Social Development

Your baby is 45 weeks old and some experts feel that social development started much earlier than at your child’s birth, but rather while your baby was still in utero.  Remember all those kicks you felt when you and your partner spoke?  Your baby was listening and recognized your voices.  That was the beginning of your precious one’s social development.  Now, as your baby is just over eleven months old, your baby’s social skills have made steadily progressed.

For some families, showing affection is part of their daily life.  Hugging, kissing and even kind looks are all considered signs of affection.  Your baby is very observant and especially if you have older children the motivation for your baby to imitate them increases.  Older siblings love to give their baby brother or sister a hug or a kiss because they usually get a lot of praise for it.  Doesn’t it feel good when you get rewarded for doing something good?  You should realize that it feels even more rewarding for children.  Thus, as you see your baby showing affection this month, go ahead and praise him for it.  I remember when my daughter gave me a kiss for the first time; it made my heart melt!  It had been my routine to give her a kiss and tell her I loved her everytime I left her for some errands.  And one day, she leaned over to kiss me after I told her I loved her.  That remains as one of the best days of my life!

Your baby will also start to communicate that he wants to be comforted or just that he wants your attention by raising his arms to be picked up.  Previously, your baby would cry and wait for you to come to his side, but now he knows how to crawl over to you and reach out to you.  The bond between you and your baby keeps getting stronger.