Cue the Worry
Sitting Up
My baby is 6 months old and isn't sitting. Is she behind schedule?
We ask about sitting up at the 6-month checkup, but a lot of babies are not yet sitting up on their own at this age. We want them to be sitting with support. If they aren't sitting up by the 9-month checkup, your pediatrician will evaluate other related milestones.
Crawling
My baby is on the move! Are there restrictions to where I let them crawl?
When your child is around 6 months old—and before they start to crawl—I recommend parents crawl around on the floor, all over the house! When you're standing up, you cannot always see below the dishwasher, refrigerator or couch. However, your little one will soon find all these treasures, such as paper clips, 5-year-old gummy bears, nails, screws, etc. Before they are crawling, crawl around the house and start babyproofing by cleaning up a little bit.
Starting Solids
We recommend at minimum waiting until around six months to introduce food to your child. Signs that they are ready for it include your baby holding up her head, opening his mouth in anticipation of food and sitting well with support, and if he or she has nearly doubled their birth weight—which often occurs around months 4 to 7.
Standing
When should my baby start standing on his own?
Some babies can stand with assistance at 6 months; most children can stand on their own by 12 months. If you have concerns about this, remember to discuss your concerns at your 6-, 9- and 12-month checkups. Shortly after babies start standing, they begin to cruise around the furniture.
Car Seats
When can my child move out of a rear-facing car seat? My kid's legs are too long/They're uncomfortable/They cry while traveling, etc.
I hear from many parents who are eager to move their kid up early in everything—a big no when it comes to car seats. Unless the kids are past the weight and height limits of the seat, we recommend sticking to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatricians, which means the children should remain rear-facing until age 2. As advanced as your kid may seem in language or development, rear-facing children's seats are best for muscle development and safety.
Fevers
When should I call the doctor for my child's fever?
A fever is one of the most common concerns and often the first symptom that parents call about. When a child has a fever, it's his body's way of reacting to some foreign virus or germs. It's our body's first defense against a cold. I'm often more concerned with a child with a low fever and other symptoms, like lethargy or vomiting, than I am a child with a high fever who is acting normally. It's a myth that a higher fever means a child is sicker. Controlling the fever and monitoring for other symptoms are the most important steps. We see children in the office with fever of temperatures of 105+ on occasion. The number doesn't mean one child is necessarily "sicker" than the other.
