baby If your baby has never been a fan of the capsule, you'll be happy to hear that car trips usually get a whole lot easier (and less stressful) once she's sitting face-forward in a car seat. Not only can she see you, but you can now more easily attend to her as you drive. To avoid the mid-trip melt-downs that are so much a feature of car travel with babies, try to be super organised and anticipate all the possible scenarios that could lead to tears before you get to your destination. Tucking a couple of travel extras into your nappy bag is a great idea including a soft toy, a board book or two, a kid-friendly CD, and an extra wrap or bunny rug to use as an emergency shade cloth. Going on a road trip? Discover the secrets to happy car travel My to do list • Kidspot Social: Join the family travel group and share advice and get tips • Shop for a new car seat • Read our reviews of the latest kid's CDs Easy Recipes Healthy dinner ideas Easy entertaining Salads Snacks Quick breakfast ideas Search all recipes Your Baby Breast or bottle? Baby care advice Best baby sleep info Baby names finder Your newborn Baby activities Just for Mums Enjoy Sarah's Page Join Kidspot Social Browse Kidspot Market Win daily prizes Get Kidspot Daily Unsubscribe from the mailing list? Click here