248 Part Three Infants
same time they develop the pincer
grasp. Some babies, however, will
simply rake the food into their
mouths. Finger foods aid the baby’s
growing independence as well as
grasping and chewing skills.
Eating fi nger foods is fun, but it
can also be hazardous. As babies are
learning to eat these foods, they may
choke or gag at the new textures. For
this reason, adults should keep their
babies in full view when they are
eating. Adults should also offer only
“safer” foods. These foods include
small pieces of melba toast; crispy,
unsalted crackers; bagels; zwieback;
and fruits and vegetables that have
been cooked and diced. (Adults
should choose from the foods they
know their babies already tolerate.)
Self-feeding with a spoon begins
in the second year. Younger babies
may want to help adults by grabbing
the spoon during a feeding. Adults
can often solve this problem by
giving the baby a spoon to hold as
they feed. Babies may even hold a
spoon in each hand. Some parents
then let the baby use the spoon on
the last few bites. The spoon rarely
reaches the mouth, but this is good
practice for later self-feeding.
Mealtimes should be pleasant
for the baby. Caregivers should
try to stay calm regardless of what
or how much the baby accepts or
rejects. If the adult is unpleasant
when the baby rejects a food, the
baby is more likely to refuse the
same food next time. Kindness
makes new foods easier to accept.
Clothing
Infants grow quickly and outgrow
their clothing several times in the fi rst
year. Because babies grow at different
rates, infant clothing should be bought
by length and weight rather than
by age. (Sewing patterns should be
bought by length and weight, also.)
Companies use different sizes; thus,
it is important to read the hangtags
carefully before buying to select the
right size for the baby. Chart 11-7
shows examples of clothing sizes.
Typical First-Year Clothing Sizes
Sizes of Clothes Other Than Sleepwear
Size Newborn 0 to 3 mo. 6 to 9 mo. 12 mo.
Length
(inches)
20 to 22 22½ to 24 24½ to 28½ 29 to 30½
Weight
(pounds)
5½ to 8½ 9 to 12 12½ to 19 19½ to 20½
Sizes for Sleepwear
Size XS/S M L
Age 0 to 3 mo. 3 to 6 mo. 6 to 9 mo.
Weight
(pounds)
0 to 11 12 to 15 16 to 19
11-7 Length and weight are better indicators of clothing size than age.