- Passes Gas, All the Time - It's not uncommon for your bundle of joy to remind you of a frat boy from time to time, but farting and burping are just a few of the things that babies do. In fact, most people pass gas from 6 to 20 times a day, but (most) adults are better at being discreet. If your wee one appears uncomfortable as a result of his or her gas, talk to your pediatrician about possible culprits.
- Puts Everything in the Mouth - One of the ways your baby learns about the world around him is with his mouth. It's called oral exploration and it's a perfectly normal part of any tot's development.
- Has the Hiccups All the Time - Frequent hiccups in children under one-year-old are very common. Usually the noisy bumps are just sudden contractions of your lil one's diaphragm, and bother mom and dad more than baby. If your child's hiccups interfere with his every day life, talk to your tot's doctor.
- Sticks Out Tongue - Many wee ones are curious about their bodies, and their tongue is no exception. If you child's tongue seems to be peeking out often, don't be alarmed, she's probably just discovered it and is enjoying her new toy. If your baby's tongue seems to get in the way of eating or speaking, bring it up with her doctor.
- Wakes Up Early - Some children wake up late, some wake up early and will fall back asleep on their own, and others are perfectly content starting the day before the sun rises. If your child is an early riser, you can try and push him for a later wake-up time but chances are he is just an early bird. Rough for mama, but not surprising for a little person trying to take in as much as possible.
- Crawls Backwards - Michael Moore recently told Larry King that he was a strange child because he crawled backwards until he was two, but Moore wasn't as weird as he thinks. In fact, it's common for a baby's arms to be stronger than his legs at first, which means he may push backwards. He may even get the hang of going forward, or he may not — either way, it's nothing to worry about.
- Gags on New Textures - Don't stress out if your tot gags at the introduction of any new foods with different textures — it's completely normal since smooth breast milk or formula was the only thing that went into your lil one's mouth before solids. This is why it's important to keep introducing new tastes and textures to get your budding foodie used to the yummier side of life. If your child is over the age of one and still gagging from finger and chunky foods, talk to his or her pediatrician.
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