A 38-week-old or nine months old baby has life-changing development milestones. This phase has specific developments, weaning and wonders. Here we will discuss 38-week-old infant development and care tips.
The development of the baby at this stage is quite discernable. However, a 38-week-old baby’s milestones may vary according to each baby’s rate of growth. They may be obvious in some babies and not be so obvious in other babies. This is a natural process. Your baby will reach these milestones sooner or later.
Have a discussion with your doctor along with our suggestions about the development pace at this age of the baby.
The development can be broken down into different sets of milestones. We have marked out the most significant of them.
The thirty-eight-week-old baby’s developmental milestones can be categorised into physical, mental, social developments, and medical needs:
While all of the above are vital developments and need baby weaning tactics, food and sleep always remain parents’ priority during a 38-week-old baby growth spurt. Let’s discuss development changes in feeding and sleeping first.
This is a time when a baby’s tiny fingers are trying to grasp things. So, you can start finger food that is easy to hold, eat and digest like chunks of soft bread, hard boiled bits of egg white, boiled potato fingers, etc.
It is also a great time to begin food that can melt easily into baby’s mouth like soft fruit purees of banana, papaya, avocado, teething biscuits, and dissolving crackers.
This is also a time babies like to explore food. Use that to your advantage to introduce new food like pasta, fish, meat etc. There is a theory that suggests that you should introduce a new food every 3-5 days to reduce food allergy. However, other studies suggest that it is okay to try a new food every 1-3 days.
Babies will also like sharing food with you. Be prepared for baby food tantrums as baby becomes choosy.
You may still be breastfeeding along with all these experiments. However, baby’s need for feeds will vary depending on other activities that may interest baby, especially during sleep. Sleep cycles will also change.
The baby is full of new activities, and sleep may reduce and get disturbed both during day and night. That makes the baby irritable and exhausted. There may even be night terrors or nightmares.
There is also a sense of insecurity. Baby may not want to sleep with anyone else other than the mother or the primary caregiver. You may need a baby carrier during a busy day.
According to one study, “8% of babies aged 6 – 12 months still regularly wake at least once in the night, and 61% have at least one milk feed during the night.” Breastfeeding may not be a great need for baby now. Reading from a book or storytelling may induce sleep.
All this is very normal and due to rapid physical and mental development.
Baby needs some special care at this stage:
Equally important things in a baby’s development at this stage are medical requirements that are discussed below.
The Ministry of Health, Govt. of India recommends the first dose of measles vaccine at nine months of baby age. It is given with the first dose of Vitamin A oral vaccine by 12 months of age. The Japanese Encephalitis vaccine (first dose) is also under consideration.
The Indian Academy of Pediatrics also recommends oral poliovirus vaccine OPV 2, Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine MMR-1 at nine months; Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine from 9-12 months.
The WHO guidelines recommend that Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine (HPV) should also be given as soon as possible from 9 months of age; Yellow Fever vaccine along with measles vaccine from 9-12 month; Meningococcal MenA conjugate vaccine from 9-18 months and Quadrivalent conjugate from 9-23 months.
According to another recommendation, the child may also receive the third hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) and the third polio vaccine (IPV) from 6-18 months of age; and the flu vaccine should be given annually.
There may be some side effects of vaccination; please discuss with your baby’s doctor before the vaccination.
Tests and Checkups Would Include:
This is a time to introduce baby to certain games and activities that:
While you engage in weaning, you must also consult the baby’s doctor at regular intervals. You must do this to discuss:
38-week-old babies are full of new developments. You need to keep up with them, so please take very good care of yourself while you take care of the baby. You will need all the energy and good health as well!